{"id":29359,"date":"2025-05-14T08:27:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=29359"},"modified":"2025-05-14T08:27:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:27:09","slug":"judge-cuts-menendez-brothers-sentences-giving-them-chance-of-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2025\/05\/14\/judge-cuts-menendez-brothers-sentences-giving-them-chance-of-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge cuts Menendez brothers&#8217; sentences giving them chance of freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-1w03aro-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><b class=\"ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">A Los Angeles judge has reduced the sentence of Erik and Lyle Menendez, making them eligible for parole more than 30 years after they killed their parents in a Beverly Hills mansion.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Judge Michael Jesic resentenced the brothers on Tuesday, after hearing evidence from relatives and prison staff about their attempts to make amends while behind bars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The district attorney had argued that they were not rehabilitated, but now the state parole board could order the brothers&#8217; release as early as next month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The brothers have long argued that they killed Kitty and Jose Menendez out of self-defence after years of sexual abuse, in a high-profile case that prompted a Netflix show which renewed interest in the story.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1w03aro-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">After hearing that they had been resentenced to 50 years to life with the possibility of parole, the brothers delivered an emotional statement to the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">They went through grim details of the brutal killings and their decision to reload their shotguns and keep shooting their parents at point-blank range in the living room of their home. The siblings were aged 18 and 21 at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;I had to stop being selfish and immature to really understand what my parents went though in those last moments,&#8221; Erik Menendez, 54, told the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He described the &#8220;shock, confusion and betrayal&#8221; they must have felt seeing their sons holding guns and opening fire.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1le81vw-ListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><a class=\"ssrcss-f6h2dj-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c5y2dgep4zzo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">When might the Menendez brothers be released?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Both apologised for their actions and talked about their hopes of working with sex abuse victims and helping those incarcerated if they were given a second chance outside prison.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The voice of Lyle Menendez, 57, cracked as he talked about the impact of his &#8220;unfathomable&#8221; actions on their relatives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;I lied to you and forced you into a spotlight of public humiliation,&#8221; he said to his family.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the decision to resentence the pair was &#8220;monumental&#8221; and carried &#8220;significant implications for the families involved&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Much of the hearing centred on what the brothers have been doing in prison for the last 30 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Family members and those who worked with them in prison detailed the educational courses they completed and programmes they created to improve the lives of inmates, including a hospice initiative for the elderly and sick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Judge Jesic called the brothers&#8217; work while in prison &#8220;remarkable&#8221;, but noted that their 1996 sentences to life without parole were justified at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He said that under the guidelines, they were eligible for resentencing, issuing his new sentence of 50 years to life. The brothers have been held in custody since 1990.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"A-great-day\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">&#8216;A great day&#8217;<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1w03aro-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">As the judge continued reading, the brothers smiled and waved to their attorneys and family members who crowded into the courtroom. Family members embraced with smiles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Today is a great day,&#8221; defence lawyer Mark Geragos told reporters outside court. He said they were &#8220;one huge step closer to bringing the boys home&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Anamaria Baralt, the brothers&#8217; cousin who testified inside court earlier in the day, said their family was elated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;It is a difficult process,&#8221; she said of the parole hearing that awaits the brothers, but noted they will &#8220;eagerly step through those doors if it means we can have them home&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Inside court earlier, relatives pleaded with the judge to allow the siblings&#8217; release.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Ms Baralt, who said she has been close with them since they were children, told the judge they deserved a &#8220;second chance at life&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;It&#8217;s been a nightmare,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am desperate for this process to be over.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Ms Baralt told the court she speaks with the brothers frequently and testified that they had taken &#8220;ownership of their actions&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1le81vw-ListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><a class=\"ssrcss-f6h2dj-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c8r5137lj41o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prosecutors claim retaliation by new LA DA over Menendez brothers support<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><a class=\"ssrcss-f6h2dj-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c20mzd788n3o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is the controversy around Netflix&#8217;s Menendez drama?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">She said Lyle Menendez had acknowledged to her he had asked a witness to lie when testifying at their previous trial.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But she added: &#8220;They are very different men from the boys they were.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The judge also heard from a retired Florida judge &#8211; who said he has never testified on behalf of any criminal defendant &#8211; and Anerae &#8220;X-Raided&#8221; Brown, a rapper who was in prison with both brothers and credits their help for his release.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The district attorney&#8217;s office, which fiercely opposes the brothers being released, questioned each witness about Erik and Lyle Menendez&#8217;s &#8220;litany of lies&#8221; they have clung to since the murders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1w03aro-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Prosecutors said they lied to law enforcement immediately after the crimes, lied to family members about their guilt and gave false evidence at their trials.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Prosecutors have said the brothers have continued to &#8220;make excuses&#8221; for their conduct instead of taking full responsibility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;There&#8217;s no doubt they&#8217;ve done all these positive things in prison,&#8221; Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said in his closing argument.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But, he added, when reversing a jury&#8217;s unanimous verdict in such a brutal murder case, it&#8217;s important to &#8220;make certain they are truly rehabilitated&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The case was thrust back into the spotlight after a new Netflix drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, as well as the release of docudrama, The Menendez Brothers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">It introduced the case to a new generation and garnered attention from celebrities &#8211; including Kim Kardashian and Rosie O&#8217;Donnell &#8211; who called for the brothers to be released. The previous district attorney, George Gasc\u00f3n, backed their resentencing bid, allowing the effort to go before a judge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\" data-component=\"subheadline-block\">\n<h2 id=\"What-happens-next\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">What happens next?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The next step for the brothers will be the California parole board.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The board has already been vetting the siblings after a request by Governor Gavin Newsom. The governor is separately weighing a request from the brothers for clemency, which could take the form of a reduced sentence or a pardon &#8211; if approved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A risk assessment has been completed on the brothers as part of their request for clemency. The district attorney said it indicated a &#8220;moderate risk of violence&#8221;. However, the full report has not been released.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Newsom asked the parole board to conduct a risk assessment, which has already been drafted, that examines whether they pose a risk to the general public if released.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The state&#8217;s parole board is set to conduct a separate hearing on 13 June for the brothers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">It&#8217;s unclear what could come at the hearing, or if there might be multiple hearings vetting their potential release.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c2e3xnx471wo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">A Los Angeles judge has reduced the sentence of Erik and Lyle Menendez, making them eligible for parole more than 30 years after they killed their parents in a Beverly Hills mansion. Judge Michael Jesic <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2025\/05\/14\/judge-cuts-menendez-brothers-sentences-giving-them-chance-of-freedom\/\" title=\"Judge cuts Menendez brothers&#8217; sentences giving them chance of freedom\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109,2,3],"tags":[1695,10708,2037],"class_list":{"0":"post-29359","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headline","8":"category-news","9":"category-usa","10":"tag-los-angeles","11":"tag-menendez-brothers","12":"tag-sexual-abuse","13":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29360,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29359\/revisions\/29360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}