Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón posits that the Menendez brothers ought not to languish in penitentiary confines for the remainder of their lives.
“Considering the entirety of the circumstances, I contend that they do not merit perpetual incarceration,” Gascón articulated during an interview with co-anchor Juju Chang, featured in an episode of IMPACT x Nightline entitled “Menendez Brothers: Monsters or Victims?”
The forthcoming episode, set to debut on Hulu on Thursday, October 17, revisits the notorious case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were found guilty of patricide and remain imprisoned in California. It incorporates appeals for their exoneration from friends and relatives, alongside interviews with notable figures such as their cousin Karen VanderMolen-Copley, comedian Rosie O’Donnell, and defense attorney Mark Geragos.
This episode emerges in the wake of Gascón’s announcement, mere weeks prior, regarding his office’s readiness to reconsider the Menendez brothers’ petition for resentencing, a development that could potentially facilitate their release.
“My inclinations are not fixed at this juncture,” Gascón remarked. “We have seasoned legal professionals meticulously assessing this case. Their recommendations will subsequently be presented to me, yet the ultimate determination rests with me.”
While Gascón has the authority to advocate for resentencing, the adjudication rests ultimately with a presiding judge.
In 1996, Lyle and Erik Menendez were adjudicated guilty of murder in the first degree for the deaths of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
AP Photo/Nick Ut
In May 2023, the brothers’ legal representatives filed a habeas corpus petition with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, presenting newly-acquired evidence pertinent to their case.
The evidence encompasses allegations of sexual abuse leveled by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, against Jose, who he claims perpetrated acts of rape against him in the 1980s, in addition to a recently uncovered letter authored by Erik to his late cousin Andy Cano, wherein he delineates his father’s alleged sexual abuses occurring months preceding the murders.
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Gascón articulated during the aforementioned press conference that his office bears a “moral and ethical responsibility to scrutinize the information presented” to ascertain whether a resentencing is warranted or if a new hearing is appropriate. Gascón further emphasized, “Should evidence which was previously unconsidered come to light, it is plausible that a jury’s verdict could have differed.”
ABC
On August 20, 1989, Lyle, aged 21, and Erik, aged 18, executed the fatal shootings of their parents in the den of their Beverly Hills residence using 12-gauge shotguns.
Jose, then the chief operating officer of RCA Records, was shot multiple times, including a point-blank shot to the head, while Kitty, aged 47, was shot 15 times, with one shot striking her in the face.
According to the brothers, the killings were precipitated by years of sexual abuse inflicted by Jose, which they assert their mother, a former beauty queen, willfully ignored.
In contradistinction, prosecutors at the time contended that greed was the brothers’ principal motive, evidenced by their extravagant expenditures immediately following the murders.
Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Ultimately, in 1996, three years subsequent to a hung jury outcome in their initial trial, the siblings were found culpable of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the prospect of parole.
Mark Geragos, the Menendez brothers’ attorney for post-conviction matters, stated, “Anyone engaging with the facts and circumstances rationally will inevitably arrive at the conclusion that their continued incarceration is unwarranted.”
He further asserted, “They have served their time.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 for connection to a certified crisis counselor.
The IMPACT x Nightline: Menendez Brothers: Monsters or Victims? episode from ABC News Studios will commence streaming on Thursday, October 17, exclusively on Hulu.
Vocabulary List:
- Incarceration /ɪnˌkɑːrsəˈreɪʃən/ (noun): The state of being confined in prison.
- Exoneration /ɪɡˌzɒn.əˈreɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The act of clearing someone from blame or fault.
- Petition /pəˈtɪʃ.ən/ (noun): A formal written request typically one signed by many people appealing to authority concerning a particular cause.
- Allegation /ˌæl.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/ (noun): A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong typically one made without proof.
- Circumstances /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsɪz/ (noun): Conditions or facts affecting a situation.
- Contend /kənˈtɛnd/ (verb): To assert something as a position in an argument.
How much do you know?
Who posited that the Menendez brothers do not merit perpetual incarceration?
What was the primary motive that prosecutors contended led to the Menendez brothers killing their parents?
When did Lyle and Erik Menendez execute the fatal shootings of their parents?
Who was the chief operating officer of RCA Records and a victim of the fatal shootings?
Which boy band member alleged sexual abuse by Jose Menendez?
In what year were the Menendez brothers found guilty of murder in the first degree?
George Gascón has the final say in the resentencing of the Menendez brothers.
The Menendez brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in 1993.
The Menendez brothers were found guilty of patricide.
The Menendez brothers killed their parents using knives.
Mark Geragos believes that the Menendez brothers deserve continued incarceration.
The Menendez brothers remain imprisoned in California.
The brothers’ legal representatives filed a habeas corpus petition with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in to present newly-acquired evidence relevant to their case.
The Menendez brothers were found guilty of murder in the first degree for the deaths of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in .
Jose, the chief operating officer of RCA Records, was shot multiple times, including a point-blank shot to the head, in contrast, Kitty was shot times.
Gascón emphasized the need to scrutinize the information presented to ascertain whether a resentencing is warranted and emphasized the possibility that a jury's verdict could have .