Erik Menendez Hospitalized With Serious Medical Condition Weeks Before Parole Hearing

Erik Menendez, one-half of the infamous Menendez brothers duo convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, has been hospitalized with a serious medical condition.

The exact nature of the illness has not been publicly disclosed, but Erik Menendez's attorney has called the situation grave.

Erik’s attorney, Mark Geragos, appeared on TMZ, advocating for his client’s immediate release on medical grounds.

"It's a serious condition," Geragos stated. "I just think he should be parole furloughed… 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."

Now 54, Erik and his brother Lyle were resentenced in May to 50 years to life in prison, making them eligible for parole for the first time in over three decades. Their parole hearing is scheduled for August 21, marking a pivotal moment in the brothers’ long-running legal fight for release after 35 years behind bars.

Erik and Lyle Menendezwere originally sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for fatally shooting their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home.

The case shocked the nation and became a media spectacle during the 1990s. The brothers later claimed they acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of their father, an argument that has since gained traction among supporters and advocates for survivors of abuse.

Despite fierce opposition from Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who has called the self-defense claims “a litany of lies," the brothers’ efforts to secure parole have received growing support, including backing from more than 20 family members.

The Menendez case first made headlines on August 20, 1989, when entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife, Kitty, were brutally gunned down with shotguns in their Beverly Hills home. Their sons, Lyle and Erik,  called 911, claiming their parents had been killed by intruders.

But suspicion quickly turned toward the brothers, especially after they embarked on an extravagant spending spree in the months following the murders. In March 1990, Erik and Lyle were arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Their first trial began in 1993, with separate juries for each brother. Prosecutors alleged they killed their parents for financial gain, while the defense claimed the siblings acted in self-defense after suffering years of sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of their father.

In 1994, both juries deadlocked, resulting in mistrials.

A second trial in 1996 ended in convictions for both Erik and Lyle, but this time the judge significantly limited the amount of abuse evidence that could be presented. The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and were housed in separate facilities.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently addressed the Menendez brothers' upcoming parole hearing on his podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," hinting that a decision could come as soon as Labor Day, depending on the outcome of the August proceedings.

During a conversation with "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" creator Ryan Murphy, Newsom confirmed that if the state parole board recommends Erik and Lyle Menendez for release, the decision would ultimately land on his desk. The brothers are scheduled to appear before the board on August 21 and 22.

Murphy joked about the timing, saying, “Then you can watch [the Netflix series] over your Labor Day trip,” to which Newsom quipped, “I’m going to see if I made the right decision… Like, ‘Jesus, I should’ve watched this before.’” The governor added that he hasn’t yet viewed the series and intentionally avoided it so it wouldn’t influence any potential decision on the brothers’ fate.

Erik’s current health crisis has intensified the urgency surrounding the brothers’ legal battle, prompting questions about whether his condition could affect the upcoming parole hearing, or potentially expedite a decision on his possible release.