Right now, a press conference is taking place discussing the possibility of a resentencing for brothers, Lyle and Erik Menendez. The brothers are currently serving life sentences without the chance of parole for the murders of the parents, José and Kitty Menendez.
Following the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and The Menendez Brothers on Netflix, there has been a huge surge in interest in the case once again. There has also been new evidence in the case, as people call for the brothers to be freed from prison, after over 30 years behind bars.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are now reviewing new evidence that could lead to the release of the brothers, or a new trial in their case. New evidence allegedly corroborates the brothers’ claims of sexual abuse – they have claimed they killed their parents in self defence, as they were left petrified after years of abuse.
Last year, the brothers launched a new appeal, after new evidence alleged their father had also molested boy-band member Roy Rosello. Roy has claimed his abuse started in the early 80s, when he was a minor. At the time, José Menendez was working as an executive at RCA Records. The Menendez brothers’ attorney filed a petition in May last year citing both Rosello’s claims and a letter given as evidence meant their convictions should be quashed.
Their attorney, Cliff Gardner, said: “The boys were abused as children. They were abused their whole life…and this is a manslaughter case, not a murder case. It’s just that simple.”
The new evidence also includes a letter that attorney Gardner has said was written by Erik Menendez to his cousin, Andy Cano, in December 1988, about eight months before the crime. The letter, which was never presented originally in court, said: “I’ve been trying to avoid dad. It’s still happening, Andy, but it’s worse for me now. … Every night I stay up thinking he might come in. … I’m afraid. … He’s crazy. He’s warned me a hundred times about telling anyone, especially Lyle.”
Watch the live press conference of the resentencing hearing for Lyle and Erik Menendez here:
The Menendez Brothers is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.
Related stories recommended by this writer:
• Art classes and getting married: What prison life is like for Lyle and Erik Menendez
• People are dragging Pamela Bozanich for ‘disgusting’ comments in Menendez Netflix doc
• Everything Leslie Abramson has said about the Menendez brothers since representing them
