Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez are wanting ahead to a brand new listening to of their homicide case — however what do their lives presently appear like in jail?
The brothers have been arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree homicide after their mother and father — José and Kitty — have been discovered shot to dying of their dwelling. Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 on the time of the murders and after two trials, they have been sentenced to life with out parole. Lyle and Erik have maintained that their mom and father have been bodily, emotionally and sexually abusive forward of their deaths.
Whereas initially remaining in the identical jail, Erik and Lyle have been transferred after their sentencing. They reunited in 2018 once they have been moved into the identical housing unit at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
Their case acquired renewed help in September 2024 after changing into the main focus of Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters sequence. Regardless of Erik publicly slamming the scripted present, he met with Cooper Koch, who performed him on display.
“They’ve accomplished a lot superb work in jail. Erik teaches meditation. He teaches speech courses. They’re each unbelievable individuals,” Koch instructed The Hollywood Reporter in September 2024. “I believe again then, individuals simply didn’t consider that sexual abuse between males was one thing that you can consider and the better capsule to swallow was that they killed their mother and father for cash. However now, after a lot time, I believe individuals are extra open to understanding that one thing like that did occur.”
Koch added: “In reality, the warden instructed me himself that he appears like he’d be comfortable to have them as his neighbors and that he could be snug letting them watch his youngsters. I believe that claims quite a bit!”
With help from Koch — and reality-star-turned-prison-reform-activist Kim Kardashian — Los Angeles District Lawyer George Gascón introduced in October 2024 {that a} listening to has been set attributable to new proof.
Maintain scrolling for perception into Erik and Lyle’s day-to-day lives in jail:
Previous Points
Erik mirrored on his adjustment to life behind bars, telling Individuals in 2005, “The cell I stay in is tiny … about 6′ by 4′. Two individuals stay within the cell. The cell is so small that just one individual will be up off the bunks at a time. There’s a commode and a sink.”
It was arduous for him to regulate to the “violent noises” in jail.
“It is rather troublesome to stay with. It at all times impacts you. And you must maintain to your personal enterprise,” he famous. “There is likely to be 300 to 400 individuals within the yard at a time and at any second a battle may escape. Previously month, two inmates have been murdered. You need to avoid the yard bullies.”
Erik revealed he was bullied when he was initially sentenced. “You need to stand as much as them, however on the similar time you must be extraordinarily respectful. You need to know learn how to apologize. After 15 years, I’ve realized the lingo on learn how to be a prisoner,” he continued. “I’ve gotten into fights … many fights. However I by no means battle first. You need to study to be sensible. There’s a perpetual state of concern that exists as background noise. You at all times have to pay attention to who’s round you. You need to regularly hone your survival instincts.”
He concluded: “The 2 issues that make jail so terrible are the extent of violence and the dearth of hope and love. What the jail can do to us terrifies me.”
Netflix’s Monsters sequence is dealing with backlash for the way it depicted Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez — particularly inaccurate particulars in regards to the occasions main as much as their homicide case. The restricted sequence, which was launched on September 19, centered round Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), who have been convicted for the 1989 homicide of […]
Present Examples of Enchancment
In a press release to Biography.com in September 2024, the California Division of Corrections & Rehabilitation provided an replace on Erik and Lyle’s conduct, writing, “Throughout his incarceration, Erik Menendez has incurred two severe guidelines violations. Joseph [Lyle] Menendez has incurred no guidelines violations.”
Erik and Lyle’s good conduct paved the way in which for them to stay in a “non-designated programming facility” at Donovan. The unit is called Echo Yard, which permits inmates extra freedom, rehabilitative and academic programming. These alternatives embrace yoga, artwork courses and extra.
In a uncommon interview, Erik gave an instance of his day-to-day schedule, telling Individuals in 2005 once more, “I rise up at 6 a.m. At 6:20 I’ve breakfast. I meditate at 6:50. Beginning at 7:30 I learn and write in my journal. We’ll both have a morning yard time beginning at 9:30 or a day yard time beginning at 2:00 p.m. At two o’clock I begin my job. I’ll attempt to name [wife] Tammi [Menéndez] within the afternoon. I’ll then work till 8:00 p.m. At 9:00 p.m. we’re locked down. I typically fall asleep round 10:30 p.m.”
Guidelines for Contacting Beloved Ones
The brothers are categorized as Group A prisoners, which permits them most privileges that include receiving visits and to make calls. Legal guidelines have been handed lately that made phone calls free for inmates and their households.
In 2021, California began to offer prisoners with tablets. It took two years for Donovan inmates to benefit from the chance and you will need to word that the gadgets don’t have entry to social media or web browsers. The tablets are largely used to learn information supplies and keep in touch with family members via electronic mail, video calls and textual content messages.
Potential Extracurriculars
Echo Yard is taken into account an experimental a part of the jail that’s much less restrictive. The unit operates exterior of “regular jail guidelines,” in keeping with reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune. Echo Yard permits inmates to participate in inventive applications, training and help teams for individuals with anger administration or substance abuse points.
The prisoners can take programs reminiscent of sufferer consciousness, cash administration and job looking methods. There’s a yoga program, which permits prisons to earn a 10-day discount of their sentence for each 52 hours of program participation. Rehabilitative Achievement Credit may provide inmates as a lot as 40 days taken off their sentences yearly.
Donovan has a prisoner-published month-to-month newspaper and artwork courses as properly. Lyle and Erik have notably taken benefit of Mission Paint once they helped paint a 1,000-foot lengthy mural at Echo Yard in 2020.
Elsewhere at Echo Yard, inmates might help increase service canine and future information canine. Donovan additionally held a commencement ceremony for the primary time in 2024 after almost two dozen inmates acquired levels via Inspiring Futures Via Academic Levels.
Ted Soqui/Sygma through Getty Photos Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez each discovered companions whereas serving out their particular person life sentences following a high-profile homicide case. The Menéndez brothers have been arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree homicide after their mother and father — José and Kitty — have been discovered shot to dying of their dwelling. Two […]
Restrictions on Conjugal Visits
Erik and Lyle Menendez VINCE BUCCI/AFP through Getty Photos
Erik has been married to spouse Tammi since 1999 after they met through letter correspondences. Lyle, in the meantime, exchanged vows with Anna Eriksson in 1996 however they divorced 5 years later. He later discovered love with Rebecca Sneed they usually acquired married in 2003.
Prisons in California allow conjugal visits however prisons serving life sentences with out parole are banned from such privileges. The legislation was modified in 2016 however since Erik and Lyle dedicated a violent offense in opposition to a member of the family, they nonetheless aren’t eligible for the household visits.
“Not having intercourse in my life is troublesome, however it’s not an issue for me. I’ve to be emotionally connected, and I’m emotionally connected to Erik,” Tammi instructed Individuals in 2005. “My household doesn’t perceive. When it began to get severe, a few of them simply threw up their arms.”
Lyle additionally provided a glimpse into this marriage to Rebecca, telling the outlet in 2017, “Our interplay tends to be very freed from distractions and we most likely have extra intimate conversations than most married spouses do, who’re distracted by life’s occasions.”
He concluded: “We attempt to discuss on the cellphone day-after-day, generally a number of occasions a day. I’ve a really regular, concerned marriage and that helps maintain me and brings quite a lot of peace and pleasure. It’s a counter to the unpredictable, very disturbing setting right here.”
