Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon said he supports Erik and Lyle Menendez in requesting clemency from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The support comes 35 years after the brothers shot and killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, inside their Beverly Hills home.
The district attorney’s office said it has sent letters of support to the governor for review.
The news comes a week after Gascon recommended the brothers be resentenced after their defense team submitted new evidence corroborating their allegations that their father, Jose Menendez, sexually and physically abused them when they were minors.
After two trials, one in 1993 and another in 1995, the Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The brothers’ defense argued they shot their parents in self-defense because they feared for their lives after confronting their father about the abuse.
“Since the original prosecution of the Menendez brothers nearly three decades ago, our office has gained a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding sexual violence,” Gascon said in a statement. “We recognize that it is a widespread issue impacting individuals of all gender identities, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to support all victims as they navigate the long-lasting effects of such trauma.”
The Menendez family also held a news conference, calling for Erik and Lyle to be released from prison.
“On behalf of our whole family, it is my honor to formally introduce our new coalition, ‘Justice for Eric and Lyle,’” Anamaria Baralt, Erik and Lyle’s cousin, said. “Like so many others, I struggled to process the events of that fateful August day and the loss that I felt. Over time, it became clear, there were two other victims there on that day, my cousins, Lyle and Erik.”
If Newsom grants the Menendez brothers clemency, their resentencing process would be eliminated.
Newsom mentioned on a podcast that his office is reviewing the clemency request.
If he does not grant clemency, the brothers could still seek freedom through Gascon’s resentencing recommendation of 50 years to life.
If the Los Angeles Superior Court judge agrees, the brothers would be eligible for parole immediately.
A parole board would then make the decision whether to release the brothers or keep them behind bars.
If the parole board decides to release them, Newsom has the power to veto that decision.
The case has garnered new national attention in recent weeks because of the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
