Judge rules Menendez brothers바카라 게임 웹사이트 bid for freedom through resentencing can continue
Erik and Lyle Menendez바카라 게임 웹사이트s resentencing hearings can continue despite opposition from the Los Angeles County district attorney, a judge ruled Friday.
Former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón asked a judge last year to change the brothers바카라 게임 웹사이트 sentence from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. That would made them immediately eligible for parole because they committed the crime when they were younger than 26.
But Gascón바카라 게임 웹사이트s successor reversed course. Nathan Hochman last month to withdraw the resentencing request.
In light of Hochman바카라 게임 웹사이트s opposition to resentencing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic ruled that the court can move forward with the hearing. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Everything you argued today is absolutely fair game for the resentencing hearing next Thursday," he said.
Hochman바카라 게임 웹사이트s office said they because they had not admitted to lies told during their trial about why they killed their parents and did not 바카라 게임 웹사이트fully recognize, acknowledge, and accept complete responsibility바카라 게임 웹사이트 for their crime.
The brothers appeared in court over Zoom but hadn't made any public statements through the first few hours of Friday's proceeding.
They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at ages 18 and 21 after being convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
While the defense argued they acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Deputy district attorney Habib Balian said Friday that the key issue with Gascón바카라 게임 웹사이트s resentencing petition was that it did not fully address rehabilitation and missed key elements of the original crime committed.
바카라 게임 웹사이트What does it mean? To learn from your mistakes and truly understand that you were wrong,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Balian said.
Balian presented evidence and video clips of the brothers' testimony from the first trial to demonstrate instances where they 바카라 게임 웹사이트hunkered down in their bunker of deceit, lies, and deception.바카라 게임 웹사이트
He said the brothers killed their parents out of greed when they learned they would be taken out of the will, citing psychiatrist's notes that he said showed 바카라 게임 웹사이트this was not self-defense.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The brothers바카라 게임 웹사이트 attorney, Mark Geragos, called the presentation a 바카라 게임 웹사이트dog and pony show바카라 게임 웹사이트 and said it was 바카라 게임 웹사이트nothing more than political cover바카라 게임 웹사이트 as a result of Hochman defeating Gascón in the district attorney바카라 게임 웹사이트s race.
바카라 게임 웹사이트They have authorized the denial of sexual abuse,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Geragos said of the prosecution바카라 게임 웹사이트s presentation.
Geragos argued the judge had full authority to proceed with resentencing under a California law passed in 2023 that allows a court to recall a sentence and initiate resentencing at any point in time.
Geragos also objected to Balian including a photo of the deceased and bloody Menendez parents in his presentation, which he said 바카라 게임 웹사이트retraumatized바카라 게임 웹사이트 family members and victims. The brothers' cousin Anamaria Baralt and aunt Terry Baralt were among the family members who were in the courtroom.
The family's relationship with Hochman has soured. Most of the brothers' extended family supports their resentencing.
Tamara Goodall, a cousin of the brothers, submitted a complaint with the state asking that Hochman be removed from the case, citing his bias against the brothers and alleging he violated a law meant to protect victims' rights.
Hochman had a 바카라 게임 웹사이트hostile, dismissive and patronizing tone바카라 게임 웹사이트 in meetings with the family and created an 바카라 게임 웹사이트intimidating and bullying atmosphere," Goodall wrote.
In their response to the district attorney's motion to withdraw the resentencing request, attorneys for the Menendez brothers questioned whether Hochman had legitimate reasons for doing so or was influenced by 바카라 게임 웹사이트a change of political winds.바카라 게임 웹사이트
The attorneys pointed out that Hochman demoted Nancy Theberge and Brock Lunsford, the two deputy district attorneys who filed the original resentencing motion. Theberge and Lunsford have since filed lawsuits against Hochman alleging harassment, discrimination and retaliation for their work on the Menendez brothers case.
바카라 게임 웹사이트The law requires fairness, not personal vendettas," Anamaria Baralt, a cousin of the brothers, said in a statement.
Without resentencing, the brothers would still have two other pathways to freedom. They have submitted a clemency plea to California Gov. Gavin 온라인 바카라 게임om, who has ordered the state parole board to investigate whether the brothers would pose a risk to the public if they are released. The parole board is scheduled to hold its final hearings June 13.
The brothers also submitted a petition for habeas corpus in May 2023 asking the court to grant them a new trial in light of new evidence presented. Hochman's office also filed a motion opposing the petition.
