Prosecutors Recommend New Sentence For Erik and Lyle Menendez in 1989 Murder of Parents
Los Angeles prosecutors will suggest a new sentence for “Erik and Lyle Menendez”, both declared killing of their parents at their Beverly Hills estate in the the year 1989. Also, the move could offer the brothers a chance for set free after 34 years behind bars.
A person briefed on that matter, not authorized to discuss it publicly, but confirmed that Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón will be proposing an alternate determination for the Erik and Lyle Menendez.
The Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison without parole in year 1996. Presently, prosecutors must get the court’s approval for the new direction.
In a brutal manner, Lyle Menendez, 21 years old at the time of the crime, and his brother Erik Menendez, then 18, killed their parents, television executive José Menendez and wife Kitty Menendez. The brothers had become afraid their parents would harm them to keep the years-long sexual molestation of Erik by José Menendez secret.
Their extended family had been clamoring for their release, arguing they should be freed after serving many years in prison. Well over a dozen relatives have said that with today’s increased sensitivity to the impact of sexual abuse, in all probability their brothers would have never been convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Siblings Erik and Lyle Menendez brothers hearing Relatives in the front rows during the Thursday press conference included their aunt, Joan Anderson Vandermolen, and other extended family members in attendance. Sister of Kitty Menendez, Joan has come to the defense of her brothers publicly. Mark Geragos, their lawyer, was also present.
The very first ending with a hung jury, the Erik and Lyle Menendez brothers went through 2 trials for the murder of their parents.
In that case, prosecutors argued, no evidence of abuse existed, and many details of the sexual assault claims were not present in the second trial. And, the DA office did say that the brothers were highly motivated by their parents’ several million-dollar estate.
Not everyone in the Menendez family believes a re-sentence is warranted. Also, Lawyers for Kitty Menendez’s 90-year-old brother, Milton Anderson, filed a motion asking the court to uphold the original sentence.
What;s more, Anderson’s lawyers said Thursday that they killed their mother, Kitty, shooting her and then reloading the gun to make sure she was dead. There is little unsureness that the jury made a just commitment and that the punishment was fitting for the terrible crime as well.
Additionally, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is facing a hard battle in his struggle for reelection against Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor. Hochman repeatedly blamed progressive reform efforts by Gascón for the motivating factor in recent high-profile murders and increased retail crime.
