Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Thursday, Oct. 24, he’s recommending the Menendez brothers be resentenced for the 1989 murders of their parents. In 1996, a judge sentenced Erik and Lyle Menendez to life in prison for the killings.
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The brothers claimed they had been sexually abused by their father, but prosecutors argued inheriting the family’s money was their motive. The sexual abuse claims recently resurfaced with some Menendez relatives saying the abuse was, in fact, true.
Now, the LA County DA is recommending they be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them both immediately eligible for parole under California law because they were younger than 26 at the time of the murders.
“There is no excuse for murder,” Gascón said, “and I will never imply that what we’re doing here is to excuse that behavior — because even if you get abused, the right path is to call the police, seek help — but I understand also how sometimes people get desperate.”
He added, “I believe that they have paid their debt to society.”
Gascón said there was never any question the brothers murdered their parents, but to what degree they should be held accountable was in question.
