Menendez brothers receive support for clemency from LA County DA

Lyle and Erik Menendez, who person spent much than 30 years down bars for nan 1989 execution of their parents, person received support from Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón successful their bid for clemency.

Attorneys for nan brothers submitted a petition for clemency, which could consequence successful their contiguous release, to California Gov. Gavin Newsom connected Oct. 28. Gascón has sent letters of support to nan politician aft announcing past week he is recommending their resentencing. 

"I powerfully support clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are presently serving sentences of life without anticipation of parole. They person respectively served 34 years and person continued their educations and worked to create caller programs to support nan rehabilitation of chap inmates," Gascón said successful a connection Wednesday.

In a connection provided to CBS News Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Newsom's agency said that "pending clemency applications are confidential and we're not capable to talk individual cases."

A tribunal proceeding for their resentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 11 astatine nan Van Nuys West Courthouse.

The lawsuit that drew nationalist headlines arsenic it first unfolded successful nan early 1990s has gained renewed attraction successful caller weeks, immoderate calling for nan Menendezes' release, including respective of their family members. Meanwhile, astatine slightest 1 of their relatives powerfully opposes nan possibility, filing an amicus little successful a bid to artifact it.   

The 2 brothers were convicted of fatally shooting their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, arsenic nan mates sat connected a sofa wrong their Beverly Hills location on the evening of Aug. 20, 1989. Prosecutors based on greed was nan information down nan killings, while Lyle and Erik said they killed them successful self-defense, saying they feared for their lives and had endured years of intersexual maltreatment done their childhoods. 

After Gascón announced past week he was recommending resentencing, nan Beverly Hills Police Department released a connection saying nan DA's agency did not scope retired to them earlier nan determination was announced. The constabulary unit investigated nan lawsuit backmost successful nan autumn of 1989, starring to nan brothers' apprehension months later, and their first-degree execution convictions aft a 2nd trial.

Trial of nan Menendez brothers successful Los Angeles - From near to correct : Erik Menendez pinch his lawyer : Leslie Abramson and his relative Lyle Menendez. Los Angeles, 9th March 1994. Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images

"As nan investigating agency for nan case, nan BHPD presented applicable facts and grounds to nan Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, which resulted successful nan filing of criminal charges astatine that time," nan rule enforcement agency said successful nan statement.   

Last year, nan brothers' attorneys filed a habeas petition calling for a reappraisal of potential caller evidence successful nan case, including a missive Erik allegedly wrote to a relative apparently referencing allegations of maltreatment by his begetter arsenic good arsenic a sworn declaration by a erstwhile personnel of boy band Menudo, Roy Rosselló, alleging Jose Menendez raped him successful nan 1980s.

Some person called for nan brothers' merchandise successful ray of nan allegations they person made against their father, reflecting taste and generational shifts successful conversations astir abuse. 

"The world was not fresh to judge that boys could beryllium raped aliases that young men could beryllium victims of intersexual violence," their aunt and sister of their mother Kitty, Joan VanderMolen, told reporters arsenic she pleaded for their merchandise earlier this month. "Today we cognize better. We cognize that maltreatment has long-lasting effects and victims of trauma sometimes enactment successful ways that are very difficult to understand."  

Meanwhile, their uncle, Milton Andersen, relative of Kitty, has powerfully opposed allowing them to beryllium freed from prison. His attorney, Kathy Cady, released a connection connected his behalf pursuing nan DA's resentencing decision, saying Erik and Lyle "meticulously planned and executed nan cold-blooded murders of some their parents."