California Gov. Newsom defers clemency decision as incoming LA County district attorney reviews Menendez brothers case
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday that it would delay a decision on the Menendez brothers’ clemency petition to allow incoming Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman to ) review the case.
“The governor respects the district attorney’s role in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect Hochman to fulfill this responsibility,” Newsom’s office said in a statement. “In making any decision, Prior to a clemency decision, the Governor will hear the District Attorney-elect’s review and analysis of Menendez’s case.”
Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez spent about 35 years in state prison after being convicted of their parents’ 1989 murders. outgoing district attorney george gascony He sent a letter to Newsom supporting the brothers’ clemency after a Netflix show and documentary reignited interest in the brothers’ case.
“I strongly support clemency for Eric Menendez and Lyle Menendez, who are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. They have each served 34 years in prison and are continuing their education and commitment to Develop new programs to support the recovery of other prisoners.” Gascón said in a statement before losing his re-election bid.
Hochman said in an interview that if the case is not resolved by November 25, Habeas Corpus Petition Hearing – When a judge hears a motion to vacate a first-degree murder conviction – he will review the case to determine whether to recommend a resentencing.
HochmanHe, who will be sworn in on December 2, said he would ask the court for additional time to review the casting before a retrial hearing scheduled for December 11.
“I’m not going to delay for the sake of delay because this case is too important to the Menendez brothers,” Hochman said in an interview in early November. “This is too important to the victim’s family. It’s important to the family.” “It’s too important for the public to delay the review people expect from the district attorney.”
He added that such an analysis of the case would involve reviewing thousands of pages of jail files and months-long trial transcripts and speaking with law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys and victims’ families.
“Whatever position I ultimately take, people should expect that I spent a long time thinking about it and analyzing the evidence,” Hochman said. “But my 34 years of criminal justice experience — hundreds of cases as a prosecutor and defense attorney — prepare me to conduct this type of thorough review quickly and expeditiously because I’ve done it in many, many cases before matter.”
The Menendez brothers were arrested in 1990 for their parents’ deaths and went through two trials, with prosecutors arguing they murdered their parents because: greedy. However, the siblings testified that they killed their parents in self-defense. The brothers told jurors what they said were sexual abuse at the hands of their father in an emotional and highly publicized first trial.
The jury spent about four days deliberating after closing arguments but was unable to reach a unanimous decision. The judge declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a decision.
In the final trial that followed, the trial judge did not allow the defense to submit some evidence related to the sexual abuse allegations. Prosecutors believe the brothers lied about the charges.
In 1995, a second jury convicted Erik Menendez and Lyle Menendez of first-degree murder and sentenced them to life in prison. Possibility of parole.
