The outlook is turning gray for the Menéndez brothers and their supporters who were hoping for their release as it has once again been cast into doubt after the District Attorney of Los Angeles County (California, USA), George Gascón, who had recommended a review of their sentence, lost in the United States elections.
At the end of last month, Gascón announced his recommendation that Lyle (56) and Erik (53) Menéndez receive a new sentence of 50 years in prison to life imprisonment for the double murder of their parents in 1989, stating that he believed the brothers had "paid their debt to society." Since the brothers were under 26 years old at the time of the crimes, this new sentence would allow them to immediately be eligible for parole, after having spent almost 35 years behind bars.
What will happen to the Menéndez brothers after the Los Angeles prosecutor lost the elections?
Gascón lost his bid for re-election to former Deputy Attorney General Nathan Hochman and will take office on December 2. However, Hochman has already stated that he wanted to conduct his own review of the case —which includes consulting the brothers' records, authorities, and their lawyers— before proceeding.
“Before I can make any decision about the Menendez brothers' case, I will have to thoroughly familiarize myself with the relevant facts, evidence, and law,” Hochman stated in a press release on Wednesday. “I will have to review the confidential prison records of each brother, the transcripts of both trials, and speak with prosecutors, law enforcement, defense attorneys, and victims' families,” he added.
The hearing to determine Gascón's request is scheduled for December 11, so, if he decides to move forward with the proposal, Hochman would only have nine days to reexamine the case of the brothers after taking office. "If for any reason I need more time, I will ask the court for it," Hochman concluded.
The Menéndez brothers’ case has been notorious since it began in 1989. In recent years, a movement started seeking to review the evidence to give the Menéndez brothers a fairer trial and possible freedom. Last year, the brothers’ lawyers presented new evidence that apparently shed more light on the alleged abuses, while family members, human rights advocates, and even celebrities have called for their release.