A judge in Los Angeles is set to determine the future of Lyle and Eric Menendez next week. It seems unlikely that there will be any major developments in the long-running saga regarding the freedom of these notorious siblings.
The court may hold a resentencing on Tuesday and Wednesday, where arguments for parole will be presented more than three decades after they tragically shot their wealthy parents in their Beverly Hills home.
Judge Michael V. Jessick had planned to provide a ruling last month, but he withheld his decision after a request from the brothers’ attorney for the LA District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, to be removed from the case.
Attorney Mark Geragos described Hochman’s actions as a “dog and pony show” meant to highlight the DA’s personal grievances against the Menendez brothers.
On Friday, Geragos withdrew that request, paving the way for the brothers to have their resentencing hearing.
This hearing occurs just before Gavin Newsom, the governor, will also deliberate on whether the Menendez brothers deserve pardons—if that process goes forward at all.
At the time of the crime in 1989, Lyle and Erik were 21 and 18 years old when they killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, using a shotgun acquired from their home.
Read more about the Menendez Brothers’ Case
The siblings were convicted of first-degree murder after two high-profile trials in the 1990s.
A recent Netflix documentary reignited interest in their case, leading former district attorney George Gascon to file a formal motion for their resentencing.
There were moments when it seemed the brothers might be released before Christmas. However, after Hochman took office and attempted to reverse Gascon’s earlier efforts, those prospects dimmed.
The Hochman administration criticized previous attempts to address the brothers’ cases as “unusual” political maneuvers that overlooked fundamental facts.
During a hearing last month aimed at dismissing the allegations, photographs of the gruesome crime scene featuring Jose Menendez’s body were shown.
If the judge denies parole for Lyle and Eric next week or if there’s a postponement, the brothers still have the option for release through a pardon from Newsom, who will have his own independent review conducted by the state’s parole board.
The final hearing with the parole board is slated for June 13th.
