Menendez brothers' June hearing converted from clemency to parole as decision looms for Gov. Newsom
The Menendez brothers' path to freedom took another turn as California Gov. Gavin Newsom has withdrawn his request for a clemency investigation.
This move now makes the brothers' June hearing before the parole board a chance for Lyle and Erik to be granted an early release.
Newsom's office confirmed to Fox News Digital that the June 13 clemency hearing is now being converted into a parole hearing.
The governor's office added that Newsom agrees with the Board of Parole Hearings' recommendation to convert the June 13 clemency hearings to parole hearings, saying that "the clemency application is still considered active."
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation echoed Newsom's office and told Fox News Digital that it is converting the June 13 clemency hearings into "initial parole suitability hearings."
"The Board is providing parties an opportunity to raise objections to this change," the department said.
Lyle Menendez also commented on the move, saying that the "situation is fluid."
"I told you all things were fluid. And it was just announced and I can confirm that the Governor has withdrawn his request for clemency investigation and will no longer be entertaining that scenario," Lyle wrote in post on his Facebook page. "June 13 will be a parole board hearing."
"I will say what I have always said. It is very rare for an incarcerated person to be granted parole on their first try. But we move onward," he continued.
In a bombshell decision on Tuesday, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic slashed the Menendez brothers' original life-without-parole terms to 50 years-to-life, making Erik and Lyle eligible for parole.
"I'm not suggesting they should be released [on parole]. That's not for me to decide," he said.
Jesic's decision to resentence the Menendez brothers opens the door for a parole hearing to determine whether they should be released.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted in 1996 of the brutal 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, José and Mary "Kitty" Menendez.
After two high-profile trials, both brothers received life sentences without the possibility of parole. The brothers have spent 35 years behind bars.
In October, Mark Geragos, the brothers' lawyer, filed clemency documents with Newsom after former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón asked a judge to reduce their sentences.
SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER
"I strongly support clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are currently serving sentences of life without possibility of parole," Gascón previously said. "They have respectively served 34 years and have continued their educations and worked to create new programs to support the rehabilitation of fellow inmates."
In response to their request for clemency, Newsom directed the state parole board to conduct a "comprehensive risk assessment investigation" of the Menendez brothers.
Newsom described the assessment as a "common procedure carried out by the state."
"There's no guarantee of outcome here," Newsom previously said. "My office conducts dozens and dozens of these clemency reviews on a consistent basis, but this process simply provides more transparency, which I think is important in this case, as well as provides us more due diligence before I make any determination for clemency."
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom's office, which referred to a news conference Wednesday in which he spoke briefly about the parole process for the Menendez brothers and said the process is still unfolding.
"We started a process, as you know, which was intended to help inform the judge in the resentencing of the risk assessment. We thought that would be prudent to do before any resentencing. That process has unfolded over the course of the last number of months, and forensic psychologists did an assessment of the risk of each individual brother," Newsom said.
Newsom's office explained that the legal standard in California for release on parole is whether an inmate poses an unreasonable risk to public safety, which has to be determined before the governor can make a decision on commutations.
"This process doesn't mean there's any guaranteed outcome, but it shows we're doing our due diligence, ensuring transparency, keeping public safety at the forefront, making sure the process is fair for everyone involved and getting closer to a conclusion," Newsom's office said.
