Erik Menendez is dealing with a "serious medical condition," and his attorney, Mark Geragos, has called for his immediate release from prison due to his illness, TMZ reported.
Erik Menendez, 54, and his brother Lyle Menendez, 57, have been in prison since they were convicted of killing their parents, Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, with a shotgun in 1989. Both were originally sentenced to life without parole, but after a resentencing in May, they're now waiting for a parole hearing in August that could determine if they'll be released, according to The Independent.
No further details pertaining to Erik Menendez's condition have been confirmed, but TMZ has reported he is suffering from kidney stones.
"Erik is having a serious medical condition right now," Geragos told TMZ.
"I just think he should be parole furloughed, I think is the proper term, and he could be medically furloughed in advance of the hearing so that he can work with the parole attorney and get up to speed and be ready and do it and give it his best shot. I think that it's the only fair and equitable thing to do," he said.
Geragos revealed that Erik Menendez has been receiving treatment at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California.
Erik and Lyle Menendez's upcoming parole hearing is set for Aug. 21 and 22. After spending 35 years behind bars, a California parole board will soon determine whether the brothers are eligible for release.
Their sentences were reduced in May 2025 and changed from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. This change makes them eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law, which applies to individuals who committed crimes before turning 26. At the time of the murders, Erik Menendez was 18, and Lyle Menendez was 21.
During the 1996 trial, defense lawyers claimed the brothers acted in self-defense, citing years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father. Prosecutors, however, maintained that the motive behind the killings was financial, specifically, to gain access to a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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