After 35 years in prison for the murder of their parents, Erik and Lyle Menendez are now eligible for parole following a sentence reduction granted by Judge Michael Jesic. They originally received life without parole, but under California's youthful offender law, they can seek parole due to their ages during the crime. The state parole board must assess their risk of reoffending before any potential release. The case remains controversial, as the brothers claim self-defense against parental abuse, while prosecutors argue for financial motives behind the murders.
I'm not saying they should be released, it's not for me to decide, Jesic said. I do believe they've done enough in the past 35 years, that they should get that chance.
If he shortens their sentences, the brothers would still need approval from the state's parole board to get out of prison.
The brothers were 18 and 21 at the time of the killings. While defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
The case has captured the public's attention for decades and last year, the Netflix drama highlighted the complexities of their story.
Collection
[
|
...
]