Newsom's June 13 parole board hearings are planned to go on as scheduled, and the board will have the opportunity to free the brothers.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Erik and Lyle Menendez "will likely be freed in a matter of months," adding that he does not expect "the parole board or Gov. Newsom" to block their release.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump administration may rescind $4 billion for California High-Speed Rail project
Trump administration may rescind $4 billion for California High-Speed Rail project Trump's administration says there is no viable path forward for California's High-Speed Rail project and gave the state until mid-July to respond Show Caption Hide Caption High-Speed Rail Act: 5 proposed bullet train routes across US The American High-Speed Rail Act includes an ambitious proposal to construct a national rail network. WASHINGTON, June 4 (Reuters) - The Trump administration said there is no viable path forward for California's High-Speed Rail project and warned it may rescind $4 billion in government funding in the coming weeks. The U.S. Transportation Department released a 315-page report on June 4 from the Federal Railroad Administration that cited missed deadlines, budget shortfalls and questionable ridership projections. One key issue cited is that California has not identified $7 billion in additional funding needed to build an initial 171-mile segment between Merced and Bakersfield, California. USDOT gave California until mid-July to respond and then the administration could terminate the grants. Trump said last month the U.S. government would not pay for the project. More: California sues over $1B in canceled high-speed rail funding, escalating feud with Trump administration The FRA report said California had "conned the taxpayer out of its $4 billion investment, with no viable plan to deliver even that partial segment on time." The California High-Speed Rail System is a planned two-phase 800-mile system with speeds of up to 220 miles per hour that aims to connect San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim and in the second phase extend north to Sacramento and south to San Diego. The California High-Speed Rail Authority said it strongly disagrees with the administration's conclusions "which are misguided and do not reflect the substantial progress made to deliver high-speed rail in California." It noted California Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget proposal before the legislature extends at least $1 billion per year in funding for the next 20 years "providing the necessary resources to complete the project's initial operating segment." The authority noted in May there is active civil construction along 119 miles in the state's Central Valley. Voters approved $10 billion for the project in 2008 but the costs have risen sharply. The Transportation Department under former President Joe Biden awarded the project about $4 billion. The entire San Francisco-to-Los Angeles project was initially supposed to be completed by 2020 for $33 billion but has now jumped from $89 billion to $128 billion. In 2021, Biden restored a $929 million grant for California's high-speed rail that Trump had revoked in 2019 after the Republican president called the project a "disaster."
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Pacers' Rick Carlisle thought Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau was ‘one of those fake AI things'
OKLAHOMA CITY — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle thought news of the Knicks' firing Tom Thibodeau was 'was one of those fake AI things' at first. 'No way. There's no way possible,' Carlisle said Wednesday on NBA Finals Media Day. 'I have great respect for Thibs. I go back with him a very long way. I was surprised.' Advertisement Carlisle's Pacers were the last team Thibodeau coached against while directing the Knicks, with Indiana eliminating New York in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis. Two days later, the Knicks relieved Thibodeau of his duties, suggesting a change was needed for New York to take the next step of winning a championship. The Pacers, meanwhile, will play Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Carlisle is not only a friend and colleague of Thibodeau, but he is also the president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, a trade group for pro and college coaches. So when there is ever a surprise firing — and in the NBA it happens all the time — Carlisle is often asked about it. For some context, the head coaches who won NBA titles in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023 are no longer employed by the teams they guided to titles, a testament to how fickle the industry is when reaching the ultimate goal does not bring much job security. Of the coaches who won the finals in those years and were later dismissed, only Nick Nurse held on in Toronto for more than three seasons after a championship, with his title coming in 2019. 'I always say shocked — sometimes you get numb and you're not shocked,' said Carlisle, who has the Pacers in the NBA Finals (as a No. 4 seed) for the first time since 2000. 'The Knicks have such a unique situation with so much attention and such a large fan base and such a worldwide following, it's one of the most difficult jobs to take. The guys that have been most successful, Red Holzman, Pat Riley, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Pitino, had a short run but a very effective run. 'There were a lot of lean years,' Carlisle continued. 'Thibs went in there and changed so much.' In five seasons in New York, Thibodeau went 224-176 in the regular season and 24-23 in the playoffs. The Knicks entered this year's tournament as a No. 3 seed after going 0-10 against the league's top three teams during the regular season. But the Knicks survived their first-round series against Detroit and then upset the defending-champion Boston Celtics to get to the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Advertisement 'I know how the players feel about him, too, so there's not much else to say,' Carlisle said. 'I mean, teams and ownership can make these decisions unilaterally, and it's their right to do that. 'So, Tom will certainly be fine,' Carlisle said. 'I don't think he's going to have any problem finding his next job. It's just going to depend on when he's ready to jump back in again.'
