Additional Coverage:
- Menendez brothers’ attorney says L.A. County DA’s withdrawal decision is ‘re-traumatizing’ the family (nbcnews.com)
Menendez Brothers’ Attorney Slams DA’s Reversal on Resentencing
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s decision to withdraw a recommendation for reduced prison terms for Erik and Lyle Menendez has drawn sharp criticism from the brothers’ attorney, Mark Geragos. He called the move “grandstanding” and accused DA Nathan Hochman of “re-traumatizing” the family.
The brothers are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents. Hochman reversed his predecessor’s stance on Monday, stating he would only reconsider if the brothers admitted to lying in their original defense.
Hochman told NBC News that a sincere admission of guilt would constitute “new insight” for the court to consider. The DA included a list of 16 alleged “lies” in his filing.
Geragos, speaking on NBC’s “TODAY” show, said he and the brothers anticipated this outcome, believing Hochman had already made up his mind. He highlighted the support of 22 family members who urged the DA to stop re-traumatizing them, a plea Geragos says was ignored.
He further accused Hochman of “serially abusing” the family with his statements. Family members who support the brothers echoed these sentiments, asserting that the DA is ignoring the brothers’ abuse claims and subsequent atonement.
Geragos dismissed the DA’s list of 16 lies, labeling it “showboating” and pointing out that these points were already addressed during the brothers’ two trials in the 1990s. He emphasized that two separate juries voted against a first-degree murder conviction in the initial trial, a fact he believes the DA is overlooking.
Geragos clarified that the brothers’ defense was not self-defense, but rather “imperfect self-defense,” a distinction he says the DA failed to acknowledge. He further argued that the second trial omitted crucial evidence presented in the first, ultimately leading to their conviction.
Despite the DA’s withdrawal, the final decision rests with the judge at a resentencing hearing scheduled for March 20 and 21 in Los Angeles Superior Court. The brothers are also pursuing other avenues for release, including a habeas corpus petition and a clemency request, which Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the parole board to review.