Lyle Menendez, family speak out after DA objects brothers' release

LOS ANGELES - Lyle Menendez and his family members are speaking out after LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday that his office will oppose the brothers' release.

What they're saying:

Following the announcement, Lyle shared a message on social media urging his supporters to "keep on fighting."

"I (the admin) should probably stop posting about the case so much and leave it to the lawyers since I can get a little emotional……..but I just have to say that it is clear that Hochman has no idea what happened at the first trial. Of all those "lies" he talked about, several of them were admitted/stipulated to in the first trial.  Several of them were utterly debunked —like the pool man…. We all remember Leslie’s skilled takedown of Grant "can’t say s**t" Walker.  We also all remember the fishing boat captain talking about how weird and abnormal the dynamics were on that boat that day.  And several other ‘lies’ were absolutely disproven or reasonably disputed.  I could go on and on.  But I won’t. Asking someone to deny the reality of their life to get out of prison is something out of a really bad movie. I have to leave it there," he said.

RELATED: Menendez brothers case: DA's office moves forward with resentencing hearings

The Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition responded, "District Attorney Hochman made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle and our family hostage. He appears fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives and have atoned for their actions. How many times do we have to hear the same attempts to bury who they are today and rip us back to that painful time?"

The family-led initiative said in the statement that the brothers have apologized to them and have "demonstrated their atonement through actions that have helped improve countless lives," but added that Hochman "broke his promise to listen to us, keep politics out of this review, and look at the full picture of this case."

The group said it remains hopeful that the court, the Board of Parole and Gov. Gavin Newsom "will transcend the political games that governed DA Hochman's recommendation around re-sentencing.

What we know:

During a press conference Monday, Hochman said that he does not support the resentencing because the brothers have repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.

Hochman said he is asking the court to withdraw his predecessor's previous motion for resentencing for the Menendez brothers, calling their claims of self-defense "lies."

"We are prepared to go forward with the hearing regarding their resentencing case," he said. "However, we are asking the court to withdraw the previous district attorney's motion for resentencing, because we believe there are legitimate reasons and the interests of justice justifies that withdrawal."

In February, Hochman expressed skepticism about the admissibility and relevance of new evidence presented by the brothers' defense attorneys, which alleges sexual abuse by their father. 

Despite opposing the request for a new trial, Hochman has not yet taken a stance on their motion for re-sentencing. 

The brothers' attorneys are seeking a sentence reduction that could make them eligible for parole or release based on time served.

The backstory:

Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted in 1996 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in Beverly Hills. Their defense claimed self-defense due to years of alleged abuse, while prosecutors argued the murders were financially motivated.

In a 2023 court petition, attorneys for the brothers pointed to two new pieces of evidence they contend corroborate the brothers' allegations of long-term sexual abuse at the hands of their father -- a letter allegedly written by Erik Menendez to his cousin Andy Cano in early 1989 or late 1988, eight months before the August 1989 killings, and recent allegations by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, that he too was sexually abused by Jose Menendez as a teenager.

Interest in the case surged following the release of a recent Netflix documentary and dramatic series.

In October, then-District Attorney George Gascón recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole. Hochman called his predecessor’s recommendation a "desperate political move."

What's next:

Gov. Gavin Newsom has directed a state parole board to conduct a "risk assessment investigation" of the Menendez brothers, a move praised by their family. 

Newsom said the findings will be shared with the Los Angeles Superior Court judge presiding over the case, as well as with the district attorney and defense attorneys. The assessment could take up to 90 days.

Resentencing hearing dates are set for March 20 and March 21.