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
What is an autopen? Here's what to know about the devices used by presidents, writers and more.
The autopen — a machine first patented centuries ago — is having a moment in the political spotlight, following allegations made by President Trump that former President Biden used one to sign pardons. That's prompting questions about what autopens do, how they work and why the device is now stirring up controversy. The devices use pens or other writing instruments to place a person's signature on documents, books or other papers, such as in the case of a college president, for example, who would otherwise be required to sign hundreds or thousands of diplomas for graduating students by hand. Mr. Trump raised the issue in March when he claimed Mr. Biden's alleged use of an autopen to sign preemptive pardons to members of the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol rendered them "void" and "vacant." Mr. Trump raised the issue again on Wednesday, when he posted on Truth Social, "With the exception of the RIGGED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2020, THE AUTOPEN IS THE BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY!!!" The autopen has also become a focus of the right-leaning Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project, which claims that Mr. Biden's alleged use of an autopen given his "clear cognitive decline ... raises additional questions for investigators." Regardless of the allegations, the autopen is hardly a novel device for the political sphere, with the Shapell Manuscript Foundation noting that one of the devices was bought by Thomas Jefferson soon after it was patented in 1803. Throughout U.S. history, presidents have relied on autopens, although the Shapell Manuscript Foundation notes that some commanders-in-chief have been guarded about their use of the machine. "Whereas once the official White House position was to deny the existence or usage of the autopen, today its existence is more of an open secret," the foundation notes. A spokesperson for Mr. Biden didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. What is an autopen? An autopen, also called a robot pen, is a machine that automates a person's signature with a pen or other writing instrument, versus a scanned signature, which is a digital image of a signature. Unlike people, the machine will never get writer's cramp, and can replicate a person's signature on high volumes of letters, certificates, diplomas and other documents, according to Automated Signature Technology, an autopen manufacturer. Its Ghostwriter machine uses a smart card or USB flash drive to store signatures and phrases that can be replicated on paper. The company's machines "write at human speed ... to produce quality handwriting reproductions," Automated Signature Technology says. The Ghostwriter can use any type of writing instrument, from a ballpoint pen to crayons, and can write on a variety of materials with different thicknesses, it added. Another autopen manufacturer, the Autopen Company, said its machines can be used for "signing certificates, correspondence, photographs and posters, almost anything up to 1/4 inch thick. Factory modifications can be incorporated for signing books and sports memorabilia." One site that sells autopens says that high-end machines used by governments can cost between $5,000 to $20,000 each. Neither the Autopen Company nor Automated Signature Technology immediately responded to requests for comment from CBS MoneyWatch. Have other presidents used autopens? Yes. President Johnson even allowed the autopen to be photographed in the White House. The photo appeared in The National Enquirer with a 1968 article titled, "The Robot That Sits in for the President," according to the Shapell Manuscript Foundation. Other presidents who have relied on autopens include John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, among others. Presidents have typically used an autopen to sign routine correspondence to constituents, like letters recognizing life milestones, as well as legislation and pardons. During the Gerald Ford administration, the president and First Lady Betty Ford occasionally signed documents and other correspondence by hand, but White House staff more often used autopen machines to reproduce their signatures on letters and photographs. Mr. Trump has also used an autopen, telling reporters on Air Force One in March that he'd used the device "only for very unimportant papers." "You know, we get thousands and thousands of letters, letters of support for young people, from people that aren't feeling well, etcetera. But to sign pardons and all of the things that he signed with an autopen is disgraceful," Mr. Trump said at the time, in reference to his claims former President Biden used the technology to sign pardons. President George W. Bush asked the Justice Department in 2005 if it was constitutional to use an autopen to sign a bill, with the department concluding that "the president need not personally perform the physical act of affixing his signature to a bill he approves and decides to sign in order for the bill to become law. contributed to this report.
