Over 35 years after the infamous murders of their parents, Erik and Lyle Menendez face the possibility of a new chapter in their case. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office will be reviewing new evidence to determine if a resentencing is warranted for the brothers, who are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, The Associated Press reports.
While Gascón maintains that there is no doubt about the brothers’ guilt in the 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, he admitted the emergence of new evidence, specifically a letter written by Erik Menendez. This letter, according to the brothers’ attorneys, corroborates their claims of sexual abuse by their father, a key factor in their defense that argued self-defense against an abusive family.
The brothers’ attorneys believe that society’s evolving understanding of sexual abuse could have led to a different outcome in their trial. They argue that the brothers might not have been convicted of first-degree murder had the trial taken place today, suggesting that they should have been charged with manslaughter instead.
This development comes after renewed interest in the case, spurred by the recent Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” Attorneys representing the Menendez family have publicly voiced support for the brothers’ release, believing the brothers were wrongfully convicted.
Despite their convictions and life sentences, the brothers have maintained a positive record in prison, with Lyle recently earning a sociology degree from the University of California, Irvine. A hearing is scheduled for November 29.
