Britta DeVore | Posted
Erik and Lyle Menendez are one step closer to being released from prison after spending nearly 30 years behind bars for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. These two men are none other than the Los Angeles County District Attorney. George Gascón is grateful for the possible turnaround because the DA has not only directly advocated for the men, but has now expressed its hope and support for their release to California Governor Gavin Newsom.
In the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office called for the Menendez brothers’ release in a letter sent to Governor Newsom’s office. In it, he wrote about his “strong support” behind two clemency letters that Erik and Lyle Menendez’s attorneys sent to the California leader’s office just days earlier. Of the two, George Gascón “each served 34 years, continued his education, and worked to create new programs to support the rehabilitation of his fellow prisoners,” he said.
So why does Governor Newsom play such a big role in how things play out with the Menendez brothers and their potential release? Under the California Constitution, the person holding the office of governor has almost unlimited power to grant pardons or shortened sentences.
This means that if the governor decides that justice has been served and time is up, Erik and Lyle Menendez could be sent home, or at least have their sentences commuted from life in prison to an end in sight.
As of this article’s publication, Governor Newsom has not provided a clear response to the Los Angeles DA’s plea, but comments he made earlier this week may provide a clue as to where the California governor sits on the Menendez brothers’ claims. there is. Available for release.
The Netflix series helped the brothers’ case.
In recognition of Ryan Murphy’s lead role in his recent Netflix series, Monster: The Story of Lyle and Eric Menendez Newsom said he was instrumental in reigniting public interest in the case. “What is important is justice and fairness. “You don’t get treated worse because you’re a celebrity, and you don’t get treated better just because you’re a celebrity.”
Netflix and the second season of Murphy’s Monsters franchise; Monster: The Story of Lyle and Eric Menendez It landed on the streamer in September, starring Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch as brothers, respectively.
Although it wasn’t as popular with critics as the first season, which starred Evan Peters in the role of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, the sequel put the brothers’ story under the microscope again, and many called for the Menendez brothers’ immediate release. In prison.
Almost 30 years in prison
What we do know is that on August 20, 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents with multiple shotgun blasts while they were in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion. After covering their tracks just long enough to avoid arrest, the pair ended up being murdered in a highly publicized court case.
The Menendez brothers’ defense team relied heavily on claims that the pair suffered years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, Jose Menendez, hoping to sway the court and free the pair.
Nearly 30 years after their convictions, the brothers continue to live in prison and have founded several groups to help other men in prison. Both Menendez brothers are currently serving their sentences at the same San Diego facility, and if they are granted release, they will likely be out just days after their resentencing.
source: diagonal
