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The Menendez brothers case has gained much visibility over the years even after its 1996 verdict. Lyle and Erik Menendez were charged with the first-degree murder of their parents José and Kitty Menendez, after which they were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
There have been many documentaries and fictional recreations of the Menendez brothers case since the verdict. The newly released Netflix documentary this month, and the dramatised show Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story are two of the latest media takes on the case.
Keeping in mind that the brothers had been s*xually violated by their father José, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is set to recommend a resentencing for the case. The DA shall make an appeal to the court this Friday on October 25, 2024.
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It comes after the brothers filed a review appeal in 2023 after a member of the Menudo band came out with allegations of assault against José Menendez. In a statement for CNN, Gascón said:
“[Lyle and Erik] were appropriately sentenced at the time when they were tried ... I just think that given the current state of the law and given our assessment of their behavior in prison, they deserve the opportunity to be re-evaluated and perhaps reintegrated into the community."
What was the verdict for the Menendez brothers?
The Menendez brothers case began around 35 years ago in 1989. Businessman José Menendez and his wife Kitty were fatally shot multiple times in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion.
Initially, their sons Erik and Lyle claimed that the shooting must have taken place because of José's ties to the mafia. However, Erik later confessed to his therapist that he and his brother had committed the crime.
The brothers were arrested in 1990, and went through two high-profile trials. One of these was also televised, which led to national sensation in the U.S. around the case. The brothers admitted to their guilt but pleaded against a conviction, saying they committed the crime in self defence.
They presented the case that José was a s*xually abusive father, and that Kitty enabled him and took her emotional frustration out on the sons.
After their second trial, the Menendez brothers were convicted of the murders in 1996. They were sentenced to life imprisonment without any possibility of parole.
The brothers were initially incarcerated separately, but are now together behind bars at the Donovan Correctional Facility.
How will the Menendez resentencing take place and what would it mean for the brothers?
After District Attorney George Gascón's resentencing recommendation, a Los Angeles Court Superior Judge will have a hearing on the matter.
Gascón believes that the Menendez brothers might be eligible for youthful parole under the California legal system.
The reexamination of the case was prompted by the attorneys for the Menendez brothers, who filed a habeas corpus petition in 2023. They asked the court to consider new evidence in the case, primarily a statement by former Menudo boy band member Roy Rosselló.
Roy alleged that José Menendez assaulted him in the 1980s, giving more backing to the brothers' case too.
Gascón also noted in his CNN statement that the brothers had been trying to work hard as model prisoners, and making an effort to rehabilitate. With reference to support groups that the brothers started in prison, Gascón said:
“They have been model prisoners by all accounts. Not only have they worked on their own self-improvement, but they have done a lot of work to better the life of those around them."
After the hearing, the court will make a decision on whether the Menendez brothers should be paroled. This decision will also be run through the parole and the district attorney’s office before the resentencing.
