Celebrity Lawyer Explains Lyle Menendez’s Parole is Unlikely

Celebrity Lawyer and legal analyst Christopher C. Melcher, who is ranked as a best family law attorney in California, explains why Lyle Menendez‘s parole is unlikely.

In this KNX radio interview, Brian interviews Christopher C. Melcher, a top family law attorney in Los Angeles, California about Lyle Menendez’s state parole board hearing. Chris is a partner of Walzer Melcher Yoda LLP, which is ranked as a best family law firm in Los Angeles, California.

Brian:

The state parole board rejected Eric Menendez’s bid to get out of prison. Now today it’s his brother Lyle’s turn. Lyle is before a separate panel to try to get out of prison after serving about 35 years for helping murder his parents. Could the parole board recommend Lyle go free but not Eric? With us now to explain is celebrity lawyer and legal analyst, Chris Melcher. Chris, thanks for joining us.

Chris Melcher:

Thanks, Brian.

Could a Menendez Brother Go Free?

Brian:

So could the board possibly recommend Lyle go free but not Eric?

Chris Melcher:

Well, anything’s possible in court or in law as we’ve seen, but that would be highly unlikely due to the decision yesterday to deny parole for Eric because Lyle was three years older when this offense occurred and also had some prison violations, not to the extent of Eric’s that were a deciding factor yesterday for denying for Eric.

Brian:

Yeah, that’s what this might come down to. I should have asked whether it was plausible. Of course it’s possible, but you’re indicating it’s not plausible because Lyle has some factors too. Eric apparently was the one who had more of a troublesome record behind bars. But Lyle was believed to have been the mastermind here, right?

Lyle Menendez Was the Mastermind

Chris Melcher:

Well, that’s right. Lyle was 21 years old and Eric was 18 years old when they killed their parents. And Eric was saying that really he was following along with what Lyle was wanting to do. Lyle was the one who reloaded his shotgun and shot his mother fatally after she didn’t die from the first rounds of shotgun blasts. It’s just horrific facts. And Lyle was doing that.

Are they at Risk to Society?

Now on parole, they’re not necessarily looking at the circumstances of the crime. They’re looking at whether this person has been rehabilitated and poses an unreasonable risk to society. Both Eric and Lyle received the same classification scores on their supposed risk if they were released and Eric had eight violations while in custody. Lyle had five violations and I think they’re fairly minor, but that was significant to the parole board in denying parole yesterday to Eric.

Governor Newsom Could Let Them Go

Brian:

Now, of course, Governor Newsom could do whatever he wants and can just use the parole board’s termination as simply a recommendation, and if they deny both Lyle and Eric, he could intervene and let them go. But of course there are extenuating factors here. When you’re talking about Governor Newsom and what could lie ahead in the next couple of years, does he just sort of read the tea leaves in public opinion before he decides to go one way or another if he decides to get involved in this?

Chris Melcher:

Well, that’s right. There is a political overlay, and I think this is also generational. People like myself who were aware and LA residents at that time and saw the crime occur and what the brothers were saying prior to them admitting that they killed their parents (aka parricide), I think have a much more hardened view of these two individuals. And then based on the social media accounts and documentaries that have been done later, I think younger generations are more accepting and feel somehow that they were justified in killing their parents. And so I guess it would depend to Governor Newsom what demographic does he want to play to?

Brian:

That is top family law attorney and legal analyst, Chris Melcher. Chris, thanks so much.