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By Gabe Whisnant and Anna Commander
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A judge on Friday ruled that Erik and Lyle Menendez's resentencing hearings can proceed, despite opposition from the Los Angeles County district attorney.
Newsweek reached out to the DA's office via online form Friday night for comment.
Why It Matters
The Menendez brothers are serving life sentences without possibility of parole for killing their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, in 1989. At the time of the murders, Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18.
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The case garnered worldwide attention and has renewed public interest after sexual abuse allegations targeting Jose Menendez emerged. The Netflix show "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" also sparked new intrigue into the case.
What To Know
Former DA George Gascón had requested last year that the brothers' sentences be reduced from life without parole to 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole, citing their ages—both under 26—at the time of the killings.
But current District Attorney Nathan Hochman reversed that position, filing a motion last month to withdraw the resentencing request. Despite this shift, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic determined the hearings could move forward. "Everything you argued today is absolutely fair game for the resentencing hearing next Thursday," Jesic said, clearing the way for the next phase in the high-profile case.
Appearing virtually in court on Friday, the brothers were seen via Zoom video. Family members for the two, however, appeared in court, including Erik's wife and child.
Celebrities were also seen inside the courtroom on Friday, in solidarity with the brothers.
During the hearing, the Los Angeles County DA's office argued that the pair "haven't changed" since killing their parents.
In the immediate aftermath of the crimes, the prosecution depicted the brothers as inheritance-hungry spoiled young adults.
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What People Are Saying
Actor Cooper Koch, who played Erik Menendez in the Netflix series, said in a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, in part: "I believe both of them. I believe everything that they said on the stand to be true."
Reality star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, in a personal essay last year: "I have spent time with Lyle and Erik; they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent, and honest men. In prison, they both have exemplary disciplinary records. They have earned multiple college degrees, worked as caregivers for elderly incarcerated individuals in hospice, and been mentors in college programs — committed to giving back to others."
Kardashian continued, "When I visited the prison three weeks ago, one of the wardens told me he would feel comfortable having them as neighbors. Twenty-four family members, including their parents' siblings, have released statements fully supporting Lyle and Erik and have respectfully requested that the justice system free them."
What Happens Next
The resentencing hearing will continue as scheduled on April 17 and April 18.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Update 4/11/25, 8:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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