Shock Decision: Governor Newsom Delays Verdict on Menéndez Brothers’ Fate!

The California governor has decided to delay his decision on the Menéndez brothers’ clemency until Nathan Hochman takes office as the new Los Angeles district attorney.

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Governor Gavin Newsom announced this week that he will delay a decision on clemency for Lyle and Erik Menéndez until the newly elected Los Angeles district attorney reviews their case. Current DA George Gascón recently recommended the brothers be resentenced for the 1989 murders of their parents, arguing they have “paid their debt to society.” He also wrote to Newsom in support of the brothers, who claim they acted in response to years of abuse.

Earlier this month, voters replaced progressive DA Gascón with Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who criticized Gascón’s policies as “pro-criminal.” Newsom’s office stated that the governor will wait for Hochman to review and analyze the Menéndez case before making any clemency decisions.

“The governor respects the role of the district attorney in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect [Nathan] Hochman to carry out this responsibility.”

Nathan Hochman criticized George Gascón for the timing of his decision in the Menéndez brothers’ case, calling it a “desperate political move” made just two weeks before the election.

Lyle and Erik Menéndez were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the 1989 killings of their parents, José and Kitty. The brothers, aged 21 and 18 at the time, shot their parents multiple times as the couple watched television in their Beverly Hills home. Today, Erik is 53 years old, and Lyle is 56.

Prosecutors portrayed Lyle and Erik Menéndez as cold-blooded killers who murdered their parents for financial gain. However, the brothers claimed they acted out of fear, believing their parents were planning to kill them to hide years of sexual, psychological, and physical abuse.

Family members have supported the brothers’ accounts of abuse and have long advocated for their release. In recent years, they have gained a significant following, including prominent criminal justice reform advocates like Kim Kardashian.

In October, George Gascón announced a review of the case following the emergence of new evidence. This included a letter Erik wrote before the killings that supported his claims of abuse and an allegation from a former Menudo band member, who said José Menéndez, a former record executive, had raped him.

Nathan Hochman stated that he looks forward to conducting a thorough review of the facts and legal issues surrounding the Menéndez case.

Tammi Menéndez, Erik’s wife, expressed her frustration on social media over the recent developments.

“It seems like this case is being used for political gain instead of addressing the real issues,” she said.

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