Lyle and Erik Menendez have as soon as once more grow to be a significant focal point as they proceed to serve life sentences with out parole for the 1989 homicide of their mother and father, José and Kitty Menendez.
Their case gained renewed consideration first by means of Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, adopted by a Netflix documentary that featured beforehand unreleased telephone name recordings between the brothers and director Alejandro Hartmann from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, the place they’re incarcerated.
With this renewed focus, new proof, and an upcoming courtroom listening to, Lyle and Erik, now 56 and 53, might have an opportunity at freedom. For readers to remain up to date on the Menendez brothers’ case, HollywoodLife has compiled all the important thing data under.
Is the Menendez Case Being Reopened?
Erik and Lyle’s resentencing listening to has been scheduled for December 11. The date was set on October 30 by Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom Choose Michael Jesic, after prosecutors submitted a advice for the brothers’ resentencing. Los Angeles County prosecutors have really helpful that the brothers obtain a brand new sentence of fifty years to life. As a result of they have been beneath 26 years previous on the time of the crimes, they might be eligible for parole instantly beneath a California regulation that went into impact in 2018.
The Menendez brothers beforehand had a courtroom listening to set for November 29, 2024, in keeping with Selection, which adopted the invention of proof suggesting that their father, Jose, sexually abused his kids.
“We’ve been given proof, together with a photocopy of a letter allegedly despatched by one of many brothers to a different member of the family, discussing being the sufferer of molestation,” Los Angeles District Legal professional George Gascón shared, per the outlet. He additionally talked about, “We’ve obtained proof offered by the protection, together with claims from a member of the Menudo band who alleged he was molested by the daddy.”
In line with the Los Angeles District Legal professional Workplace, Gascón said in October 2024, “I strongly help clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who’re presently serving sentences of life with out chance of parole. They’ve respectively served 34 years and have continued their educations and labored to create new packages to help the rehabilitation of fellow inmates.”
Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band sensation Menudo, spoke out within the 2023 Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the place he alleged that he was abused by the music govt when he was 14.
Will There Be a Retrial?
It’s presently unclear if the brothers will face a retrial, however choices for resentencing and doable clemency have been set into movement by Gascón. Nonetheless, he was just lately unseated by former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman, who took workplace on December 2.
Hochman revealed his preliminary plan for the case, telling CNN, “I must assessment the confidential jail recordsdata for every brother, the transcripts from each trials, and communicate to the prosecutors, regulation enforcement, protection counsel, and the victims’ members of the family. Solely then can I decide. If for some purpose I would like further time, I’ll ask the courtroom for that point.”
He added, “If I ask for a delay, it received’t be a delay for delay’s sake as a result of I believe the Menendez brothers, the sufferer members of the family, the general public need to have a call completed as quickly as it may be completed in an intensive method.”
In line with the Newsom’s workplace, “The Governor respects the function of the District Legal professional in guaranteeing justice is served and acknowledges that voters have entrusted District Legal professional-elect Hochman to hold out this accountability.” The assertion additionally famous, “The Governor will defer to the DA-elect’s assessment and evaluation of the Menendez case prior to creating any clemency choices.”
On Monday, November 25, 2024, a courtroom listening to was held, however a decide dominated to delay the listening to initially scheduled for December 11. Newly elected Los Angeles County District Legal professional Nathan Hochman requested further time to assessment the case. Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom Choose Michael Jesic rescheduled the listening to for January 30 and January 31, 2025.
Hochman has been adamant that the brothers have lied, which led him to beforehand informABC Information, “In the event that they sincerely and unequivocally admit for the primary time in over 30 years, the complete vary of their prison exercise and all of the lies that they’ve informed about it,” then he’d think about recommending a resentencing. The brothers are scheduled for a resentencing listening to on April 17 in Los Angeles.
Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Dad and mom?
The truth that the brothers—then 21 and 18—dedicated the crime was by no means unsure through the trial, however their motivation has divided opinions over the a long time.
In the course of the proceedings, the brothers claimed they have been abused all through their childhood by their mother and father. At their first trial, their lawyer, Leslie Abramson, argued that they killed their mother and father in self-defense, fearing that their mother and father would kill them in the event that they disclosed the years of alleged molestation they’d suffered at their father’s palms. She informed The Washington Publish in 1996, “These usually are not murderers. These are troubled youngsters in a really troublesome and grotesque dwelling setting, they usually cracked.” On the time, many believed the motive was their mother and father’ inheritance cash.
For those who or anybody you realize has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A educated employees member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native sources to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
For those who or somebody you realize is fighting substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
