Menendez Brothers Parole Hearing: District Attorney Nathan Hochman Insists Erik and Lyle Should Stay in Prison for 'Horrific Murders'

District Attorney Nathan Hochman is not on board with the Menendez brothers potential release from prison.

One day before parole hearings are set to begin for Erik and Lyle Menendez on Thursday, August 21, and Friday August 22, the Los Angeles County D.A. submitted a statement of view to Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic urging him to keep the convicted criminals behind bars after they were resentenced to 50 years to life earlier this year.

The Menendez brothers' parole hearing could result in the siblings being freed 36 years after murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in August 1989.

"The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents, instead continuing to promote a false narrative of self-defense that was rejected by the jury decades ago," Hochman claimed via legal documents obtained by OK! on Wednesday, August 20.

He continued: "We have consistently opposed their release because they have not demonstrated full insight into their crimes or shown that they have been fully rehabilitated, and therefore continue to pose a risk to society. We will evaluate our final position based on the evidence presented at the hearing."

"The gravity of the murders cannot be minimized without undermining confidence in the justice system and how it treats other serious cases," Hochman noted, referencing how Governor Gavin Newsom recently denied parole for Sirhan Sirhan — who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.

Hochman said Newsom did so because "failure to exhibit full insight and responsibility is a critical factor in determining parole eligibility" and "the same principle" should apply in the Menendez brothers' case.

The L.A. County district attorney also brought up recent projects like Ryan Murphy's 2024 biographical crime drama anthology television series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which captivated fans and fueled a sea of supporters to speak out in favor of the brothers' freedom.

"While recent documentaries and films have drawn renewed attention to this case, parole decisions must be based solely on the facts and the law. This case, like all cases — especially those that captivate the public — must be viewed with a critical eye. Justice should never be swayed by spectacle," he added.

Hochman concluded: "My personal opinions are irrelevant. What matters and what guides my office is the evidence, the facts of the case, and the application of the law."

While Hochman has his concerns about the convicted murderers' potential release from prison, it will ultimately be up to Judge Jesic to decide the Menendez brothers' fate.