After more than three decades behind bars for the murders of their parents, brothers Joseph “Lyle” and Erik Galen Menendez are now at the center of renewed global attention, thanks to a recent recommendation for resentencing by Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.
This recommendation, announced on Friday, signals a potential shift in how the judicial system views the complexities of the brothers’ case, with a new focus on the family’s issues of abuse and the possibility of rehabilitation for the pair.
The Menendez brothers were convicted in 1996 for the brutal shotgun murders of their wealthy parents, Jose and Maria “Kitty” Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. While the brothers have consistently maintained that they acted in self-defense due to years of alleged abuse, their claims were initially met with skepticism — with a $14 million inheritance cited as a motive, resulting in their current life sentences without parole.
Now, Gascón’s office is revisiting the case based on new evidence suggesting a history of sexual abuse by their father. During a recent interview with CNN, Gascón spoke on the importance of acknowledging the duo’s past trauma, yet he didn’t shy away from the fact that both brothers committed a gruesome act.
“I will never excuse murder, and those were brutal, premeditated murders. They were appropriately sentenced at the time when they were tried. They got life without the possibility of parole. 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,” Gascón told CNN.
The DA’s recommendation comes in light of a petition filed by the brothers’ defense team in 2023, which included a sworn statement from former Menudo member Roy Rosselló, who also accused their father, Jose Menendez, of severe sexual abuse.
Gascón is now advocating for a new sentence of 50 years with the possibility of parole, a move he argues reflects current attitudes towards victims of abuse and the potential for rehabilitation. He also noted that many family members of the Menendez brothers have corroborated claims of their abusive household, further influencing his decision.
The brothers have already served 35 years in prison for the murders, and a potential new murder sentence of 50 years would make them eligible for parole this year.
The public’s interest in the Menendez brothers has surged recently, primarily fueled by new media attention, including a Netflix series that explored their lives and the circumstances surrounding the murders.
As the brothers await a new hearing in the coming weeks, their attorneys remain optimistic.
“I believe before Thanksgiving, they will be home,” one of their attorneys, Mark Geragos, told reporters.
