Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has requested that the court deny the Menendez brothers’ petition for a new trial, which aims to either secure a new trial or have the case dismissed.
The brothers, Lyle and Erik Menendez, were convicted in 1996 for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. They admitted to the killings but claimed it was in self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father. Prosecutors argued that the brothers killed for financial gain.
The petition centers on two new pieces of evidence: a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin, detailing alleged sexual abuse by their father, and allegations from former Menudo member Roy Rossello, who claimed he was sexually assaulted by their father. Hochman argued that neither piece of evidence met the standards for a new trial, explaining that the letter was never presented in the original trials, and if it had existed, it would have been used to corroborate the cousin’s testimony. He also dismissed Rossello’s claims, saying they did not affect the brothers’ state of mind during the killings.
In addition to the habeas corpus petition, the Menendez brothers are pursuing two other legal avenues for freedom: resentencing and clemency. The resentencing hearing is set for March 20-21, and they have also submitted a clemency request to California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has yet to make a decision.
The Menendez family has released a statement emphasizing the lasting effects of abuse on the brothers and urging the DA to follow the law and issue a resentencing recommendation.
