Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has expressed support for clemency for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are serving life sentences for killing their parents in 1989. Gascón’s recommendation comes shortly after he suggested that the brothers be resentenced in their murder case. The brothers have filed requests for clemency with Governor Gavin Newsom. Clemency would allow them to be released immediately, separate from the resentencing effort.
The Menendez brothers, who were younger than 26 when they committed the crimes, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. Defense attorneys argued that they were sexually abused by their father, with most of the claims deemed inadmissible during their trials. Gascón’s motion for resentencing could make them eligible for parole due to their age at the time of the crime.
The brothers’ attorneys highlighted the abuse they suffered and their rehabilitation efforts, including obtaining degrees and creating programs to help other inmates, as reasons for clemency. Lyle Menendez, 56, and Erik Menendez, 53, have been described as exemplary candidates for clemency. The brothers were first tried in 1993, resulting in mistrials, before being convicted of first-degree murder in 1996.
Newsom’s office has not commented on the clemency requests, citing confidentiality. A Superior Court judge will decide whether the brothers should be resentenced, with a hearing scheduled for December 11. Gascón, a progressive district attorney, is up for re-election this year.
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