(Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – Erik and Lyle Menendez may find out this week whether they will receive reduced sentences — and potentially a path to freedom — nearly three decades after being convicted of murdering their parents in a case that captivated the nation.
A resentencing hearing for the brothers begins Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and is expected to last two days. Judge Michael Jesic will oversee the proceedings and may deliver a verbal ruling during the hearing or issue a written decision later. Even if their life sentences are reduced, the Menendez brothers would still need approval from the California parole board to be released.
The brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty, in their Beverly Hills home. At the time, Erik and Lyle were 18 and 21 years old. The defense claimed the brothers acted in self-defense following years of sexual abuse by their father, while prosecutors argued they killed for financial gain.
Public interest in the case has remained strong over the years and recently gained renewed attention through the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and the documentary The Menendez Brothers. Supporters of the brothers have held rallies and attended court hearings, advocating for their release.
The resentencing hearing will focus on whether the Menendez brothers have shown rehabilitation during their decades in prison and whether they qualify for a lesser sentence of 50 years to life. Under California’s youthful offender law, those who committed crimes before age 26 may become eligible for parole after serving a minimum sentence.
Former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón supported the resentencing request, citing the brothers’ personal growth and efforts to contribute positively to the prison community. However, newly elected District Attorney Nathan Hochman has withdrawn that support, arguing the brothers have not taken full responsibility and continue to deny critical aspects of the prosecution’s case.
Despite the DA’s opposition, Judge Jesic ruled last week that the hearings could proceed. The Menendez brothers’ attorneys maintain their clients have worked hard to change and deserve a second chance. Most of their extended family, including
