The district attorney in charge of the Menendez brothers’ case has strongly criticized the new evidence presented to support the claim of their father’s abuse during a press conference.
During the conference, the DA explained why he does not find the letter penned by Erik and the surprising testimony from Roy Rosello, a member of a music group, to be sufficient to justify releasing the convicted brothers.
Legal teams have been wrestling over the use of habeas corpus to secure the release of Erik and Lyle, a legal tactic that permits incarcerated individuals to challenge the legitimacy of their imprisonment and assess whether their sentencing was unjust.
The brothers’ defense filed an appeal citing two pieces of evidence: a letter allegedly sent by Erik to his late cousin Andy Cano and claims by Rosello that he was molested by their father, Jose Menendez.
In the letter, which Erik was said to have written before the attack, he wrote he was fearful of being attacked by his “crazy” father.
In their appeal, the defense argued these key pieces of evidence proved that Erik and Lyle were abused to the point where they feared for their lives and acted out of self-defense.
However, in Friday’s fiery conference, District Attorney Nathan J Hochman blasted the evidence and said he recommends tossing the habeas corpus argument.
He questioned the legitimacy of the letter, saying it was “inconceivable” that Cano and Erik would both testify in the trial and not mention the glaring evidence.
Before the news conference, one of Lyle and Erik’s attorneys said the DA would likely address his response to the habeas petition or a decision on the resentencing.
The brothers were due to learn their fate at a resentencing hearing beginning on March 20.
The notorious pair were convicted of first-degree murder for murdering their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, with shotguns in 1989.
They were sentenced to life without parole in 1996 and are serving their sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego, California.
The brothers’ case came back into the spotlight due to Ryan Murphy’s limited series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story delved into the high-profile murders.
And the former DA, George Gascon, took a second look at the case and recommended resentencing.
But he lost re-election and the decision on whether to free the brothers was handed to new Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Timeline of the Menendez brothers case
Erik and Lyle Menendez’s case dates back more than three decades since their parents were found shot to death at their Beverly Hills mansion.
Below is a timeline of the brothers’ case, starting at the gruesome crime scene:
August 20, 1989 – José and Kitty Menendez are found dead from multiple shotgun wounds.
March 8, 1990 – Lyle is arrested outside his parents’ Beverly Hills mansion.
March 11, 1990 – Erik surrenders to police after flying back into Los Angeles from Israel.
December 1992 – Murder charges against the brothers are officially filed.
July 20, 1993 – The murder trial, highly publicized on Court TV, begins in Los Angeles with Erik and Lyle each having a separate jury.
January 28, 1994 – The first trial ends with two deadlocked juries.
October 11, 1995 – Lyle and Erik’s second trial begins with one jury.
March 20, 1996 – The Menendez brothers are convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
July 2, 1996 – Lyle and Erik are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and sent to separate prisons.
February 22, 2018 – Lyle is transferred to the San Diego prison, where Erik is held.
April 4, 2018 – Lyle was moved into the same housing unit as Erik – the first time the brothers were reunited in over 20 years.
May 2023 – Lyle and Erik’s attorney files a habeas corpus petition after Roy Rosselló, a member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, made sexual abuse allegations against Jose Menendez in a Peacock docuseries.
September 19, 2024 – Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story releases on Netflix.
October 3, 2024 – Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón says his office is reviewing new evidence in connection with Lyle and Erik’s convictions.
October 7, 2024 – The Menendez Brothers documentary film comes out on Netflix.
October 16, 2024 – Family members of the Menendez brothers hold a press conference begging for the siblings to be released from prison.
October 24, 2024 – Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón recommends the brothers be resentenced.
November 25, 2024 – The Menendez brothers appear in court for a status hearing to learn their resentencing hearing is pushed back from December 11 to allow new DA Nathan Hochman more time to review the case.
January 30-31, 2025 – Erik and Lyle’s resentencing hearing was initially set but had to be rescheduled due to the California wildfires.
March 20-21, 2025 – The brothers are set to go before a judge for their resentencing hearing.
BRUTAL BEATING IN PRISON
Earlier this week, a new podcast revealed how Lyle and Erik adjusted to life in prison after being convicted of murder.
They were initially at different prisons but reunited after 21 years when Lyle was transferred to the same facility as Erik in 2018.
“I remember the day I was told Lyle just got assaulted and got his jaw broken,” Erik said.
“At least we could protect each other maybe if we were together, but we were not together.
