Menendez brothers to appear before parole board in June, Gov. Newsom says

In something of a surprise announcement, Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said on his podcast that Lyle and Erik Menendez will appear before a parole board in three months, TMZ reported.  

News of the brothers’ June 13 hearing comes on the heels of Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman holding a press conference earlier this week to say he does not support the resentencing of the pair, arguing that they repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.  

Newsom recently directed the California Board of Parole Hearings to evaluate whether Lyle and Erik, who are now 57 and 54, respectively, pose a risk to public safety if they were to be released from prison. The DA’s Office has already informally requested that the courts deny the habeas petition. Resentencing is their third avenue to freedom. 

Hochman previously stated that he opposes a new trial for the brothers, who are serving life sentences for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty. The brothers were 21 and 18 at the time of the killings. 

The brothers’ resentencing hearing is scheduled for March 20 and 21. 

What makes the June appearance before the parole board important news is that if Lyle and Erik do not receive a lighter sentence during the March resentencing hearings that set them free based on time served, Newsom could decide to grant them clemency in their case once he has reviewed the parole board’s risk assessment.  

The governor, according to TMZ, added that the brothers’ risk assessment would be sent to the resentencing judge as well.