Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has expressed support for clemency for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are serving life sentences for killing their parents in 1989. Gascón’s endorsement of clemency comes after he recommended the brothers be resentenced in their murder case. The brothers have served 34 years in prison, have continued their educations, and have worked on programs to support inmate rehabilitation. The attorneys for the brothers have submitted clemency requests to California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has not commented on the matter. Clemency would allow the brothers to be released immediately, separate from the resentencing effort. The brothers initially claimed their father sexually abused them, but most of these claims were deemed inadmissible during trial.
Gascón suggests that the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole immediately due to their young age at the time of the crime. A judge will decide on the resentencing in a hearing scheduled for December 11. The brothers’ attorneys argue in their clemency requests that both were sexually abused by their father. They assert that the brothers have rehabilitated themselves and are exemplary candidates for clemency due to their age and efforts to help other inmates. The Menendez brothers shot their parents with shotguns while they were watching television, resulting in mistrials before being convicted of first-degree murder in 1996.
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