Menendez brothers' last chance for freedom under threat after bombshell new development
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For decades, Erik and Lyle Menendez have languished in prison, serving life sentences without parole for the shocking 1989 murders of their wealthy parents. But after years of legal battles, public scrutiny, and renewed interest sparked by Netflix’s Monsters, the killer brothers appear to be on the brink of a potential reprieve. Convicted for the brutal 1989 murders of their wealthy parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, the slaying siblings have spent decades behind bars.
Now, thanks to new developments in their case - and a shift in the understanding of abuse - they are closer than ever to a second chance. The brothers are due before a judge on January 30 for possible resentencing - at least, they hoped. However, with a new district attorney in Los Angeles, Nathan Hochman, taking office, that optimism may now not be as strong as the brothers and their supporters believe.
The new DA has wasted no time stamping his mark on the case. Immediately after being sworn in, he reassigned two deputy prosecutors who petitioned for Menendez’s life sentence to be reduced, leaving the legal fight mired in uncertainty. On August 20, 1989, police responded to a grisly scene at the family’s sprawling Beverly Hills mansion. Jose Menendez, a high-powered entertainment executive, and his wife Kitty were found shot to death, their bodies riddled with bullets from 12-gauge shotguns.
Initially, the murders appeared to be the result of a mob hit or burglary gone wrong. The brothers, who were 18 and 21 at the time, claimed to have discovered the bodies after returning from a movie. But their extravagant spending spree in the weeks following the murders raised suspicions. Lyle purchased a Rolex watch, a Porsche, and lavish clothes, while Erik hired a tennis coach and travelled extensively. The brothers collectively spent more than half a million pounds in just six months, arousing the attention of investigators.
