Erik and Lyle Menendez may soon face release after a judge ruled in their favor, allowing them to appear in court to request a new sentence.
On Friday, the Menendez brothers participated in a remote court session to contest the opposition raised by District Attorney Nathan Hochman regarding their petition for a resentencing hearing. This petition was initially filed by former District Attorney George Gascon, according to TMZ.
Hochman argues against the petition, asserting that the brothers have not shown evidence of reform. Their recent admission that they lied about purchasing firearms due to fear illustrates a lack of change, as reported by TMZ.
In his statement opposing resentencing, Hochman remarked, “They do not meet the standards for rehabilitation. They have not demonstrated full insight nor accepted complete responsibility for their actions,” as reported by USA Today.
Mark Geragos, the attorney representing the Menendez brothers, emphasized the positive contributions the brothers have made while incarcerated, such as creating a beautiful outdoor space adorned with trees and murals. A correction officer also spoke favorably of Lyle, expressing his willingness to welcome him into the neighborhood, according to TMZ.
The brothers’ family supports their request for resentencing and potential release. As reported by USA Today, the family stated, “They have apologized for their actions, which stemmed from Jose’s sexual abuse and Kitty’s enablement. They have shown remorse for their horrific actions, expressed their apologies to us, and demonstrated their atonement through actions that have positively impacted numerous lives. Yet, DA Hochman is essentially asking them to make a public apology for a checklist of actions taken in a state of shock and fear.”
The hearing for the possible resentencing of the brothers is set for April 17. Geragos plans to request that their convictions be amended to manslaughter. If successful, the brothers could be released immediately, having far exceeded the maximum time served for manslaughter under California law.
According to TMZ, the brothers are due for a parole review on June 13. If their sentences remain unchanged but the Parole Board concludes they pose no danger to society and have been rehabilitated, they could be granted release at that time.
As noted by CrimeOnline, in 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez, aged 18 and 21, purchased two shotguns with cash and used them to fatally shoot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. Initially, investigators suspected mafia involvement in the murders. However, a significant breakthrough occurred in 1990 when Erik Menendez confessed to a therapist.
Evidence of their father’s molestation of Erik and Lyle was presented during their first trial, which resulted in a hung jury. Nonetheless, these details were less emphasized in the second trial, leading to their convictions.
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[Feature Photo: An Oct. 31, 2016 photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Erik Menendez, left, and a Feb. 22, 2018 photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Lyle Menendez. The Menendez brothers, convicted of killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion nearly three decades ago, are reunited in the Southern California prison San Diego’s R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility. They are serving life sentences for the 1989 killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)]
