The chief prosecutor in Los Angeles County stated on Friday that he has not yet decided whether to lower the jail terms of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving life sentences without the possibility of release for the well-publicized 1989 murders of their parents.
Before the resentencing hearings on January 30 and 31, Nathan Hochman, who was elected district attorney in November, said he was still going through a lot of court and jail data.
The brothers’ attorneys requested that their sentences be lowered from 50 years to life, which would instantly qualify them for parole.
Following what the prosecutor characterized as an hours-long conference with the siblings’ family members who are in favor of their release, Hochman made the news.
Hochman said the meeting was fruitful, but he would not reveal what the family told him.
More than 20 family members were anticipated to meet with Hochman to express their support for a resentencing procedure that takes into account Erik and Lyle’s abuse, trauma, and proven rehabilitation over the previous 35 years, according to an earlier statement from the family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition.
The Menendez family expressed their gratitude for the meeting with Hochman on Friday.
They stated that they want the brothers released right away and expressed hope that the murder conviction could be changed to manslaughter.
Having to appear before a parole board would further traumatize them, according to family members who spoke Friday following the news conference.
Following two trials, Erik and Lyle were found guilty in 1996 of shooting Jose and Kitty Menendez dead on August 20, 1989, at their Beverly Hills home.
The brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder in a joint retrial after their initial separate trials ended in hung juries due to their inability to reach a unanimous judgment.
After years of horrifying sexual abuse at the hands of their father, the boys claimed they shot their parents. Prosecutors denied the accusations, claiming they were untrue. Prosecutors said that Erik and Lyle killed their parents for financial gain and characterized the killings as cold-blooded and planned.
Their ordeals made headlines in the media. The first was broadcast on television, and since then, the murders have been the focus of numerous dramatizations and real crime documentaries. Most recently, a well-known series and movie were both available on Netflix.
George Gasc, a former district attorney for Los Angeles County, supported the proposal to lower their prison terms to 50 years to life. However, Gasc was voted out in November, and Hochman has stated that he will examine the case’s facts and legal framework before deciding whether or not to endorse the ruling.
Hochman confirmed changes to the team that oversaw the resentencing work under Gasc in an interview with NBC News last month. He also stated during the news conference on Friday that he was going over hundreds of pages of case documents.
In the end, a court will decide if the brothers’ sentences should be shortened.
A petition from the brothers that contests their convictions and presents what their attorneys have called fresh proof of the alleged abuse is also being considered by Hochman’s office.
According to the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition, it was hoped that Hochman’s meeting would allow for “an open and fair discussion.”
“Despite the abuse they endured as children and the unfairness of their current sentence, Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent the last three decades taking responsibility for their actions and contributing positively to their community through leadership and rehabilitation,” the statement continued.
“During our meeting with DA Hochman, we look forward to sharing our perspective on Erik and Lyle s immense personal growth over the last 35 years and the ways in which we plan to support them in their next chapters,” the group stated. “We hope that this meeting will put us a step closer to spending next Christmas reunited as a family.”
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!