VAN NUYS, CA – Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has filed a formal opposition to the motion by Erik and Lyle Menendez seeking to recuse the DA’s office from their pending resentencing proceedings. In the filing, the DA’s office argues that the motion lacks legal merit and is driven by dissatisfaction with the prosecution’s current stance on the brothers’ eligibility for a reduced sentence.
The opposition was filed in advance of a May 9 hearing before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic, who will determine whether the District Attorney’s Office should be disqualified from handling the case moving forward.
The Menendez brothers were convicted in 1996 for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, and sentenced to life without parole. In 2023, then–District Attorney George Gascón filed a motion recommending a reduced sentence of 50 years to life, which would have made the brothers eligible for parole. That motion was filed in alignment with recent changes in California law requiring resentencing reviews for individuals convicted as young adults who demonstrate rehabilitation…