(FOX 5/KUSI) — On Thursday, the California parole board denied parole for Erik Menendez, one of the brothers convicted of killing their parents in a Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.
Watch the report by FOX 5/KUSI’s Tony Shin above.
Erik, now 54, and his brother Lyle, 57, were convicted of using a shotgun to kill their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in a case that drew worldwide attention for its brutality. Prosecutors said the brothers murdered for financial gain, while the defense argued they acted after years of alleged sexual and emotional abuse.
San Diego attorney Gretchen Von Helms said on Thursday, parole officials would consider not only the brothers’ rehabilitation in prison but also the notoriety of the crime.
“They ask the inmate how they’ll do on the outside — do they have the tools, the education, the experience to be a good member of society,” she said.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has urged the board to deny parole, calling the brothers’ claims of abuse “a litany of lies.” In a 75-page statement, he argued the killings were premeditated and staged to look like a mob hit.
“This was not self-defense,” Hochman said. “This was a deliberate, brutal murder.”
The Menendez brothers were originally sentenced to life without parole, but in May were resentenced to 50 years to life, making them eligible for release under California’s youthful offender law. Both have expressed remorse, and more than 20 relatives have voiced support for their parole.
Lyle Menendez is scheduled for his parole hearing on Friday. Even if the board grants release, the governor could still veto the decision.
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