Menendez brothers' family pushes for new trial after 35 years

Relatives of Lyle and Erik Menendez (brothers serving life sentences for murdering their parents in 89) met with prosecutors on 10/16/24 to ask for their release. The Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon had said earlier this month that his office was looking at new proof that might lead to the brothers freedom or a new trial.

Terry Baralt‚ the 85-year-old aunt of the brothers made a statement thru her daughter Anamaria Baralt at a press conference: “I ask the district attorneys office to stop our long suffering and let Lyle and Erik come back to our family“

The brothers are in prison for life with no chance of getting out for killing their parents with a shotgun in their Beverly Hills house. About 20 family members went to the press conference and then to the district attorneys office to tell prosecutors they want the brothers set free or given another trial

Family members think the brothers were sexually abused and that people now know more about how that kind of abuse can make people do violent things. They said if the trial happened today the brothers would probably get lighter sentences

Gascons office said they heard the “heartfelt pleas“ of the Menendez family and were “looking at every option our office has to make sure justice is done“

Gascon mentioned new evidence including a letter Erik Menendez supposedly wrote 8 months before the killings where he talked about abuse. Theyʼre also looking at claims from a member of the 80s band Menudo that he was abused by Jose Menendez (a music executive). Those claims were in a TV show called “Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed“ last year

At their TV trial in 96 the brothers said both parents abused them sexually. But prosecutors said they just wanted their parents lots of money