Erik Mendendez and his brother Lyle Menendez will not be getting out of jail this year.
A Los Angeles judge Monday pushed a resentencing hearing for the siblings to January 30. There is a follow-up hearing on the calendar for January 31 as briefings have been requested from prosecutors and the brothers’ lawyers. Replacing the previously set December 11 hearing, the logic behind Judge Michael Jesic’s reasoning today is that incoming Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman needs time to assess the high-profile matter once he officially takes office December 3.
Jesic also may want to hear from the Parole Board on the brothers’ decades-long jailhouse conduct; the LASC judge will likely ask to hear recommendations the board may have on letting them out. The duo was sentenced to life without parole in 1996 after their second trial.
“Once I take office on December 3, I look forward to putting in the hard work to thoroughly review the facts and law of the Menendez case, including reviewing the confidential prison files, the transcripts of the two trials and the voluminous exhibits, as well as speaking with the prosecutors, defense attorneys and victim family members,” Hochman said last week, as anticipation about today’s hearing and the December hearing began to peak, and Gov. Gavin Newsom decided to hit pause on any clemency consideration.