Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced plans to seek the withdrawal of a motion made by his predecessor to have a resentencing hearing for the Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, who are currently serving life imprisonment without parole. The brothers had exhausted all appeals until a new California law allowed for resentencing hearings that could potentially make them eligible for parole. Hochman stated that the brothers have continually lied about the case, their parents, and their interactions with witnesses.
The request to withdraw the previous resentencing motion was based on the fact that the Menendez brothers have not shown full insight or taken complete responsibility for their crimes. They continue to claim self-defense in the murders of their parents despite evidence to the contrary, including lies about their parents’ actions and attempts to suborn perjury from friends. Prosecutors were prepared to proceed with the resentencing hearings scheduled for March 20 and 21 but sought to withdraw the initial motion filed under former District Attorney George Gascon.
The Menendez brothers killed their parents in 1989, claiming self-defense out of fear that their father was going to kill them after they threatened to expose him as a child sex abuser. Despite their claims, evidence shows that they have lied about various aspects of the case, including allegations of abuse and poisoning by their parents. Roughly two dozen relatives, including Kitty Menendez’s sister Joan Andersen VanderMolen, have expressed support for the brothers’ release, while their brother, Milton Andersen, strongly opposed any sentence reduction before passing away in March.
Milton Andersen, a military veteran who served in the 82nd Airborne Division and strongly opposed any reduction in the Menendez brothers’ sentences, passed away just weeks before his nephews were expected to appear for a resentencing hearing. He believed their claims of abuse were false and that the jury’s verdict and sentencing were correct. Andersen’s attorney acknowledged his deep love for his sister and belief in justice for her murder. Despite Andersen’s opposition, other family members in the pro-clemency faction had met with George Gascon to advocate for the brothers’ release.
Gascon had initiated the efforts to reduce the Menendez brothers’ sentences but lost re-election to Nathan Hochman, who then took on the case and met with both sides of the family. Andersen was grateful for Hochman’s willingness to listen to him and approach their conversations with compassion and concern. Hochman’s decision to seek the withdrawal of the resentencing motion will likely impact the brothers’ future prospects for parole. As the legal proceedings continue, the complexity and emotional toll of the case on the families involved will remain at the forefront of the public’s attention.
