The Menendez Brothers’ Sentences Have Been Reduced: What’s Next?
In 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were murdered in their Beverly Hills home, shocking the nation.their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez, initially reported the killings as potentially Mafia-related.Both brothers had promising futures; Lyle was at Princeton University, and Erik was a tennis star. Eventually, they were arrested, charged, and convicted of the murders, claiming self-defense due to years of abuse from their father.
As public interest in their case grew, particularly with the rise of true crime media, Lyle and Erik menendez’s trial was extensively televised. Recently, a Los Angeles judge granted them a chance for parole, reducing their sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life, marking the first possibility for release since their incarceration. The brothers, who were very young at the time of the crime, are eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law.
During their recent court appearance, both brothers spoke about their remorse and the impact of their actions.The hearing will contribute to a comprehensive risk assessment by a parole board to evaluate their suitability for release. If their first hearing does not lead to release, subsequent hearings can be scheduled.
Additionally, the brothers’ attorneys have filed a petition for a new trial based on new evidence of alleged abuse, but the status of that motion remains uncertain. the Menendez brothers are now navigating a complex legal landscape as they seek to secure their freedom after decades in prison.
The 1989 shotgun murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez in Los Angeles gripped the nation.
The killings of the entertainment executive and his wife in their wealthy Beverly Hills neighborhood were brutal. Their son Lyle Menendez was the one who called 911, with the brothers initially claiming the killing was Mafia-related or connected to their father’s business dealings.
Lyle Menendez was attending Princeton University, and his younger brother Erik Menendez was a tennis star.
The brothers were later arrested, charged, and convicted for their parents’ deaths.
The brothers have argued that they committed the crimes in self-defense after years of abuse by their father.
Coming on the heels of the O.J. Simpson trial, the nation was hungry for true crime TV. The brothers’ first trial was one of the first to be almost entirely televised on Court TV.
The Netflix drama “Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ” and the documentary “The Menendez Brothers,” released in the fall of 2024, have been credited for bringing new attention to the case.
On Tuesday, the brothers were granted their first chance at freedom in decades. A Los Angeles judge reduced the brothers’ sentences from life in prison without parole to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
The brothers’ lawyers turned to family members and those who knew the brothers since their conviction to speak to their character and rehabilitation in prison in front of Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic.
The Menendez family have supported the brothers and called for their release since their resentencing effort began last fall.
Prosecutors, who have opposed the brothers’ resentencing, did not call any witnesses. They’ve argued the brothers haven’t taken full responsibility for their crimes.
Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared virtually to read their statements to the court.
“You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better,” Erik Menendez said, addressing his family.
Jesic issued his decision immediately after the brothers spoke, granting them a new sentence of 50 years to life.
The brothers are immediately eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law because they committed the crime at ages 18 and 21, both under the age of 26.
Parole suitability hearings are conducted by a state board to determine if a person should be released. An inmate will be scheduled for their first hearing no later than six months following their eligibility date, according to board policy.
They already have a hearing before the board scheduled for June 13 in a clemency petition they’ve submitted to Gov. Gavin Newsom. It’s not yet clear if that will serve as their formal parole hearing or if a separate one will be scheduled.
Newsom ordered the state parole board to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for him to determine their danger to the public if released.
Anne Bremner, a trial lawyer in Seattle, said the brothers will have some pressure on them to prepare for the parole board and impress upon them that they should be let out.
“My guess is the parole board has been watching this, and of course, they’ve done these risk assessments already,” she said. They know “who these two are, what their alleged crimes were, and what they’ve done since the time that they were incarcerated until today.”
If they are denied at their first parole hearing, they will continue to receive subsequent hearings until they are granted release.
If parole is granted, Newsom could still move to override the board. If he lets the parole decision stand, the brothers would be released from prison.
If they are denied parole there is one avenue left to gain their release. In May 2023, the brothers’ attorneys also filed a petition for habeas corpus to the court, asking for a new trial in light of new evidence of their sexual abuse. LA prosecutors have filed a motion opposing that petition, but its status is unclear.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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