Menendez Brothers Shut Down In La Court: Retrial Denied After Parole Rejection

Menendez Brothers Face Another Legal Setback in Tinseltown

Yo, LA, the drama surrounding Erik and Lyle Menendez just keeps heating up like a SoCal summer. According to a report dropped by The New York Times on September 16, the brothers’ latest attempt at a retrial got a hard pass from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan. This ruling came down on September 15, less than a month after the duo was denied parole in separate August hearings.

For those not in the 90210 loop, Erik, 57, and Lyle, 54, have been serving 50-years-to-life sentences for the brutal 1989 murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their swanky Beverly Hills mansion. They’ve been fighting for reduced convictions since a resentencing in May 2025 made them eligible for parole, but so far, it’s been nothing but red lights on this Hollywood horror story.

New Evidence, Same Old Verdict

The Menendez brothers and their legal team rolled the dice in May 2023 with a retrial request, banking on some fresh evidence to sway the court. This push came after the Peacock docuseries Menéndez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed dropped bombshells that got everyone talking - plus, Netflix’s October 2024 release of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story turned their case into watercooler convo from Venice Beach to the Valley. But even with all that buzz, Judge Ryan wasn’t buying what they were selling.

'Man, it’s like the system just keeps slamming the door on these guys - no matter what new info comes out, it’s still a no-go,' said a local LA legal analyst following the ruling.

Two key pieces of evidence were presented: a letter Erik allegedly wrote at 17 to his cousin Andy Cano, detailing claims of sexual abuse by his father, and a declaration from Roy Rosselló, a former member of the iconic group Menudo, alleging abuse by José Menendez in 1983. Heavy stuff, right? Still, Judge Ryan’s 16-page rejection letter, obtained by The New York Times, called the evidence 'not particularly strong' and insufficient to change the original findings of premeditation.

Judge Ryan’s Hard Line: No Room for Doubt

Diving deeper into the judge’s ruling, it’s clear he wasn’t moved by the emotional weight of the new claims. Regarding Erik’s letter, Ryan noted it didn’t shed light on the brothers’ state of mind or fear at the time of the murders. As for Rosselló’s declaration, the judge straight-up dismissed it as irrelevant to Erik and Lyle’s mindset during the crime.

Quoting the ruling, Judge Ryan wrote that the evidence 'does not negate the finding of premeditation and deliberation and the lying-in-wait special circumstance.' He added that it wasn’t compelling enough to create reasonable doubt for even one juror or support a self-defense argument. Ouch - that’s a cold dose of reality straight from the LA courthouse.

What’s Next for Erik and Lyle?

Despite this latest L, the Menendez brothers aren’t completely out of moves. The New York Times reports they can petition to go before the parole board again in 18 months. Meanwhile, renewed public interest - fueled by those streaming specials - keeps their story alive on every social feed from Hollywood to Huntington Beach.

On a related note, LA District Attorney George Gascón dropped a bombshell on October 24, requesting resentencing for Erik and Lyle during a live press conference. If accepted, this could mean immediate parole eligibility, per Gascón. So, while the retrial door is slammed shut, there’s still a sliver of hope shining through the cracks of this decades-long Malibu-style drama.