A Los Angeles County judge ruled Friday that Erik and Lyle Menendez’s resentencing hearings will move forward, marking a significant milestone for the two brothers who have spent over three decades in prison for the 1989 murders of their parents.
Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic denied District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s attempt to rescind a resentencing request made by his predecessor, George Gascón. The decision sets the stage for upcoming hearings on April 17 and 18, where the Menendez brothers’ legal team will argue for a reduced sentence.
“Everything you argued today is absolutely fair game for the resentencing hearing next Thursday,” Judge Jesic said in court.
The resentencing petition, originally submitted in October by Gascón, proposed modifying the brothers’ sentence to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole under California law due to their age—18 and 21—at the time of the crime. California law allows consideration for resentencing if the convicted individuals were under the age of 26 at the time of their offense.
However, DA Hochman criticized the petition as a “reckless political move” that ignored key aspects of the case. He argued that Erik and Lyle Menendez had not fully accepted responsibility for their actions and continued to deny misleading statements they made following the murders.
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Defense attorney Mark Geragos countered Hochman’s claims, accusing the prosecution of sensationalism and showing graphic crime scene photos during the hearing without warning, which upset family members present in the courtroom. He described the move as a “dog and pony show” lacking sensitivity toward the victims’ relatives.
Judge Jesic ultimately sided with the defense, ruling that the DA’s office lacked a lawful basis to withdraw the resentencing effort initiated by Gascón.
Among those who attended the hearing were more than a dozen family members and supporters of the Menendez brothers, including their cousin Anamaria Baralt, who defended them during a press conference outside the courtroom.
“Erik and Lyle have taken responsibility for what they did, and for decades they’ve shown true insight—not just through words but actions,” Baralt said, rejecting the prosecution’s claim that the brothers had never expressed remorse.
During the upcoming hearings, the Menendez defense team plans to argue that the brothers have been rehabilitated and deserve a chance at release. The defense will again present the longstanding claim that the murders were committed in self-defense following years of alleged sexual abuse by their father, José Menendez.
The brothers’ case gained renewed attention in 2024 due to a Netflix documentary and newly surfaced evidence—including a letter Erik wrote to a cousin before the murders, describing alleged abuse. These revelations added weight to the narrative that they acted out of fear and desperation rather than greed.
Even if the court ultimately denies the resentencing request, the brothers could still be granted clemency by California Governor Gavin Newsom. In addition, the state parole board is independently reviewing the case and is expected to announce its recommendation in June.
The Menendez brothers were originally convicted in the 1990s after a pair of highly publicized trials. They were found guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal shootings of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion. After the murders, the brothers infamously spent large portions of their inheritance, which prosecutors said undermined their claims of abuse.
Now, more than 30 years later, their future once again hangs in the balance as the court prepares to decide whether they should receive a second chance.
