News April 17, 2025
Menendez Brothers’ Resentencing Hearing Begins with Tempers Flaring on Both Sides
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The high-stakes Menendez brothers resentencing hearing began on Thursday.
During the hearing, both sides fought over the court’s access to the California Board of Parole Hearings’ risk assessment report, which was requested by Governor Gavin Newsom.
While the brothers’ lawyer Mark Geragos argued against admission of the report in the hearing, prosecutor Habib Balian insisted that the report was an important part of the decision making with regards to resentencing.
The day before, L.A. DA Nathan Hochman tried to delay the resentencing hearing, urging the court to wait until the judge got a hold of the report.
Hochman’s attempt was denied by a judge and the hearing moved forward as planned.
At the hearing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic wanted more clarification on the reports, saying, “We must flush this out. I want to see these reports.”
During a recess, Lyle and Erik's cousin Ana Maria Baralt took to TikTok to weigh in on the court proceedings.
Ana Maria noted that the DA had seen the report, but Geragos and the brothers have not gained access to it.
She said, "We have not seen it. We don't know what's entirely in it."
"It's not generally done for a resentencing hearing," Ana Maria emphasized about the inclusion of the report.
The next resentencing hearing was pushed back to May 9.
There were fireworks from Hochman and Geragos even before court started on Thursday!
Outside the courthouse, Hochman told reporters, “The Menendez brothers, for the past 30 years, have not come clean.”
L.A. DA Hochman repeated his mantra that the brothers have repeated lie after lie for decades.
Lyle and Erik’s attorney Mark Geragos blasted Hochman, telling reporters, “It’s appalling how the DA has treated this case. He has abused the victims privately. He has abused them publicly.”
Geragos also called out Hochman for showing graphic crime scene photos in court with no warning for the family.
He said, “One of his actions, 30 hours later, arguably put one of the matriarchs of the family into the hospital.”
The brothers’ 85-year-old aunt Terry Baralt was hospitalized after viewing the photos.
“Extra” recently spoke with civil rights lawyer Areva Martin, who broke down what could happen if the brothers lose at the resentencing hearing.
She said, “They still have their clemency petition before the governor. They still have their habeas corpus petition.”
Martin noted that the chance of the brothers being released is “greater today than it has ever been.”
