Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is supporting clemency requests for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are serving life sentences for killing their parents in 1989. Gascón believes the brothers, who have served 34 years in prison, have shown rehabilitation, education, and a commitment to helping fellow inmates. Clemency would allow them to be released immediately, separate from Gascón’s recommendation for resentencing to 50 years to life, which could make them eligible for parole due to their age at the time of the crime.
The Menendez brothers’ defense attorneys argue that they were sexually abused by their father, with Lyle being molested until he was 8 years old and Erik being abused from age 6 until the killings. Both brothers have earned degrees and created programs to help other inmates, making them strong candidates for clemency, according to their attorneys. The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 after mistrials in 1993 due to juries deadlocking.
Governor Gavin Newsom has not commented on the clemency requests, as they are confidential until a decision is made. A Superior Court judge will decide whether the Menendez brothers should be resentenced, with a hearing scheduled for December 11. The case of the Menendez brothers, whose trial was a media sensation in 1989, continues to attract attention as the debate over their possible release or resentencing unfolds.
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