Latest news with #Monsters:TheLyleandErikMenendezStory
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Monsters' stars on the Menendez brothers' ‘next chapter'
'I think you always carry some symbol of the character with you; you're always married to it in some way,' Nicholas Alexander Chavez told The Times on the latest episode of The Envelope Video and 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' co-star Cooper Koch talked about playing the Menendez Brothers in the series and Koch shared that he stays in touch with Erik Menendez.'I just think he'll always be a part of my life,' Koch by @hulu. #Emmys #Emmys2025
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Menendez Brothers' Parole Hearing Delayed by Two Months
Erik and Lyle Menendez are going to have to wait a little longer for the decision on their potential release from prison. The infamous brothers — who have been incarcerated for 30 years for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home — were resentenced earlier this month to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole. Despite LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman's doubts, Judge Michael Jesic determined Erik and Lyle did not pose 'an unreasonable risk' if they were to be released from prison. More from The Hollywood Reporter After Tuesday's Resentencing, What's Next for the Menendez Brothers? Menendez Brothers Resentenced for 1989 Murders of Parents, Clearing Major Hurdle to Regaining Freedom Menendez Brothers Attorney Suddenly Nixes Request for D.A.'s Recusal From Resentencing While their next hearing was initially scheduled for June 13, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that the brothers' parole hearing dates have been pushed back to Aug. 21 and 22. Lyle addressed the hearing postponement on Facebook, noting that 'it's a good thing' as it gives their attorneys more time to prepare. 'Given the fact that first time parole seekers statistically have a much harder time being granted parole, this gives the guys and their attorneys more time to prepare and gives them the best opportunity to be the exception to the rule! It's a good thing,' the statement read. The June 13 hearing was initially for Gov. Gavin Newsom's clemency review, serving as a piece of the risk assessment exam that would aid in his ruling; however, the hearing was shifted to a parole suitability hearing following the resentencing decision. 'Since the ruling makes them immediately eligible for parole consideration as youth offenders, it is the Board's intent to convert the June 13, 2025, clemency hearings to initial parole suitability hearings,' Scott Wyckoff, executive officer of the Board of Parole Hearings, said in a statement, per the L.A. Times. Newsom's clemency consideration was one of multiple avenues to freedom for the Menendez brothers. Erik and Lyle also saw renewed public interest in their case thanks to Ryan Murphy's Netflix series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which released last September and starred Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as the brothers, respectively. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Winnipeg Free Press
15-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judge in LA delays until January decision on resentencing Menendez brothers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge on Monday delayed until January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago, squashing their family's hope the brothers would be released and home for the holidays. Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said at the hearing in Los Angeles that he needed time to review 17 boxes of documents and give a new district attorney in Los Angeles County time to weigh in on the case. 'I'm not ready to go forward,' Jesic said, setting the hearing for the resentencing request for Jan. 30 instead of Dec. 11 as originally planned. The brothers were scheduled to be seen in court for the first time in decades at the hearing but technical problems prevented them from appearing virtually from a San Diego prison. They were found guilty of murdering Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. While their defense attorneys argued at trial that they had been sexually abused by their father, prosecutors denied that and accused them of killing their parents for money. In the years that followed, they repeatedly appealed their convictions without success. Now, at 53 and 56, Erik and Lyle Menendez are making a new bid for freedom. Their lawyers filed a habeas corpus petition — a request for a court to examine whether someone is being lawfully detained — in May 2023, asking a judge to consider new evidence of their father's sexual abuse. The brothers are being held at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Jesic allowed the brothers' two aunts to take the stand on Monday after their attorney argued that it was difficult for them to travel for the hearing. Joan Andersen VanderMolen, Kitty Menendez's sister who turns 93 on Tuesday, and Teresita Baralt, Jose's older sister who is 85, asked for their release, saying 35 years was a long time for the brothers after suffering abuse as children. Andersen VanderMolen had said last month that she had hoped her nephews would be released and home for her birthday or the holidays. Baralt noted that she was close to Jose and lived for years across the street from him and Kitty, who Baralt described as her best friend. 'We miss those who are gone tremendously,' Baralt testified through tears. 'But we miss the kids too.' Both aunts said they had kept in contact with the brothers, though they had not seen them in person for years. The hearing lasted less than an hour. Mark Geragos, an attorney for the brothers, started to address the media outside the courthouse but he cut it short and walked off as journalists crowded him. The recent releases of the Netflix drama ' Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ' and the documentary 'The Menendez Brothers' in 2024 brought renewed attention to their plight. Rose Castillo, a 28-year-old true crime enthusiast, arrived from Miami five minutes too late to enter the lottery and win one of the few seats offered to the public to attend the hearing, but glimpsed the brothers' family members before they entered the courthouse. 