Erik Menendez Hospitalized Amid Health Concerns Before Parole Hearing

Erik Menendez, one half of the infamous Menendez brothers, was hospitalized with an undisclosed medical issue, days before he and his brother Lyle are set to face a parole hearing that could change their decades-long imprisonment status.

Erik Menendez, aged 54, has been hospitalized due to a serious medical condition, according to his attorney who shared this information with various U.S. media outlets. This development comes just weeks prior to a scheduled parole hearing for both Erik and his brother Lyle Menendez, who have spent 35 years in prison following the notorious murders of their parents, Kitty and José Menendez, in 1989.

His lawyer revealed the hospitalization to the press, noting the specific nature of Erik's illness was withheld. He was transported from a San Diego prison facility to an external medical facility on Friday, with the California Department of Corrections reporting that he is currently in "fair condition."

In May of this year, the brothers were resentenced to 50 years to life in prison, a change that allows them eligibility for parole due to the judge's assessment that neither posed an "unreasonable risk" for release. The Menendez brothers maintained that their actions were an act of self-defense, while prosecutors argued they murdered their parents for monetary gain.

With the forthcoming parole hearing set for August 21, Erik's lawyer, Mark Geragos, has urged for Erik's medical furlough. He believes that allowing Erik to temporarily step out for medical reasons would grant him the opportunity to prepare adequately for the hearing. Geragos voiced this perspective during a recent interview on TMZ, stating that such a measure would be the most just and reasonable arrangement.

The memory of the Menendez brothers' trials, which drew significant media attention in the 1990s, continues to resonate, and their future may rest on the outcome of the upcoming hearing.