Lyle and Erik Menéndez were charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, for shooting their parents to death in 1989. There will be a hearing on the case on November 29.
netflixThe prosecutors of Los Angeles decided to review the new evidence in the case of Lyle and Erik Menendezwith the objective of determining whether they would be entitled to serve life sentences for the crime of murder your parents at his Beverly Hills mansion more than 35 years ago, the city’s district attorney announced Thursday.
George Gasconthe Los Angeles County district attorney, stated during a press conference that there is no doubt that Lyle Menendez, of 56 yearsand his brother 53Erik Menéndez, are responsible for committing the murders, but his office will still review new evidence to make a decision on whether to justifies a new sentence.
The case that moved and captured international attention, about which Netflix launched a series based on them on September 19, featuring new evidence in a petition that includes a letter written by Erikwhich according to his lawyers, certifies the accusations that he was sexually abused by his father.
Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menéndez
The defense of brothers focuses on the fact that their parents were killed in self defenseafter enduring a life full of physical abuse, emotional and sexual on their part. The lawyers They maintain that due to changing social thinking about sexual abuse, today they would not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
How the crime of the Menéndez brothers was told in the Netflix series
Lyle and Erik Menendezwho were 21 and 18 years old at the time, admitted that shot dead to his father Jose Menendezshowbiz executive, and his mother Kitty Menendezin 1989. Both maintained that they feared that their parents were about to kill them to prevent them from revealing the father’s sexual abuse of Erik.
Prosecutors at the time determined that there was no evidence of any abuse and that the brothers simply wanted to obtain the multimillion-dollar net worth of their parents. The lawyer Cliff Gardnerwho also represents the brothers, is pleased with the district attorney’s decision.
“Given today’s very different understanding of how sexual and physical abuse affects children, and the remarkable new evidence, we believe that the new sentence is the appropriate result“, said Gardner in an email Thursday to The Associated Press, referring to jurors’ rejection of the death penalty and favor of life in prison without parole.
“The brothers They have served more than 30 years in prison. That’s enough,” Gardner said. The case has gained the attention of thousands of people in recent weeks, as a result of the premiere of the Netflix true crime series “Monsters: the story of Lyle and Erik Menéndez“. A audience about the case for the next November 29.
Source: Ambito
