Erik and Lyle Menendez face California parole hearings this week

The Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, are facing California’s parole board this week in a closely watched bid for freedom that could reshape a decades-long saga tied to high-profile trials, renewed public interest, and parallel legal avenues. Erik’s hearing is set for Thursday, followed by Lyle’s on Friday, with each case being considered separately by a panel that will determine whether the men, now in their 50s, no longer pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. Even if parole is recommended, the decision undergoes a routine 120-day legal review before it reaches Governor Gavin Newsom for a final ruling, a process that could take several months.

The hearings come after a Los Angeles judge in May resentenced both brothers to 50 years to life, a reduction from life without parole that made them eligible for parole under California’s youthful-offender provisions, as they were 21 and 18 at the time of the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The decision opened the door to parole for the first time in three decades, but the path to release remains uncertain. Supporters, including family members and advocacy groups, have argued that Erik and Lyle have shown...