Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced Tuesday to 50 years to life prison, which makes them eligible for parole – the last stage of a battle for several years for the brothers trying to free themselves after 35 years late.
The parole process will be long and could take years.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were initially condemned for life without the possibility of parole for the murders of 1989 of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. They have the support of more than 20 family members in their efforts to be released.
After respecting, Erik Menendez published a statement on Tuesday evening, saying: “I am touched and humiliated by the outpouring of support”.
“It must be the first step to give people who have no hope in prison a little hope,” he said. “My goal is to make sure that there are no more people who spend 35 years in hope. This possibility of having hope that rehabilitation works is more important than anything that happened to me today.”
In this file photo of April 12, 1991, Lyle, on the left, and Erik Menendez appear before the court for a preliminary hearing held in Beverly Hills, California.
Kevork Djansian / AP, file
The brothers watched a long -awaited renowned hearing on Tuesday by prison video and made their own statements to judge Michael Jesic.
“I killed my mother and father,” Lyle Menendez told the judge. “I don’t give any excuse.”
He also admitted to having committed a perjury by monthly in court in the 90s. He apologized to his family for years of lies and the shock and the sorrow of crimes.
“I committed an atrocious act,” said Erik Menendez to the judge. “My actions were criminal, selfish and cowards. … No excuse. No justification for what I did.”
He admitted to having lied for years and apologized.
“I have traveled a long way on this” redemption, “said Erik Menendez, adding:” I will not stop trying to make a difference. “
“It was absolutely a horrible crime,” said the judge. He noted that he had been moved by letters from prison guards and was surprised by what the brothers have accomplished.
The brothers’ lawyer, Mark Geragos, said after the court: “I hope and happy that we are a huge step to bring the boys home.”
“This encourages people who are imprisoned to make the right decisions, to make the right track,” said Geragos, adding: “He’s just a win-win at so many levels.”
The cousin Menendez Anamaria Baralt congratulated the rehabilitation of her cousins, saying to journalists: “In the end, we are here today with this result because of Erik and Lyle. Because they chose to live their life with clarity and a goal of service by which the judge was impressed.”
Geragos called several parents led to the stand at the audience on Tuesday, including Baralt.
Thanks to tears, Baralt pleaded with Jesic to release his cousins, noting that time is exhausted so that they are gathered with the members of the aging of the family.
“They are very different men” that when they committed the murders, said Baralt, adding that “their transformation is remarkable”.
During the counter-examination, Baralt told prosecutors that the brothers had assured the full responsibility of the crimes and that Lyle Menendez had admitted to having asked a witness to lie. But Baralt conceded that they had not recognized certain aspects of the case, because the prosecutors argue that the brothers did not admit as far as their crimes and their concealations.
A retirement judge who worked with therapy dogs declared on the stand that the brothers are considered as leaders and that they have changed his point of view on the rehabilitation of prisoners. He said he wanted to punish the accused, but because of the brothers and their work to help the elderly and other prisoners, he now believes in rehabilitation.
The accusation did not call any witness.
Jesic’s strengthening decision follows the recommendation made in October by the Los Angeles County District, George Gascón.
Gascón recommended that the skens of life of the brothers without parole will be removed and said that they should in the place be condemned for murder, which represents a 50 -year perpetuity sentence. Because the two brothers were under 26 years old at the time of crimes, they are eligible for parole immediately under Californian law.
The Gascón office said that its renowned recommendations take into account many factors, including rehabilitation in prison and the abuses or trauma that contributed to the crime. Gascón congratulated the conduct of the brothers in prison, saying that they are rehabilitated and started programs to help other prisoners.
This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections Watch Erik Menendez, on the left, and Lyle Menendez.
California DEPT. of Corrections via AP
In November, Gascón lost his candidacy for re -election to Nathan Hochman, who filed a request to withdraw the renowned petition, qualifying the demands of the self -defense brothers part of a litany of “lies”. The judge rejected Hochman’s request.
Tuesday’s renowned hearing was a confrontation between Geragos and Hochman, who wants to keep the brothers behind bars.
Geragos told journalists outside the court on Tuesday: “There are not two best candidates in the state of California at the moment for the resentment that Erik and Lyle Menendez.”
“It is a unicorn style situation where you have horrible crimes – which no one is moving away – but also remarkable, remarkable, almost unprecedented, rehabilitation and redemption,” he said.
At the time, Hochman told journalists: “The Menendez brothers failed to clean themselves in all the extent of their criminal conduct, their concealment, their lies and their deception.”
After the conviction on Tuesday, he published a new declaration saying: “The decision to resolve Erik and Lyle Menendez was monumental which has important implications for the families involved, the community and the principles of justice.”
“The requests of our office to withdraw the renowned request filed by the previous administration guaranteed that the court was presented with all the facts before making such a substantial decision,” said the press release, Hochman calling the case “A window for the public to better understand the justice system”.
“This case, like all cases – in particular those who captivate the public – must be considered with a critical eye,” he continued. “Our opposition and our analysis assured that the court received a complete and precise file of the facts.”
An audience took place on May 9 to determine whether the strengthening file should include information from the newly completed risk assessment of the California Board of speech, which was carried out as part of a separate lenient route. The risk assessment took place at the request of Governor Gavin Newsom as part of the brothers’ leniency supply; The brothers pursue several ways to freedom, and the way to the Clemence is distinct from the renowned path. Newsom can grant a leniency at any time.
The risk assessment said that Erik and Lyle Menendez have a moderate risk for the community if they are released.
The evaluation revealed that the brothers had illegal mobile phones in prison, among many other violations, although many are not recent. However, Erik Menendez had a phone as recently as January this year, which Hochman stressed during the renowned effort when he should have been on his best behavior.
The defense noted that Erik Menendez had had an article for violence 25 years ago and Lyle Menendez did not have.
Their next appearance in court for the Clémence case is June 13.
