Los Angeles County’s newest District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced his thoughts on the Menendez Brothers’ case and concluded they do not deserve to be released. This decision comes just a week before the brothers were expected to appear in court to discuss the possibility of being resentenced.
Before this past election, the former Los Angeles County District Attorney had recommended the brothers be given clemency for their crime and time served. When he lost his position in office, his recommendation no longer became valid in a court of law. Hochman’s stance could change the Menendez Brothers’ fate and they may never be released.
The 1989 Murders
Erik and Lyle Menendez, now in their 50s, were convicted of killing their parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion on August 20, 1989. The Menendez Brothers claim it was self-defense following years of sexual abuse by their father and neglect from their mother.
Their first trial began in 1993, when they had separate juries. However, it was declared a mistrial when the jury deadlocked. The second trial began in 1996 and barred the defense from claiming or providing evidence of abuse towards the brothers. Without that evidence, they were convicted of first-degree murder.
Paths to Freedom
The Menendez Brothers have three paths to be released from prison. The first being granted a resentencing hearing and getting out on time served. That is not looking good for them at this moment. The second is the habeas corpus petition they filed in 2023 with two new pieces of evidence not used during trial: a letter written by Erik Menendez detailing his alleged abuse from his father, and an affidavit signed in 2023 by a former boy band member alleging Jose Menendez raped him. Lastly, Governor Gavin Newsom could grant them clemency.
California Governor Gavin Newsom shared his thoughts on his podcast “This is Gavin Newsom.” He is having the state parole boards conduct a ‘comprehensive risk assessment’ investigation to determine whether the Menendez Brothers are a danger to the public. They will conduct separate hearings for the brothers on June 13, 2025. He explained, “We will submit that report to the judge for the resentencing, and that will weigh into our independent analysis of whether or not to move forward with the clemency application to support a commutation of this case.”
DA Nathan Hochman argued during a press conference Monday the “brothers persist in telling these lies for the last over 30 years about their self-defense defense and persist in insisting that they did not suborn any perjury or attempt to suborn perjury, then they do not meet the standards for resentencing. They do not meet the standards for rehabilitation.” This is an embarrassing statement on his part, as he has no idea the truth of what transpired that night.
Hochman continued to ignorantly state, “If the Menendez brothers, at some point, unequivocally, sincerely and fully accept complete responsibility for all their criminal actions, acknowledge that the self-defense defense was phony and their parents weren’t going to kill them … and finally come clean with the court, with the public, with the DA’s office, with their own family members and acknowledge all these lies … in the future, the court can weigh these new insights into making a determination as to whether they now qualify for rehabilitation and re-sentencing. And the [DA’s office] will do the same.”
Thoughts on The Menendez Brothers
There is evidence the boys were abused by their father. Expert psychologists testified on their behalf stating they had the mental capacity of 8-year-olds due to the ongoing abuse they endured. Hochman’s opinion is ignoring all the facts of the Menendez Brothers’ life growing up and damaging to all sexual abuse victims. No one knows without a doubt they are lying about defending themselves. We know they murdered their parents, but poke the bear enough times, you will be murdered too.
The Menendez Brothers have spent almost 30 years in prison for the murders and have gone beyond rehabilitation. Continuing their lives behind bars will not allow them to rehabilitate even further. They might regress, without a potential future outside the confined prison walls.
