California Gov. Gavin Newsom will delay his decision on clemency for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, until the newly elected Los Angeles County district attorney completes his review of the case, Newsom’s office said Monday.
“The governor respects the role of the district attorney in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect (Nathan) Hochman to carry out this responsibility,” Newsom’s office stated. “The governor will defer to the DA-elect’s review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions.”
Current District Attorney George Gascón, who has voiced strong support for the Menendez brothers’ clemency petition and submitted letters to the governor advocating for them, requested a judge in October to resentence the siblings, who are serving life without parole.
Gascón was recently defeated in his reelection bid by Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who campaigned on a tougher stance against crime. With Hochman set to take office in December, questions have arisen about the future of the resentencing effort and the clemency process.
Hochman stated that he is committed to thoroughly reviewing the Menendez case, including the confidential prison files, trial transcripts and extensive exhibits, as well as consulting with prosecutors, defense attorneys and family members of the victims.
“This is the same type of rigorous analysis I have done throughout my 34-year career in criminal justice as a prosecutor and defense counsel, and the same type of thorough review that I will give to all cases regardless of media attention,” he told CNN.
The brothers, family members and the public deserve a thorough review, Hochman said.
The renewed examination of the Menendez case comes more than 35 years after Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot dead in their Beverly Hills home. Their sons, then 21 and 18, were arrested less than a year later in 1990 and found guilty of first-degree murder in 1996.
During their two highly publicized trials, the brothers did not dispute the act of killing their parents but claimed self-defense, citing a lifetime of physical and sexual abuse by their father. The first trial, notable for being one of the earliest televised cases, ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. In the subsequent trial, much of the evidence regarding the alleged abuse was deemed inadmissible, resulting in the brothers’ conviction and life sentences.
Attention to the case has surged following the September release of the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” Netflix recently launched a documentary on the case, featuring the brothers discussing the events that led to the tragic killings.