California’s governor revealed tonight the destiny of the Menendez brothers will take a pivotal flip within the subsequent 90 days in the direction of doable freedom.
“On June 13, each Lyle and Eric Menendez independently could have their remaining listening to,” Gavin Newsom stated late Tuesday in a shorten model of his just lately launched podcast in response the March 10 announcement by LA County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman pulling his workplace’s help for a resentencing of the siblings.
Coming simply over two weeks after Hochman rejected new trials for the brothers, who had been sentenced to life with out parole in 1996 for the brutal 1989 shotgun homicide of their mother and father, Monday’s declaration by the D.A. that the Menendezs “don’t meet the requirements for rehabilitation” heated up the sport of political scorching potato this case has turn into within the Golden State the final six months.
LA County DA Nathan Hochman says his workplace is withdrawing its help of resentencing within the Lyle & Erik Menendez case.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Instances through Getty Pictures)
Tonight, two weeks after Newsom ordered a parole board danger evaluation of the Menendez circumstances, the lame duck governor picked up what Hochman put down, actually and figuratively, and ran with it.
“A report then shall be submitted to me on the thirteenth of June for consideration,” Newsom stated on his podcast of the now 50-ish brothers are a danger to society. “We are going to submit that report back to the choose for the resentencing, and that can weigh into our impartial evaluation of whether or not or to not transfer ahead with the clemency utility to help a commutation of this case.”
Because it stands, even with Hochman’s anti-resentencing resolution, a a lot delayed listening to remains to be on the courtroom calendar for March 20-21 in entrance of L.A. Superior Courtroom Michael Jesic.
How a lot weight that listening to will carry even when it happens at this level is debatable. If Decide Jesic was to rule in favor of resentencing, it might go to the parole board who would then challenge a report back to the governor. Most of that course of is already in movement with Newsom’s danger evaluation order of February 26 and now the June 13 date he laid down late Tuesday.
To that, whereas denying ever watching a full episode of Ryan Murphy and Netflix’s hit Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story sequence, Newsom deftly provided each a slight praise and a swipe at Hochman Tuesday “So, this was a really vital announcement from the DA this week, but it surely doesn’t basically change the information because it pertains to the impartial investigation in my workplace, the Board of Parole hearings, or basically change or alter the method that’s underway with the resentencing,” the two-term Democrat stated of the previous Republican who many imagine is eyeing the Governor’s mansion in Sacramento.
Hochman, it must be harassed, advised Deadline in a December sit-down that “I completely let you know I’m not working for that job.”
Within the blood feuds and celeb connections that usually make up LA politics, Hochman’s successor George Gascón immediately jumped on the Menendez bandwagon within the dying days of his unsuccessful reelection marketing campaign final fall. The ex-two-term San Francisco DA stated he was backing a resentencing of the brothers. Media savvy Gascón additionally put his help behind a clemency petition despatched to Newsom in late 2024. Not lengthy after Hochman’s large win over Gascón, Newsom asserted that he would put any clemency films on maintain till the brand new D.A. acquired an opportunity to get his head across the case.
Whereas making no secret of his disdain for Gascón, Hochman has additionally made no secret each on February 21 and on March 10 of a need for Newsom to take the high-profile Menendez burden off his shoulders. Again and again final month, the new-ish DA spoke of the “completely unilateral full energy, Constitutional energy” the Governor possesses to commute the brothers’ particular person sentences.
With the Menendez ball virtually solidly in Newsom’s courtroom now, Hochman discovered himself accused by a member of the siblings’ household of treating them with “dismissive, aggressive, and shaming conduct” throughout face-to-face conferences.
“As a substitute of responding with compassion, acknowledgment, or help, DA Hochman proceeded to verbally and emotionally re-traumatize the household by shaming us for allegedly not listening to his public press briefings,” Menendez cousin Tamara Goodell stated in a March 6 letter of Hochman and his alleged “outrageous and abusive conduct” at early January conferences with family members who need the brothers’ freed. “His hostile, dismissive, and patronizing tone created an intimidating and bullying ambiance, leaving us, the victims, extra distressed and feeling humiliated,” Goodell went on to say within the missive to the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace claiming the DA violated her rights beneath Marsy’s Legislation, the state’s invoice of rights for victims by his conduct.
Goodell says she thinks it could be higher if Hochman is faraway from the Menendez matter and the likes of California Lawyer Normal Rob Bonta take over.
“The unique submissions to the US Lawyer’s Workplace and the LADA’s workplace had been submitted on March eighth, 2025 at 2:16 p.m.,” Goodell additionally stated to Deadline right this moment. “As of 5:20pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, there was no response through telephone or electronic mail,” she added. Because the victims’ household, I hoped to see D.A. Hochman act with impartiality, as a substitute my household and I’ve been met with hostility and unprofessional conduct at each flip. We don’t perceive why, however we do hope that that the Inspector Normal and US Lawyer’s Workplace are paying consideration and make sure the DA begins behaving in a fashion that’s befitting of his place.”
Deadline reached out tp the LA County District Lawyer’s workplace on Tuesday about Goodell’s issues. There was been no response. In the event that they do reply, this put up shall be up to date.
