The “400,000+” figure was a dated count for an online Change.org petition—not a court petition and not a current live total. BGR reported on October 10, 2024, that a petition seeking a new trial had more than 402,000 supporters; a separate petition calling for Erik and Lyle Menendez’s freedom had almost 72,000 signatures. Neither campaign could itself change their legal status.
How many people signed the Menendez brothers petition?
BGR reported on October 10, 2024, that the Change.org petition seeking a new trial had more than 402,000 supporters. At the same time, a separate Change.org petition seeking the brothers’ freedom had almost 72,000 signatures. Those are reported figures from that date, not verified current totals. BGR’s October 10, 2024 report connected the renewed attention to the Netflix series and public discussion.
Did the public petition work?
Not in the sense of directly changing a sentence or ordering anyone’s release. The online campaign recorded public support; it was not a court filing, and signatures did not decide the brothers’ legal claims. The available reporting establishes that the campaign and later legal developments occurred in sequence, not that the petition caused them.
How the public campaign differed from the legal cases
| Route | Who initiated it | What it sought | Who decides | Outcome reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change.org petition | Members of the public | Public support for a new trial or freedom, depending on the petition | Signers express support; the platform does not adjudicate legal claims | BGR reported the October 10, 2024 signature figures; signatures did not themselves change the brothers’ status. |
| Habeas corpus petition | The brothers and their counsel | Judicial review of the convictions based on claimed new evidence | A court | A judge denied the habeas petition seeking a new trial on September 17, 2025, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. |
| Resentencing | A legal proceeding concerning the sentence | A sentence change, with rehabilitation and prison behavior relevant to the resentencing track | A judge; parole authorities later assess suitability for release | On May 13, 2025, a judge resentenced the brothers to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole. |
Los Angeles County’s October 24, 2024 explanation distinguished the habeas route, which concerned new evidence, from resentencing, which concerned rehabilitation and conduct in custody. Los Angeles County’s announcement described the two tracks. The separate habeas outcome was later announced by the DA’s office; its explanation of the ruling should be understood as the office’s account, not as a neutral statement by the judge. The office’s September 17, 2025 statement reports the denial.
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Are the Menendez brothers free?
The May 2025 resentencing did not release them. It reduced their sentences to 50 years to life and made them eligible to seek parole; the parole board and governor retained authority over whether release would occur. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office described the resentencing and decision-making roles in its May 13, 2025 statement.
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As of an Associated Press report dated September 8, 2026, the brothers’ next parole hearings had been tentatively moved to March 2027 after requests for earlier hearings were granted. AP reported that the department did not explain why the earlier hearings were granted. A tentative hearing date is a procedural milestone, not a release date or guarantee of parole. Associated Press report, September 8, 2026.
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