Menendez brothers’ chance at freedom in question after LA district attorney election

Lyle and Erik Menendez’s opportunity for state is erstwhile again suspended successful precarity aft nan progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney who recommended they beryllium resentenced was ousted by voters.

George Gascón, nan alleged godfather of progressive prosecutors, announced past period that his agency was recommending nan 2 brothers, now successful their 50s, should beryllium eligible for parole aft spending much than 30 years down bars for gunning down their able parents successful 1989.

However connected Tuesday, Gascón mislaid his reelection bid successful a landslide to Nathan Hochman, a erstwhile national prosecutor, who said he wants to reappraisal nan lawsuit pinch his ain eyes earlier proceeding.

“Before I tin make immoderate determination astir nan Menendez brothers’ case, I will request to go thoroughly acquainted pinch nan applicable facts, nan grounds and nan law,” Hochman said successful a connection connected Wednesday, according to The Independent.

“I will person to reappraisal nan confidential situation files for each brother, nan transcripts from some trials, and speak to nan prosecutors, rule enforcement, defense counsel, and nan victims’ family members,” he added.

Hochman, who successfully campaigned against Gascón’s unpopular criminal justness reforms, will return agency connected Dec. 2 — conscionable 9 days earlier nan Menendez brothers’ scheduled proceeding to see Gascón’s request.

“If for immoderate logic I request further time, I will inquire nan tribunal for that time,” Hochman said.

Gascón said past period that his agency had been taking a renewed look astatine nan brothers’ case “for complete a year” successful ray of caller grounds indicating they had been routinely sexually abused by their begetter while increasing up.

The last determination will beryllium near to a judge — but Gascón said nan slayer siblings had been connected “a travel of redemption and rehabilitation” and had “paid their indebtedness to society” for nan clip they’ve served and each they’ve done to thief others while successful prison.

If a judge agrees pinch Gascón’s recommendation, resentencing nan Menendez brothers for execution would mean their caller sentences would alteration from life without parole to 50 years to life — 25 years for each murder.

Since they were convicted nether nan property of 26, they would beryllium instantly eligible for parole nether California’s youthful offender rule if resentenced.

The 2 brothers killed their parents, José and Kitty, pinch a shotgun while they were watching TV successful August of 1989 astatine their Beverly Hills mansion

They were sentenced to life without parole successful 1996 for nan sadistic killings pursuing a highly publicized proceedings that made Erik and Lyle — who were past 21 and 18, respectively — family names.

The brothers’ attorneys based on astatine proceedings they had acted successful self-defense pursuing years of intersexual and beingness maltreatment astatine nan hands of their father, pinch grounds supporting nan accusations from different family members. Prosecutors based on they were aft their parents’ $15 cardinal fortune. The proceedings ended successful a hung assemblage successful 1994.

A 2nd proceedings successful 1995 ended pinch some brothers’ convictions connected 2 counts of first-degree execution aft a judge ruled nan assemblage could not perceive astir of nan grounds astir nan alleged intersexual abuse.

The lawsuit has mostly fallen retired of nan spotlight arsenic nan 2 brothers served clip successful prison, but a caller Netflix series, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” brought renewed liking into nan brothers and nan murders.