Erik and Lyle Menendez — who are serving life sentences for killing their parents in 1989 — asked California Governor Gavin Newson for clemency on Monday, days after a prosecutor announced he would seek resentencing for the brothers.
KTLA reported that Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón sent a letter to Governor Newsom supporting the Menendez brothers’ clemency bid. On last week’s episode of the podcast “Politickin,” Newsom said he is reviewing their case and has watched the Netflix docudrama “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which gave the case renewed attention.
The brothers’ clemency request comes days after Gascón said he would seek to have the pair resentenced. Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent 34 years behind bars as they are ineligible for parole under their current sentence.
Last Thursday, Gascón said he would ask the court to have the parole ineligibility condition removed from their sentences and have them resentenced for murder. If successful, the pair would be sentenced to 50 years to life with parole. However, because they were younger than 26 when the murders occurred, he believes they will be released on youthful parole.
The Menendez brothers are seeking clemency as their resentencing bid may be in jeopardy. According to Variety, Gascón is up for reelection and is said to be trailing his challenger. The resentencing hearing is scheduled for December 11 — after Election Day, meaning it could be withdrawn if Gascón loses.
Additionally, the case was assigned to a new judge earlier this week — LA County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic, as CrimeOnline reported.
In 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez, then 18 and 21, purchased two shotguns with cash and used them to kill their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home. Investigators originally suspected the mafia was behind the slayings. However, a break in the case occurred in 1990 when Erik Menendez confessed to a therapist.
Evidence of Erik and Lyle Menendez’s father molesting them was presented at their first trial — which ended with a hung jury. However, those details were not as prominent during the second trial which resulted in their convictions.
At the time, prosecutors claimed the brothers wanted access to their inheritance. However, Gascón said he has a photocopy of a letter, penned by Erik Menendez, which also corroborates claims of sexual abuse.
Gascón also said he is aware of claims made by Roy Rosello, an ex-member of the boy band Menudo. Rosello said Jose Menendez sexually abused him while a producer at RCA Records.
It is worth noting that Gascón can recommend resentencing, but a judge makes a final decision regarding resentencing. A status hearing is scheduled for November 25.
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[Feature Photo: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP]
