Nearly three decades after Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents, a California judge has reopened a door many believed would remain closed.

The Menendez brothers have been resentenced to 50 years to life in prison, opening them up for the possibility of parole after spending more than three decades behind bars for killing their parents decades ago.

The trials of Lyle and Erik Menendez and their conviction for killing their parents came at a time when televised trials captured national audiences in the 1990s

The move streamlines the potential path to freedom for the brothers who have served more than 35 years in prison since being sentenced for killing their parents with shotguns in 1989.

Defense attorneys for Erik and Lyle Menendez are hoping to win a reduced sentence for the brothers, possibly allowing them to either be released immediately or at least eligible for parole consideration.

Erik and Lyle Menendez will have a shot at freedom for the first time in decades after being convicted of their parents’ murder 30 years ago.