Prosecutor supports resentencing for Menendez brothers
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Erik Menendez, left, and is brother Lyle, were convicted in the 1989 murders of their parents. Photo: Getty Images
Los Angeles County's top prosecutor recommended Thursday the resentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the brothers who were convicted of killing their parents in 1989.
Why it matters: The move could free the brothers, whose case has gained new attention in recent weeks, from their life sentences. The final decision rests with a judge.
Driving the news: L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón said at a news conference Thursday that people in his office were split about the case.
- "I believe that under the law, resentencing is appropriate," he said.
- "What that means in this particular case is that we're going to recommend to the court that the life without the possibility of parole be removed and that they will be sentenced for murder," he said.
- "However, because of their age under the law, since they were under 26 years of age at the time that this crime occurred, they will be eligible for parole immediately," Gascón added.
- The brothers are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole in a prison near San Diego, California.
Zoom in: Gascón, who is running for re-election, added that the case was already scheduled to be heard late next month but "I decided to move this forward because, quite frankly, we did not have enough resources to handle all the requests."
- He said he believes "that the brothers were subjected to a tremendous amount of dysfunction in the home and molestation."
- The brothers have been in prison for nearly 35 years, he said, and "I believe that they have paid their debt to society."
- "There was no excuse for murder, and I will never imply that what we're doing here is to excuse that behavior," Gascón said. "But I understand also how sometimes people get desperate."
Catch up quick: Gascón had announced earlier this month that his office was reviewing new evidence that the Menendez brothers' father molested them.
- Evidence of severe abuse was presented at the brothers' first trial, which was televised and ended in separate hung juries in 1994. The evidence of abuse was excluded from their second trial, which ended in 1996 with life sentences without the possibility of parole.
- At the time of the murders, Erik Menendez was 18 and Lyle Menendez was 21.
Zoom out: The case gained new attention with the release of Netflix's true-crime drama "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" last month.
- A second documentary, "The Menendez Brothers" — from Campfire Studios, which has a partnership with Axios Entertainment — was released this month with extensive audio interviews with the brothers.
Go deeper: Prosecutors to review new evidence in Menendez brothers case
Editor's note: This story has been updated with more details from the press conference.
