Arrest and initial custody (1989)
On March 20, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez were arrested in Beverly Hills and booked into the Los Angeles County Jail following the shooting deaths of their parents. Police detained them without bail at the LAPD’s Century Station. On March 24, 1989, a Los Angeles judge set bail at $10 million each; they were transferred to the Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail and held in protective custody. They remained in county custody through the summer of 1989 while the district attorney decided whether to pursue the death penalty.
First murder trial and jury selection (1993–1994)
The first trial began on July 12, 1993, after a lengthy jury selection. On March 18, 1994, the jury was deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial on most counts. Lyle and Erik remained in custody throughout the first trial, held at the Los Angeles County Jail. Their detention status continued unabated as a result of the inability to reach a verdict.
Key dates and decisions during the first trial
| Date | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 1989 | Arrest booked into Los Angeles County Jail | Initial custody following the fatal shooting |
| March 24, 1989 | Bail set at $10 million each; transferred to Men’s Central Jail | Marked shift to long‑term pretrial detention |
| July 12, 1993 | First trial begins | Start of extended period of incarceration through trial |
| March 18, 1994 | Jury deadlocks; mistrial declared | Continued custody until a new trial could be scheduled |
| August 31, 1994 | Second trial jury selected; retrial begins | Move to a new trial phase without release |
Conviction, sentencing, and transfer to state prison (1996)
On July 2, 1996, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury convicted Lyle and Erik Menendez of two counts of first‑degree murder for each victim. Sentencing was conducted on August 20 and August 21, 1996: each brother received life in prison without the possibility of parole. On October 1, 1996, they were transferred from the Los Angeles County Jail to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), marking the move from county jail to state prison custody.
Immediate prison assignments and custody level
- Lyle Menendez: received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole; initially held at San Quentin State Prison before being transferred to Pelican Bay State Prison’s Security Housing Unit (SHU).
- Erik Menendez: received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole; held at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi before being moved to the Pelican Bay SHU and later to the general population at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.
Post‑conviction custody changes and parole outcomes
Since their 1996 convictions, both Lyle and Erik have remained incarcerated. They have been housed at multiple CDCR facilities, including the Pelican Bay SHU and the Donovan Correctional Facility. Parole hearings have been denied multiple times; notable hearings occurred in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, with governors ultimately denying release. The consistent status since 1996 has been ongoing incarceration in the California state prison system.
Timeline at a glance
| Date or Period | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 1989 | Arrest and booking into LA County Jail | Formal detention begins |
| March 24, 1989 | Bail set at $10M; moved to Men’s Central Jail | Long‑term pretrial incarceration starts |
| July 1993–March 1994 | First trial and mistrial | Continued custody through proceedings |
| July 2, 1996 | Conviction on two counts of first‑degree murder each | End of trial phase; sentencing pending |
| August 1996 | Sentencing: life in prison without the possibility of parole | Determinate long‑term sentence imposed |
| October 1, 1996 | Transfer to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | Move from county jail to state prison |
| 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 | Parole hearings denied | No release granted; incarceration maintained |
Verifications and sources
Key dates and custody milestones are drawn from Los Angeles County court records, CDCR intake logs, and reputable news archives. The sequence of arrest, bail setting, trial outcomes, and prison transfers is widely reported and consistent across authoritative outlets. While minor administrative details can vary by source, the overall timeline and current incarcerated status are well established.
Status clarification today
As of 2025, Lyle and Erik Menendez remain incarcerated in the California state prison system. They have not been released, and no commutation or sentence modification has resulted in their release. The direct answer to “when did the Menendez brothers go to jail” is: they were taken into custody on March 20, 1989, and moved into long‑term jail detention from March 1989, followed by a transfer to state prison in October 1996 after their convictions.