Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said a confidential three-hour meeting with the Menendez brothers’ family was “productive” and offered few details about what was discussed on Jan. 3.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted of killing their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. They were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in 1996.
The brothers’ family met with Hochman to provide information to the newly elected district attorney before a resentencing hearing set for Jan. 30 and 31.
“It was a productive meeting,” Hochman said at a press conference Friday afternoon.
Several attorneys in his office are assigned to analyzing nearly 35 years of prison conduct records, transcripts of two trials, and appeal proceedings.
His office is preparing for a resentencing hearing initiated by former District Attorney George Gascón and the brothers’ defense attorney.
“We will continue to do this difficult but important work of reviewing the facts and the law to make the right decision in this case,” Hochman said.
The two were found guilty of killing Jose and Kitty Menendez with a shotgun while they were eating dinner and watching TV.
Erik and Lyle Menendez—now 54 and 56 respectively—have served more than three decades behind bars and are currently at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
The brothers were 18 and 21 at the time of the killings. They were tried twice. The first trial ended in a hung jury and the second ended in their conviction.
A recent Netflix documentary about the Menendez brothers sparked renewed efforts by the family and the community to free them, Gascón said last year. While incarcerated, the brothers claim the allegations of sexual abuse they say was perpetrated by their father against Erik have been confirmed.
Hochman said he planned to continue to process all of the information and review files and transcripts until the hearing date at the end of the month. Each brother and their three charges are being considered separately, according to Hochman.
“It’s taking a lot of time, but it’s one of those decisions you want to make sure you get right,” Hochman said.
He welcomed any additional family members to come forward and meet with him while the review continued.
Friday’s discussion with the family was informal and “off-the-record,” according to the district attorney.
“I’m not going to relay one way or another precisely what they said,” Hochman said.
If the judge grants parole in the case, the brothers could be released immediately.
They would then face a two-person parole board. The governor would then have 120 days after the board’s decision to agree, disagree, or send it back to a full parole board to reconsider the case, according to Hochman.
Kathy Cady, a former county deputy district attorney who retired before Gascón was elected in 2020, will be rejoining the office next week.
As a private victim’s rights attorney, she represented Milton Andersen, the brother of Kitty Menendez, who wants the brothers to stay in prison.
According to Hochman, Cady will be “walled off” from the case in the office. Her client has new representation, said the district attorney.
