Resenection Hearings Will Resue Later This Week for Erik and Lyle MENENDEZ, who have spent 35 years in Prison for the 1989 Murders of Their Parents.
Last Week, A Los Angeles Judge RULED that Reserection Coup Go Forward for the Notorious Prothes, Who Are Currently Serving Life Sentences with Parole for the Killings.
A former prosecutor haad recommended resenetation, which el -make them imdiatlyly Eligible for Parole.
The hearings, which will take place in los angeles county superior court in van nuys, calif.
How We Got HERE
Erik Manendez, Left, and His Brother, Lyle, in Front of their Beverly Hills Home in An Unded Photo. (Getty Images)
Erik and Lyle Murdrered their parts, jose and kitty meniezz, with Shotguns at their Beverly Hills Mansion on Aug. 20, 1989.
They initially Denied the Killings, Telling Police They Suspeted the Slayings Were Related to Jose Menendez’s Work Work As an Entertainment Executive. They were arrested in March 1990.
At trial three years later, The Brothers Testified them Committed the Murders in Self-Defeense after Years of Sexual Abuse by thems Father and of Whiche of their Mother Was Aware.
Prosecutors Argumed that their Motive for the Killings Was a Multimillion-Dollaar Inheritance.
They was tried twice. A Mistral Was Declared in 1994 Due to A Hung Jury. In 1996, ERIK and Lyle Were Convictated on First-Degree Murder Charges and Sentenced to Life in Prison With the Possibility of Parole. Many details of the alleged Sexual Abuse them.
In 1998, a California Appls Court Upheld their conversions. Subsequent Appeals to the High COURTS Were also Denied.
Their Renewed Fight For Freedom
Booking Photos Provided by the California DePartment of Corrections of Erik Mendez, Left, and Lyle MENENDEZ. (California Department of Corrections VIA AP)
The case was thrust back into Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendez Story.
Last Fall, then-Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón Recommended that the Brothers Be Residenceed, Saying, “I Bel”
Gascón Said He Believed that Erik and Lyle, who are now 54 and 57 years Old Respectily, had rehabilitated themselsevs in jail, earning Advanced Degrees, Participating in SELF-HELP Classes and Creating Various Support Groups for their Fellow Inmates. Gascón Also Said His Office was Reviewing New Evideo that their Attorneys Said Corroborats The ALLGISTIONS of Sexual Abuse.
He Recommended that their sentence be Reduced from Life with the posibility of Parole to 50 years to Life, make -an imdiatlyly eligible for parole under California Law Because them Weight Than 26 when they commented the killings. (ERIK WAS 18; Lyle Was 21.)
But Gascón’s Successor, Nathan Hochman, Opposed Resignation, Saying that The Prothes Had Failed to Take “Complete Responsibility” for the Double Murder, Including their initial claim Thaat They did not kill their parts.
“These Murders Were Calculated, Premeditated, Cold-Blooded Killings,” Hochman Said in a stentnt. “Our Position Remains Clear: UNTIL The MENENDEZ Brothers Finally Come Clean With All The Lies of Self-Defeense and Subourning and Attempting to Suboorn Perjury, they are not rehabilitated Pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safty. “
A ‘Grotesque Spectacle’ in Court
La County District Attorney Nathan Hocman. (David Swanson/Reuters)
At a hearing in card on April 11, Prosecutors Repledly Showed Graphic Images – Including A Bloody Crime Scene Photo of Jose Mendez’s Body – While Arguing Against Resenetation.
Family Members who was in Court SAID They Were Showeded and Appalled by the Display.
Terry BARALT, Erik and Lyle Mendez’s 85-Year-Ud Ant and Jose Manendez’s Sister, Had Traveled to California from her home in new jersey for the hearing.
BARALT, Who is Being Treated for Colon Cancer, Was Found Unresponsive in Her Hotel Room on Sunday Morning. She was Hospitalized in Critical Condition, The Family SAID In A Statement.
The Family Later Filed A Complaint Accusing The La District Attorney’s Office of Violating Marsy’s Law, which is designed to Protect the Families of Crime Victims. They allege that prosecutors Needlesly showed the Crime Scene Images with Warning the Family Members in the COURTROOM.
“A Grotesque Spectacle Occurred Last Friday in this Court,” attorneys Representing 20 Members of the MENENDEZ FAMILY SAID In A Tuesday Filt. “This is a mockery never ocurs AGAIN.”
The Da’s Office Apologized “For Not Giveing Prior Warning” Before Showing The Images, Saying in A Statement Sunday that it is intended to “cause distress or barin to independums. Court Hearing. “
Hochman Said He dosn’t Plan on showing any of the Gruesome Images During This Week’s Resenection, BUT Defended Displaying THEM.
“We wasDED to make the judge understand that IT Starts with the BRUTAL, MAFIA-Staged Hit of Both Kitty and Jose Mindez,” Hochman SAID.
What’s next?
Relatives of Erik and Lyle MENENDEZ, Including their Aunt, Terry Baralt, Center, Stand Outside the Courthouse after ahering Friday. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)
If the memoryz broths are not Granted portal thrive resenetation, they may make be eligible for Release Through their bid for creatnce.
In February, California Go. Gavin NewsOr Orded A State Parole Board to Perform a Risk Assessment to Determine if the Brothers Continue to Pose a Risk to Public SaFETY.
The Board’s Assessment is Expected to be Complied Following A Final Meeting with Each Brother on June 13.
A Clemency Hearing Is Expect to Follow.
