CNN had a double whammy of breaking news occur on Thursday morning.
The cable news network halted its current story to report that a New York appeals court was dismissing Donald Trump’s $515 million civil fraud penalty. The five judges who reached the verdict called the cost “excessive,” seven months after Trump was found guilty of padding his financial statements and was ordered to pay the amount.
CNN host Wolf Blitzer spoke with two other hosts about the latest court ruling, and after one host ended a sentence, Wolf jumped in with another breaking news alert. “I want to get to another important story that’s happening right now,” he said.
“Breaking news, any moment now the Menendez brothers will begin their latest fight to get out of prison,” Wolf continued. “In just minutes, Erik Menendez will argue for his release in front of the California parole board. Tomorrow, it’s Lyle Menendez’s turn.”
Erik and Lyle have been in prison for over 30 years after they were found guilty of murdering their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, in 1989. The brothers claimed it was self-defense as they worried their parents would kill them if they went public about the alleged sexual abuse.
The brothers were originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but in recent years – especially after the release of Netflix’s Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story – many have been calling for the brothers to be released on parole.
IN May 2025, a Los Angeles judge cut the brothers’ sentence to 50 years to life under California’s youthful offender law, which applies to individuals who committed crimes before the age of 6. Erik and Lyle were 18 and 21, respectively, when they killed their parents.
Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic, who cut the sentences, told the courtroom, “I’m not saying they should be released, it’s not for me to decide. I do believe they’ve done enough in the past 35 years, that they should get that chance.”
It is now up to the California parole board to make the decision to let the brothers out on parole. Lyle and Erik will have to plead their cases to why they are not a public safety threat and have served their debt to society.
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