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Menendez Brothers Resentencing Hearing Begins in Los Angeles

The court will weigh claims of abuse, rehabilitation, and risk as the brothers seek reduced sentences after 35 years in prison for the 1989 murders of their parents.

FILE - Lyle, left, and Erik Galen Menendez sit in Beverly Hills, Calif., courtroom, May 14, 1990 as a judge postponed their preliminary hearing on charges of murdering their parents last August. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)
Lyle, left, and Erik Menendez appear in court for a preliminary hearing held in Beverly Hills, California, April 12, 1991.
FILE – This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Department of Corrections via AP, File)
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Overview

  • The two-day resentencing hearing for Lyle and Erik Menendez begins Tuesday at the Van Nuys Courthouse, with potential parole eligibility at stake.
  • The defense argues the brothers acted in self-defense after years of alleged abuse by their father, citing new evidence including a letter and corroborating testimony.
  • Prosecutors oppose resentencing, maintaining the murders were motivated by greed and citing a risk assessment report indicating contraband violations and moderate violence risk.
  • Former District Attorney George Gascón supported resentencing under California’s youthful offender law, but his successor Nathan Hochman has reversed that stance.
  • If resentenced, the brothers could become eligible for parole, pending state parole board evaluation and Governor Gavin Newsom’s clemency decision.