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California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently directed the state parole board to carry out a "comprehensive risk assessment investigation" on Erik and Lyle Menendez. This is because he wanted to find out if they would constitute "an unreasonable risk to the public" upon their release from prison.
Gavin Newsom uploaded a small clip for his This is Gavin Newsom on X on Wednesday, February 26, and talked about the same.
"The question for the board is a rather simple one: Do Erik and Lyle Menendez cause a current -- what we call -- 'unreasonable' risk to public safety.”
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For the unphased, risk assessment is the process of identifying possible risks and determining how likely it is that they will materialize. It's a methodical approach to examining potential outcomes and risk mitigation strategies.
Gavin Newsom further stated in the 1-minute, 24-second video that forensic scientists and public safety specialists will carry out the risk assessment. He further said:
"This process simply provides more transparency which I think is important in this case as well as provides us more due diligence before I make any determination for clemency.”
This happened after the Menendez brothers, who have been incarcerated for 34 years for killing their parents in 1989 and serving their time without parole, applied for clemency to Newsom in November 2024.
As per ABC News' February 26 report, back then, Newsom said that before making any decisions, he would wait for Nathan Hochman, the district attorney for Los Angeles County, to "review and analyze" the case.
Gavin Newsom opened up about convicts Erik and Lyle Menendez
The process of identifying possible risks and analyzing the possible outcomes of a disaster or hazard is known as a risk assessment. There are various risks to take into account, and each risk may have a variety of outcomes that could occur as a result of it.
Practitioners can more effectively allocate justice resources and rigorously synthesize data regarding justice populations with the help of risk assessments. Criminal justice systems must choose which individuals to target with available resources since they lack the capacity to offer comprehensive monitoring and treatment to everyone who interacts with the system.
Additionally, risk assessment results offer a more comprehensive view of individual differences in program efficacy, assisting practitioners in identifying what works and why. Now, the Menendez brothers have asked Newsom for clemency but Newsom directed the state parole board to investigate the "risk assessment" behind Menendez brothers' parole.
Speaking on the same topic in his most recent podcast, Gavin Newsom said:
"The risk assessment will be conducted as they typically are conducted — by experts in public safety as well as forensic psychologists."
According to Gavin Newsom, the evaluation is a "common procedure carried out by the state." Additionally, as per a CBS News report from the same day, in a statement, the governor's office revealed:
"After that, there’s going to be a hearing that works like a standard parole hearing, providing the District Attorney and the victims a chance to be part of the process. That must be determined before the Governor can make a decision on their commutations.."
For context, in 1989, José and Mary Louise Menendez were murdered at their Beverly Hills home by their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were found guilty. Lyle and Erik framed the killings as a possible mob war and claimed that unidentified intruders were behind it.
However, suspicions among the police were raised after the brothers employed a computer specialist to erase their father's most recent will. Months later, they were arrested after Erik confessed to the murders in sessions with his psychotherapist, claiming that he wanted to escape a strict and demanding father.
After their first trial resulted in mistrials, they were given two consecutive life sentences in their second trial. However, after former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon declared they had served their due to society, they are now embroiled in resentencing proceedings.
Then, in November last year, Newsom received a request for mercy from Lyle and Erik Menendez. Meanwhile, the attorney representing the brothers hasn't said anything as of yet.
