District Attorney George Gascón of Los Angeles County has announced his support for clemency for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are serving life sentences for killing their parents in 1989. Gascón believes that the brothers, who have served 34 years in prison, have shown signs of rehabilitation and deserve a second chance. The brothers, who were convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole, have submitted requests for clemency to Governor Gavin Newsom. Clemency would allow them to be released immediately, separate from a resentencing effort that could make them eligible for parole.
Gascón filed a motion last week asking for the brothers to be resentenced to 50 years to life, considering their young age at the time of the crimes. Attorneys for the brothers argue that they were sexually abused by their father, which was not fully considered in court proceedings. Both brothers have earned degrees and worked to help rehabilitate themselves and others in prison.
The Menendez brothers fatally shot their parents with shotguns in Beverly Hills in 1989, and were first tried in 1993 with mistrials, then convicted in 1996. Prosecutors alleged the brothers were motivated by greed, seeking to inherit their parents’ fortune. Gascón’s support for clemency highlights the complex nature of the case and the ongoing debate over the brothers’ possible rehabilitation and potential for release. Governor Newsom’s office has not yet commented on the clemency requests.
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