Notorious Menendez brothers murder case to be reviewed
The convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were imprisoned over thirty years ago for murdering their parents in the U.S., are slated for review.
In 1989, the brothers shot Jose and Kitty Menendez in their Beverly Hills mansion, a crime prosecutors claimed was motivated by a desire to inherit their father’s wealth.
On Thursday, LA County District Attorney George Gascon stated there is “a moral and an ethical obligation” to reassess the evidence presented by the brothers last year, which asserts that they were sexually abused by their father and acted in self-defense.
Interest in the murders has surged following the release of a Netflix series portraying the events in September.
During the original trial, prosecutors said the killings were motivated by greed.
They said the brothers spent much of their large inheritance on Rolex watches, cars, and luxury property prior to becoming suspects.
These allegations of lavish spending aired in a widely watched televised trial, made the case notorious in the US.
That original trial ended with a hung jury after the Menendez brothers submitted allegations of abuse spanning several years.
At a second trial, the abuse claims were largely withheld. The brothers were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996.
Lyle Menendez was 21 and Erik Menendez was 18 at the time of the murders.
New evidence now being considered includes a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez to his cousin, which reportedly appears to reference his father’s abuse.
“None of this information has been confirmed,” Gascon – the most senior prosecutor in LA Country – told a news conference.
He continued: “We are not, at this point, ready to say that we either believe or do not believe that information.
“But we’re here to tell you that we have a moral and an ethical obligation to review what is being presented to us.”
He added that his team was “not saying there was anything wrong with the original trial”.
Gascon said a review could potentially lead to resentencing or a new trial. A hearing is set for 26 November, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reports.
Gascon said his office had received an influx of calls following the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix
The drama has caused controversy, with relatives saying the brothers had been “victimized by this grotesque shock drama”.
The show’s creator Ryan Murphy has defended the series, and described the family’s negative reaction as “predictable at best”.
On Thursday, reality TV star Kim Kardashian voiced her support for the brothers, further fuelling renewed popular interest in the case.
“They are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent, honest men,” she said in an article for NBC News.