'That was crazy,' Castillo said. A courthouse bailiff told people to stop taking pictures of the relatives as they waited in the hallway before the hearing began. Prosecutors recommended resentencing for the brothers last month, saying they have worked on redemption and rehabilitation and demonstrated good behavior inside prison. Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón asked for new sentences that could make them immediately eligible for parole. The brothers' extended family has said they deserve to be free after decades behind bars. Several family members have said that in today's world — which is more aware of the impact of sexual abuse — the brothers would not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. Not all Menendez family members support resentencing. Attorneys for Milton Andersen, the 90-year-old brother of Kitty Menendez, filed a legal brief asking the court to keep the brothers' original punishment. 'They shot their mother, Kitty, reloading to ensure her death,' Andersen's attorneys said in a statement last month. 'The evidence remains overwhelmingly clear: the jury's verdict was just, and the punishment fits the heinous crime.' The new evidence includes a letter Erik Menendez wrote in 1988 to his cousin, Andy Cano, describing the sexual abuse he had endured from his father. The brothers asked their lawyers about it after it was mentioned in a 2015 Barbara Walters television special. The lawyers hadn't known of the letter and realized it had not been introduced at their trials, making it effectively new evidence that they say corroborates allegations that Erik was sexually abused by his father. More new evidence emerged when Roy Rossello, a former member of the Latin pop group Menudo, recently came forward saying he had been drugged and raped by Jose Menendez when he was a teen in the 1980s. Menudo was signed under RCA Records, where Jose Menendez was chief operating officer. Rossello spoke about his abuse in the Peacock docuseries 'Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed,' and provided a signed declaration to the brothers' lawyers. Had these two pieces of evidence been available during the brothers' trial, prosecutors would not have been able to argue that there was no corroboration of sexual abuse, the petition states. While clemency might be another pathway to freedom for the brothers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that he won't decide until incoming Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who takes office on Dec. 2, reviews the case. Hochman, a Republican-turned-independent who unseated the progressive Gascón, said Jesic's decision to delay the hearing will give him enough time to 'review the extensive prison records, transcripts of two lengthy trials and voluminous exhibits, as well as consult with prosecutors, law enforcement, defense counsel and victim family members.' ___ This story was first published on Nov. 25, 2024. It was updated on May. 15, 2025 to correct Andy Cano's relationship with the Menendez brothers. He is their cousin, not uncle.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
Who are Menendez Brothers? convicted of the gruesome killing of parents, now eligible for parole
More than three decades after the brutal killing of their parents shocked the world, , once sentenced to life without parole, are now eligible for parole. On August 20, 1989, the brothers stormed into the den of their Beverly Hills mansion armed with shotguns and brutally murdered their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Jose was shot multiple times, including a fatal shot to the back of the head, while Kitty was shot ten times, with a final blast disfiguring her face. Their cold and calculated crime captivated the nation and became one of the most sensational cases of the 1990s. The case has recently resurfaced through popular media, including the docuseries 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story', which re-examines the case and its long-lasting impact. Early life and education of the Menendez Brothers Born into wealth and privilege, Joseph Lyle Menendez was born on January 10, 1968, and his younger brother Erik Galen Menendez on November 27, 1970. Their father, Jose Menendez, was a Cuban immigrant who rose to become a successful Hollywood executive. Their mother, Kitty, was a former school teacher. The family lived in several affluent areas across the United States before settling in Beverly Hills, California. Lyle attended Princeton University, but he was suspended for plagiarism and behavioural issues. Erik, a talented tennis player, attended Beverly Hills High School. Though he showed promise in sports, he struggled academically. Despite their privileged upbringing, both brothers had troubling behavioural histories. Notably, Erik co-wrote a screenplay with a friend that depicted a young man killing his parents to inherit their wealth. