Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is reversing yet another policy of his predecessor, George Gascón, by attempting to withdraw support for re-sentencing the Menendez brothers for the murder of their parents.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted in 1989 of murdering their parents, and sentenced to life without parole. Gascón set the two brothers on track for parole after recommending a re-sentencing that would allow them to qualify.
As the Associated Press reported in October 2024:
After an initial mistrial with a hung jury for each of the brothers, they were convicted of killing their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, and sentenced to life without parole in prison.
The brothers’ attorneys never disputed the pair killed their parents, but argued that they acted out of self-defense after years of emotional and sexual abuse by their father. Much of the evidence related to abuse was excluded from their second trial.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said his office would recommend the brothers be given a sentence of 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole since they were under the age of 26 when the crime was committed.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also leaned toward parole by conducting a “risk assessment investigation” of the brothers.
But Hochman plans to reverse Gascón’s decision, the Westside Current reported:
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