D.A. Is Reviewing Menendez Brothers Case for Possible New Trial or Sentence

On Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon held a press conference about convicted murderers Lyle and Erik Menendez. 

In 1996, the Menendez brothers were convicted of the 1989 murders of their parents, and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

They have spent nearly 35 years in prison. They have appealed their sentences several times, but have always been denied. 

Erik and Lyle’s legal team recently requested a retrial, citing new evidence, including Roy Rosselló’s sexual abuse allegations against Erik and Lyle’s father Jose Menendez. The brothers had claimed sexual abuse by their parents as a mitigating factor in their decision to kill them both.

Their legal team is also bringing attention to a letter that Erik wrote to his cousin Andy Cano about his father’s alleged sexual abuse, sent just months before the murders.

In the press conference, Gascon noted that the DA’s office is reviewing the claims and then he’ll decide on whether to proceed with a new trial or if a new sentence should be given.

The murder case has renewed interest thanks to Ryan Murphy’s sensational “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” on Netflix.

After the show was released, Erik issued a statement from prison, criticizing the "horrible and blatant lies" in the show.

“Extra” recently spoke to the stars Cooper Koch and Nicholas Chavez, who reacted to Erik’s criticism.

Cooper showed his support for Erik, saying, “I understand how he feels, and I get how difficult it would be to have the worst part of your life be televised in a dramatized way for millions of people to see, and so I just support him. I understand how that must feel."

Murphy was far less sympathetic to Erik’s complaints, telling THR this week, “The Menendez brothers should be sending me flowers. They haven’t had so much attention in 30 years. And it’s gotten the attention of not only this country, but all over the world. There’s sort of an outpouring of interest in their lives and in the case. I know for a fact that many people have offered to help them because of the interest of my show and what we did.”