One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Judge sets new resentencing hearing date in Menendez case
Erik Menendez (left) is shown in 2016 and Lyle Menendez in 2018 in photos provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
(
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
/
AP
)
A judge on Friday set a long-awaited resentencing hearing that could lead to Erik and Lyle Menendez being released from prison. The move came after their attorneys withdrew a motion to recuse the district attorney from the case.
The resentencing hearing, which is now scheduled to start May 13, could go at least two days.
The backstory
The Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills home.
In arguing that they be resentenced and released, their attorney Mark Geragos says they’ve been rehabilitated and pose no risk to society.
Nathan Hochman, the newly-elected Los Angeles County district attorney, disagrees.
Recusal request
Hochman personally appeared during the hearing to argue against a motion by Geragos that his office be recused from the case — a motion that was later withdrawn.
-
The verdict Monday marks the first and only conviction in a case that has gripped hip-hop fans for years. -
Both councilmembers admitted they accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. -
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, was in court Wednesday after his first trial ended with a deadlocked jury this summer.
Sponsored message
Hochman also asked the judge to reverse himself and allow the District Attorney’s Office to withdraw the resentencing motion, originally filed by Hochman’s predecessor George Gascón.
The judge denied Hochman’s request.
Confidential report
Hochman also sought to convince the judge to allow prosecutors to use a comprehensive risk assessment during next week’s hearing. The assessment, produced for the parole board, says the Menendez brothers pose a moderate risk to society. Other reports place them at a low risk.
The judge will decide that issue during the hearing.
Renewed interest
The Menendez brothers’ case has drawn renewed interest after the recent release of a Netflix documentary and dramatic series.
Sponsored message
Erik Menendez is now 54 years old. Lyle Menendez is 57. They were 18 and 21, respectively, when they committed the murders.
Sexual abuse
Geragos also claims there’s new evidence the brothers' father, Jose Menendez, sexually abused them. The brothers have long claimed, including in court, that they killed their father and mother after years of abuse.
Prosecutors argued their motive was greed — that they wanted early access to their inheritance.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
