Judge Clears Path for Menendez Brothers’ Resentencing Hearings Despite District Attorney’s Opposition
The resentencing hearings for Erik and Lyle Menendez, convicted of their parents’ murder, will proceed following a judge’s decision, despite opposition from Los Angeles’ district attorney. The district attorney had raised concerns and sought to prevent the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez after their 30-year prison sentences, but their efforts were not successful.
On Friday, Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared virtually in court for the scheduled proceedings. In 1989, they were found guilty of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. Consequently, they were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, with Erik receiving his sentence at the age of 18 and Lyle at 21.
The defense had argued that the brothers acted in self-defense, claiming they had endured years of sexual abuse by their father. However, prosecutors maintained that the siblings killed their parents to gain a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Several years ago, George Gascón, the previous Los Angeles county district attorney, sought to have the brothers resentenced to 50 years to life. Under California law, such a sentence would have made them immediately eligible for release since they were under the age of 26 at the time of the crime. Gascón lost his re-election bid to Nathan Hochman, a more hardline candidate on criminal matters, in November.
Hochman submitted a motion to withdraw Gascón’s request, citing reasons such as the brothers’ lack of acknowledgment and acceptance of responsibility for the crime. Moreover, Hochman expressed reservations due to the brothers’ deception during the case, stating that they had not confessed the truth regarding their motivations for killing their parents.
The resentencing hearings for Erik and Lyle Menendez are currently scheduled to take place on April 17 and 18.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/menendez-brothers-resentencing
