Major Announcement Made In Case Of Infamous Murderers
Are the Menendez brothers getting out of prison?
Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, in a 1989 shooting at their Beverly Hills mansion. The pair were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and have been locked up since 1990.
The two have long maintained they were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of their father. The prosecution maintained they murdered their parents to inherit their dad's incredible wealth.
The case captivated the attention of America when it happened, and has since been put back under a spotlight thanks to a new Netflix series. It now sounds like there's serious momentum for the two to get out.
Los Angeles district attorney announces update in case of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced Thursday afternoon that new evidence in the case will be reviewed. Specifically, the key evidence being reviewed is a letter Erik allegedly wrote months prior to the murder where he talked about being molested.
Erik and Lyle filed a writ of habeas corpus asking the court to vacate their 1996 conviction based on a claim that their father drugged and raped Roy Rosello, according to Fox News. The letter paired with Rosello's claim would back up the claims of being abused. Claims of abuse weren't allowed to be presented at the second trial, which is the one they were convicted in.
"We’re not, at this point, ready to say that we either believe or do not believe that information. But we’re here to tell you that we have a moral and ethical obligation to review what is being presented to us and make a determination," Gascon told the media Thursday.
He also noted a changing perception surrounding male sexual abuse is also something the DA's office is looking at when it comes to possibly re-sentencing Erik and Lyle. That means there are two avenues for release. A review of new evidence under habeas corpus or simply choosing the path of re-sentencing them.
You can watch the full press conference below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.
As I said above, the attention on the Menendez brothers is getting a new surge as younger people are just learning about them due to Ryan Murphy's Netflix series.
Do they deserve to remain in prison for the rest of their lives? That's what a jury thought when they were convicted in 1996. Now, potential new information might serve as the key to free them.
If it doesn't, it certainly sounds like the DA's office is more than open to just re-sentencing them to shorter sentences than life without parole.
We'll see what developments come next, but the internet is going to explode with hot takes for days if the Menendez brothers walk free. Do you think they should remain in prison or should they be let out? Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.