Erik Menendez’s daughter, Talia Menendez, is calling on celebrity support after her father was denied parole.
The California Board of Parole Hearings denied Erik’s release during a hearing on Thursday, August 21, citing various prison infractions during his 35 years of incarceration.
Talia, Erik’s adopted daughter through his 1999 marriage to wife Tammi, reacted to the news in several Instagram Stories. In one, she wrote, “How is my dad a threat to society! A 3-year denial??? Hell is about to break loose!!!”
In a subsequent Instagram Story, Talia called out celebrities whom she said had previously advocated for the release of Erik, 54, and his brother, Lyle, 57, but haven’t yet weighed in on Erik’s denial.
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“Where are the celebrities that were ‘advocating’ for them???? It’s been WAY TOO QUIET,” Talia wrote.
According to Talia, actor Cooper Koch, who played Erik in the Netflix true-crime drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, has been among the few celebrities to remain in touch with the family amid Erik and Lyle’s parole hearings. (Lyle will have his on Friday, August 22.)
“The only one that I can say has been checking in on my family is Cooper and we absolutely adore him,” she wrote. “To the ones that went to the prison without any background checks to film their show but are staying quiet now.”
“You despise [sic] me beyond measure Just say your views are down and keep it PUSHING,” Talia added.
Koch, 29, has been vocal about his support for the Menendez brothers, who were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1996 for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. At trial, the pair claimed self-defense and alleged they had been abused by their father as children.
In September 2024, Koch and Kim Kardashian visited the Menendez brothers in prison, and Koch has since formed a close bond with Erik.
After the brothers were resentenced to 50 years to life in prison in May, thus making them eligible for parole, Koch said, “I’m so grateful that that happened.”
“And so is Erik, I spoke to him yesterday and he is so excited,” he added to Variety at the time.
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The Emmy-nominated actor said Erik planned to advocate for other prisoners seeking parole should he be released from prison.
“He is going to be an advocate for other people who have L.W.O.P, which is life without parole,” Koch said. “His life is going to surround making change in the prison system, and I just think that is so beautiful.”
A parole board, however, denied Erik’s release from prison on Thursday. Lead parole commissioner Robert Barton said that Erik had “not been a model prisoner,” citing various prison infractions including inappropriate behavior with visitors, drug smuggling and misuse of state computers, NewsNation reported.
