The Menendez brothersโ journey to freedom has hit a bump in the road. A Los Angeles judge just set December 11 as the date to look at the District Attorneyโs request to give them new sentences. Itโs like waiting for a big plot twist in a real-life drama.
Hereโs the thing: George Gascรณn, the current D.A., might not even be in office by then. Talk about a cliffhanger! If heโs out, his request might vanish into thin air before anyone can say โobjection!โ Now, the Menendez team is taking a different route โ theyโre asking Governor Gavin Newsom for clemency. Itโs like theyโre trying to find a secret passage in this legal maze.
Letโs rewind a bit. The brothers are doing life without parole for a shocking crime โ the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty. Their story recently got a fresh coat of paint with Ryan Murphyโs Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. It was the talk of the town, topping Netflix charts last month like a blockbuster movie.
Gascรณn dropped a bombshell last week. He wants to cut the brothersโ sentences, which could make them eligible for parole right away. Itโs like heโs trying to rewrite the ending of their story.
But hold your horses! Gascรณnโs not doing so hot in the polls for his re-election. If he loses next week, Nathan Hochman will step into his shoes on December 2, according to the L.A. County Charter. Itโs like a game of musical chairs, but with serious consequences.
Judge Michael Jesic has penciled in December 11 for a hearing on this request. Itโs like weโre all waiting for the next episode of a gripping courtroom drama.
Hereโs where it gets tricky. Hochman could pull Gascรณnโs request off the table if he takes over. But heโd need a โlegitimate reason,โ according to a 2023 ruling. The judge could say yes or no to this plot twist. Itโs all up in the air, like a cliffhanger ending.
Hochmanโs keeping his cards close to his chest about how heโd handle this. But heโs not shy about criticizing Gascรณn, saying heโs using the Menendez brothers to distract voters from his mistakes. Itโs like accusing someone of using smoke and mirrors.
Thereโs also a status hearing set for November 25. Itโs like weโre getting bonus content in this real-life drama.
Gascรณnโs not giving up, though. On Wednesday (Oct. 30, 2024), he urged Newsom to grant clemency for the brothers. He said, โI strongly support clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are currently serving sentences of life without possibility of parole. They have respectively served 34 years and have continued their educations and worked to create new programs to support the rehabilitation of fellow inmates.โ
The governorโs office is keeping mum, saying they canโt comment on pending clemency applications. Itโs like theyโre building suspense for the grand finale.
Gascรณn wants the brothers resentenced to 50 years to life, pointing to their rehabilitation and the abuse they suffered as kids. Itโs like heโs trying to add a redemption arc to their story.
Even if this request gets the green light, thereโs still a long road ahead. The governor would need to weigh in, and the state Board of Parole Hearings would have to decide if theyโre safe to release. Then itโs back to Newsom for the final word. Itโs like a multi-level video game, where each level gets harder.
Newsomโs got another ace up his sleeve โ he can pardon or commute sentences. Gascรณnโs not wasting time; he sent two letters to Newsom on Wednesday, urging him to use that power. Itโs like heโs trying to open a backdoor in this legal labyrinth.
Meanwhile, the Menendez brothersโ lawyer, Mark Geragos, is playing his own game. He told TMZ heโs pushing to get their convictions knocked down to manslaughter. Thatโs a far cry from special circumstances first-degree murder. If this Hail Mary pass works, the brothers could walk free without even facing the parole board. Talk about a plot twist!
Geragos isnโt shy about his goals. Heโs been saying he wants the brothers home for Thanksgiving. Itโs like heโs racing against the clock in this legal thriller.
When asked about the case on the Politickinโ podcast, Newsom played it cool. He didnโt pick sides but laid out what heโd consider if a parole recommendation landed on his desk.
โCalifornia is always about second looks, process and justice,โ he said. โBut at the end of the day, itโs about the families, itโs about victims. To the extent there are family members supporting their release, thatโs something you consider.โ
Newsom added that he and the parole board would look at how the brothers have behaved behind bars. He also noted how the Netflix series has everyone buzzing, even his own kids.
โItโs a hell of a thing,โ he said. โNo doubt what Ryan Murphy did with this series really lit things up. I think social media has lit things upโฆ What matters for me are the facts. What matters is justice and fairness โ not treating them any worse because theyโre celebrities, not treating them certainly any better because theyโre celebrities.โ