Prosecutors will recommend Erik and Lyle Menendez be resentenced for the 1989 killings of their parents in the family’s Beverly Hills home, providing the brothers with a chance at freedom after 34 years behind bars, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced Thursday.
Lyle Menendez, then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, admitted they fatally shot their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez. The brothers said they feared their parents were about to kill them to stop people from finding out that Jose Menendez had sexually abused Erik Menendez for years.
The brothers’ extended family has pleaded for their release, saying they deserve to be free after decades behind bars. Several family members have said that in today’s world — which is more aware of the impact of sexual abuse — the brothers would not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life.
Multiple members of their extended family, including their aunt Joan Andersen VanderMolen, sat in the first few rows of Thursday's news conference. VanderMolen was Kitty Menendez’s sister and has publicly supported their release. Mark Geragos, an attorney for the brothers, was also there.
The Menendez brothers were tried twice for their parents’ murders, with the first trial ending in a hung jury.
Prosecutors at the time contended that there was no evidence of molestation, and many details in their story of sexual abuse were not permitted in the second trial. The district attorney’s office also said back then that the brothers were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.
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Not all Menendez family members support resentencing and the Los Angeles district attorney said not everyone in his office agrees with the decision and some of those staffers may be in court arguing against his request.
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How old were the Menendez brothers at the time of the murders in 1989?
At the times of the murders of their parents, Lyle Menendez was 21 and Erik Menendez was 18 years old.
How old are the Menendez brothers now in 2024?
Lyle Menendez is currently 56 years old and Erik Menendez is now 53 years old.
How long have the Menendez brothers been in prison?
As of Oct. 24, 2024, the Menendez brothers have been in prison for nearly 35 years, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
