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Menendez Brothers Resentencing Hearing Begins, Potential Path to Parole

The two-day hearing will determine if Lyle and Erik Menendez's life sentences are reduced, making them eligible for parole after 35 years in prison.

Image
Undated file combo image of brothers Erik (L) and Lyle Menendez who were convicted March 20, 1996 of the first degree murder of their wealthy Beverly Hills parents. The brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment. REUTERS/HO  SN/File Photo
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)

Overview

  • The resentencing hearing, presided over by Judge Michael Jesic at the Van Nuys Courthouse, will assess whether the brothers' sentences should be reduced to 50 years to life under California's youthful offender law.
  • Defense attorneys argue the brothers have been rehabilitated during their three decades in prison, citing their educational achievements, self-help initiatives, and advocacy work for fellow inmates.
  • Prosecutors, led by District Attorney Nathan Hochman, oppose resentencing, claiming the brothers have not fully accepted responsibility for the 1989 murders of their parents and citing recent contraband violations in prison.
  • Key evidence includes allegations of sexual abuse by their father, supported by a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez and testimony from a former member of the boy band Menudo, as well as forensic risk assessments labeling the brothers as moderate risks of violence.
  • If resentenced, the brothers' eligibility for parole would be reviewed in a June 13 hearing, with Governor Gavin Newsom potentially deciding on clemency based on the parole board's recommendation.