14 hours ago
2
The Menendez brothers have suffered another setback in their legal battle.
As Perezcious readers know, Erik and Lyle Menendez were given life sentences without parole in 1996 for killing their parents, Kitty and Jose. They admitted to the murders but claimed it was in self-defense after years of abuse.
After their case gained renewed attention thanks to a Netflix series and docuseries, they’ve been fighting for their freedom in various ways — a resentencing request, a petition for clemency, and a habeas corpus petition (to overturn their convictions).
Related: Kardashians Have A Shocking Connection To The Menendez Bros!
Former Los Angeles district attorney George Gascó already granted them a resentencing based on critical new evidence: a letter to a cousin that documented the abuse claims and another alleged victim claiming he was raped by Jose. While they would still be guilty of committing the murders, the suggestion was that they be resentenced and “eligible for parole immediately.” All of this was looking really hopeful for the brothers… until now.
On Friday, the new DA Nathan Hochman — who took office in December and has been catching up on the case — recommended that a judge REJECT the brothers’ request for a new trial — claiming the new evidence doesn’t help them at all!
Explaining his stance, which opposes their habeas corpus petition, the DA accused the siblings of a “continuum of lies” and argued that they should have known about the letter (supposedly written in 1988) before their two previous trials. Hochman said per CNN:
“If this letter truly existed, the defense counsel would have absolutely used it at the trial because it would have helped corroborate … Eric Menendez’s testimony.”
Whoa. He thinks they’re making this up?? Jeez.
Interestingly, Nathan has declined to announce his decision on the separate resentencing request. He said he’d make up his mind ahead of a scheduled two-day hearing starting on March 20. And just because he is against the habeas corpus petition, it does not necessarily mean the same will be true for the resentencing — which relies on more factors than just evidence and facts of the case, such as their rehabilitation efforts. So, they’ve still got a chance. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom has said he will delay his decision on the clemency request until the DA has fully reviewed the case.
After this upsetting decision, a statement from the family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition read in part per CNN:
“District Attorney Nathan Hochman took us right back to 1996 today. He opened the wounds we have spent decades trying to heal. He didn’t listen to us.”
The family urged the DA to support the resentencing request, adding:
“For over three decades, our family has lived with the weight of what Erik and Lyle endured — abuse that shaped their lives, fear that defined their childhood, and a justice system that refused to see them as victims. […] We have fought and advocated tirelessly for their release, so that we can heal and finally move forward. All we are asking for is to right this decades-long injustice.”
Anamaria Baralt, Erik and Lyle’s cousin and the niece of Jose, claimed the DA is “trying to bury the truth about their abuse,” telling TMZ:
“To suggest that the years of abuse couldn’t have led to the tragedy in 1989 is not only outrageous, but also dangerous. Abuse does not exist in a vacuum. It leaves lasting scars, rewires the brain, and traps victims in cycles of fear and trauma. To say it played no role in Erik and Lyle’s action is to ignore decades of psychological research and basic human understanding.”
She continued:
“He is not just dismissing Erik and Lyle’s experiences, he is silencing survivors everywhere who know what it’s like to be disbelieved, ignored, and retraumatized by a system designed to protect them.”
The men’s lawyer Mark Geragos also slammed this request, telling NBC Boston on Saturday that suggesting the letter is fake is unfair to Jose’s sister Marta Cano and Kitty’s sister Joan VanderMolen who testified about its authenticity. He urged:
“This is nothing more than ‘Knock, knock, knock, it’s the ’90s the D.A.’s office wants to get the D.A’s office back.'”
Oof.
Hear more from the attorney (below):
You can also listen to Nathan’s full press conference on the matter (below):
A judge will ultimately decide the Menendez brothers’ fate next month. Thoughts?
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via MEGA/WENN/Donovan Correctional Facility]
English (US) ·