California Gov. Gavin Newsom has postponed a decision on clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez until the newly elected Los Angeles County district attorney assumes office. This decision dashes the brothers’ hopes of being released for the holidays after serving three decades in prison for killing their wealthy parents.
The fate of the convicted siblings now lies in the hands of Republican Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who defeated George Gascón in the re-election bid. Gascón, the outgoing district attorney, had advocated for the release of the Menendez brothers from prison.
In a statement to CNN, Newsom’s office expressed respect for the role of the district attorney in ensuring justice and acknowledged the voters’ trust in Hochman to carry out this responsibility. The Governor will defer to the DA-elect’s review and analysis of the Menendez case before making any clemency decisions.
Hochman, who campaigned on a tougher stance on crime, will take the time to review the extensive prison files, trial transcripts, and consult with various stakeholders before making his recommendation to the court. He emphasized his commitment to thoroughly reviewing the case upon assuming office on December 2.
Gascón had previously recommended that the brothers, now in their 50s, should be eligible for parole, citing new evidence, including a handwritten letter from Erik alleging sexual abuse by their father before the murders in 1989. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole in 1996 for the killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
The high-profile trial that followed the murders brought national attention to the case, with the defense arguing self-defense due to years of abuse from their father. The prosecution claimed the brothers were motivated by their parents’ fortune.
Despite a hung jury in 1994, a second trial in 1995 resulted in convictions for both brothers on two counts of first-degree murder. The case gained renewed interest following a Netflix series titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
The decision to delay clemency for the Menendez brothers allows for a thorough review of their case by the incoming district attorney, ensuring that justice is served in this complex and controversial matter.
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