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now How was their relationship with the parents While the Menendez family appeared successful and stable from the outside, the brothers claimed their home life was filled with trauma. In court, Lyle and Erik alleged years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, mainly inflicted by their father. They described their father as controlling and abusive, and said their mother enabled the behaviour and was emotionally unstable. Prosecutors offered a different interpretation. They argued that the brothers were angry and entitled, and that their motive was financial. According to the prosecution, the murders were committed after the brothers discovered that their father planned to disinherit them from his multimillion-dollar estate. How Menendez brothers took this horrific step On the night of the murders, the brothers used shotguns they had bought days earlier. As their parents watched a movie in the den, Lyle and Erik entered and began firing. Jose and Kitty were hit multiple times. The brothers briefly left the room to reload, then returned to deliver the final, fatal shots. After the killings, they disposed of their bloody clothing and weapons. They attempted to establish an alibi by attending a local food festival and later called 911, pretending to have just discovered their parents' bodies. The gruesome nature of the crime scene led investigators to initially consider the possibility of a mob-related hit. However, the brothers' extravagant spending in the weeks that followed raised serious suspicions. Investigation and conviction of the case The investigation took a dramatic turn when Erik confessed to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. The confession was recorded, and when Oziel's mistress alerted authorities, the tapes became crucial evidence. Lyle and Erik were arrested in 1990. Their first trial, held in 1993, ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. In a second trial, held in 1996, both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Why the court resentenced them now The court decided to resentence Lyle and Erik Menendez in May 2025 after reviewing new evidence and changing legal standards related to youth offenders and long-term imprisonment. Central to the resentencing was the growing recognition of the psychological impact of childhood abuse and the brothers' age at the time of the crime—Erik was 18 and Lyle was 21. Their legal team presented newly surfaced letters and testimonies suggesting prolonged sexual and emotional abuse by their father, José Menendez. Additionally, the brothers had shown evidence of rehabilitation during their three decades in prison, including participation in educational programs and inmate support initiatives. These factors, combined with California's evolving laws on for young offenders, led the judge to reduce their sentence to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole for the first time. Now in their mid-50s, the Menendez brothers are awaiting a parole hearing scheduled for June 2025. Their case has re-entered public discussion, thanks to renewed media attention and evolving perspectives on trauma, mental health, and justice. Whether they are ultimately released remains to be seen, but the continues to provoke complex questions about guilt, redemption, and the long-term effects of abuse.
News18
15-05-2025
- News18
Menendez Brothers Are Eligible For Parole: Timeline Of The Sensational 1989 Double Murder Case
Last Updated: The Menendez brother duo's sentence was reduced, making them eligible for parole. Erik and Lyle Menendez have been resentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the murder of their parents in 1989, with a possibility of parole. The ruling means that the brothers could walk free from prison one day, nearly three decades after they were arrested and sentenced to life without parole. While both Erik and Lyle have admitted to the killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, they continue to justify their actions as self-defense after years of tolerating their father's abuse. With the case gaining momentum among the public and being widely discussed, the brothers' defense received major support from family members, who even pleaded for their release in court. While awaiting an impending hearing to decide the fate of the brothers' freedom, take a look at the timeline of the entire case and the trial. Lyle and Erik killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, on August 20, 1989, at their Beverly Hills residence. Their father, a Hollywood executive, was shot six times with a shotgun that the brothers purchased days before the attack, whereas their mother succumbed to injuries due to 10 shotgun shots. Lyle and Erik initially informed the police of their parents' deaths, claiming that it could be linked to their father's work. In the days after the double murder, the brothers were found spending lavishly, leaving investigators doubtful whether their greed for money resulted in the killings. In March of 1990, Lyle was arrested by police while Erik turned himself in after they confessed to their therapist. The brothers were accused of first-degree murder. The brothers went on trial in July 1993 in a Los Angeles courtroom, each with a separate jury. While prosecutors argued that they killed their parents for financial gain, Lyle and Erik, while admitting to their crimes, argued that they acted out of self-defense after years of enduring emotional, psychological and sexual abuse from their father. Both juries were deadlocked in 1994, resulting in a mistrial and a joint trial in 1995. At the time, the judge excluded apparent evidence of abuse from the defense. The brothers were found guilty, and they were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Netflix Drama's Impact On The Case The case came back into the limelight after Netflix arrived with a drama series about the brothers' acts in September last year. The crime drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story gives a detailed account of what could have led the brothers to kill their parents, presenting the murders from different perspectives. While their family members have shown support, celebrities like Kim Kardashian also weighed in for their release. Resentencing For Menendez Brothers In October 2024, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced seeking to have the brothers resentenced to 50 years to life. As the legal process unfolded, multiple hearings were postponed. During the latest hearing on May 13, their sentence was eventually reduced, making them eligible for parole. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said, 'I do believe they've done enough in the past 35 years that they should get that chance." The California parole board will now decide whether they are to be released from prison. First Published: May 15, 2025, 15:15 IST
