A private meeting was held Friday in the Menendez brothers case between more than 20 members of Kitty and Jose Menendez’s family and newly elected Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Former District Attorney George Gascón was in favor of Erik and Lyle Menendez being resentenced, but Hochman said he needed more time to look at the evidence in the case after he defeated the incumbent prosecutor in the November election. Hochman took office in early December.
The new county prosecutor spoke at a news conference that followed the family meeting, which included Menendez attorney Mark Geragos.
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"It was a very productive conversation," Hochman said at an afternoon news conference.
Hochman said his office is reviewing thousands of pages of prison records and trial transcripts, speaking with attorneys involved in the case and gathering other information in an ongoing review of the case. He said the information he received Friday from family members will be part of his decision-making process.
Hochman described the meeting as an "informal off-the-record discussion" and declined to share details about what was said.
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Ahead of the meeting, relatives released a statement saying in part, “During our meeting with DA Hochman, we look forward to sharing our perspective on Erik and Lyle’s immense personal growth over the last 35 years and the ways in which we plan to support them in their next chapters. We hope that this meeting will put us a step closer -- to spending next Christmas reunited as a family.”
The brothers are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 shotgun murder of their parents in the family's Beverly Hills mansion.
Friday's meeting is the latest development in a decades-old case that’s received heightened attention over the past few months.
From a documentary to a Netflix show and alleged new evidence in the case, the brothers’ relatives have been advocating for their re-sentencing and release, calling their current sentence “unfair” – due to the alleged abuse they faced as children.
Just over five weeks ago, Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared in court virtually with their family sitting inside the hearing.
“I do want them home. They should never have been in such situations,” Joan Vandermolen, one of the brothers’ aunts, said.
She and another aunt testified during that hearing, pleading for their release. However, not all of the brothers’ relatives feel they should be released.
Through his attorney, Milton Anderson, the brother of Kitty Menendez, said he disagrees.
Looking ahead, on Jan. 30, there will be a resentencing hearing that could determine their fate.
