post_page_cover

New Evidence in Menendez Brothers 1996 Murder Case to Be Reviewed

Oct 6, 2024

Prosecutors in Los Angeles are reviewing new evidence in the case of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 35 years ago, the city’s district attorney said Thursday.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said during a news conference that attorneys for Erik Menendez, 53, and his 56-year-old brother, Lyle Menendez, have asked a court to vacate their conviction.

Gascón said there is no question the brothers committed the murders but that his office will be reviewing new evidence and will make a decision on whether it warrants a resentencing. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 29.

The new evidence presented in a petition includes a letter written by Erik Menendez that his attorneys say corroborates the allegations that he was sexually abused by his father. Gascón said he believes that the topic of sexual assault would have been treated with more sensitivity if the case had happened today.

Gascón said his office had not yet made any decisions and did not know the “validity” of what was presented at the trial.

“We will evaluate all of it,” he said.

Gascón, who is seeking re-election, noted that more than 300 people have been resentenced during his term, and only four have gone on to commit a crime again.

Mark Geragos and Cliff Gardner, attorneys for the Menendez brothers, did not immediately respond Thursday to emails seeking comment on Gascón’s announcement.

The case has gained new attention in recent weeks after Netflix began streaming Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Following backlash about the Murphy series, the streamer announced a Menendez Brothers documentary hitting the streamer Oct. 7.

In a statement on X posted by his wife, Erik Menendez called the show a “dishonest portrayal” of what happened that has taken them back to a time when prosecutors “built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experience rape trauma differently from women.”

The brothers were given life sentences for fatally shooting their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989.

Lyle, who was then 21, and Erik, then 18, admitted they fatally shot-gunned their entertainment executive father and their mother but said they feared their parents were about to kill them to prevent the disclosure of the father’s long-term sexual molestation of Erik.

Prosecutors contended there was no evidence of any molestation. They said the sons were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.

Jurors rejected a death sentence in favor of life without parole.

Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by filmibee.
Publisher: Source link

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
HBO ‘Harry Potter’ Series Image Reveals Dominic McLaughlin in Title Role
HBO ‘Harry Potter’ Series Image Reveals Dominic McLaughlin in Title Role

The first official look at HBO's upcoming reboot of Harry Potter has finally arrived, and it is already teasing a magical trailer release. As we inch closer to the show's expected 2027 release, the network has begun to reveal more…

Mar 25, 2026

...
‘Dutton Ranch’ Trailer Reveals ‘Yellowstone’ Sequel Release Date

Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton gamble everything on a new life in South Texas in the first trailer for the Yellowstone spin-off, Dutton Ranch. The footage reveals all manner of gun fights, fist fights, explosions, galloping horses, and even mysterious…

Mar 24, 2026

Born Again’ Showrunners Detail How the Media Ties into Season 2
Born Again’ Showrunners Detail How the Media Ties into Season 2

Marvel is fast approaching the release of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, marking its second live-action Disney+ show of 2026. Bringing back Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk, this season picks up where Season 1 left off,…

Mar 23, 2026

...
New ‘Wheel of Time’ Animated and Video Game Adaptations Are in the Works

Amazon might be finished with The Wheel of Time, but we haven't seen the end of the story when it comes to adaptations of Robert Jordan's bestselling high fantasy saga. Fans were left blindsided when Amazon abruptly pulled the plug…

Mar 22, 2026