Menendez brothers: Menendez brothers back in spotlight for 1989 murder: Who are they?

Los Angeles prosecutors are examining new evidence in the case of Erik and Lyle Menendez, brothers serving life sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, led by District Attorney George Gascón, is investigating recent developments that could impact sentencing.

“There is no doubt that Erik and Lyle Menendez committed the murders,” Gascón said in a news conference. The new evidence includes a letter Erik Menendez wrote before the murders in which he alleged sexual abuse by his father. Attorney Cliff Gardner, who also represents the brothers, said they were pleased with the district attorney's decision.

“Given today's widely varying understanding of how sexual and physical abuse affects children – both boys and girls – and the remarkable new evidence, we believe resentencing is the appropriate outcome,” Gardner said in an email Thursday to The Associated Press. “The brothers have spent more than 30 years in prison. That's enough.”

Why are the Menendez brothers in the news again?

Erik and Lyle Menendez are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents. Jose Menendez was shot in the back of the head and Kitty Menendez was shot 15 times. According to a Reuters report, Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 at the time of the murder.

In a television trial that caused a sensation in the United States in 1996, the brothers claimed that they had been sexually abused by both parents for years and that they had acted in self-defense. However, prosecutors argued that the couple was targeting their parents' multi-million dollar fortune.

At the time of her sentencing, prosecutors argued the murders were motivated by a desire to inherit her parents' fortune. But defense attorneys believe a changing view of sexual abuse could have led to a manslaughter charge instead of first-degree murder. Attorney Mark Geragos noted that current understanding of trauma and abuse could support the brothers' claims. The Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in a high-profile trial. They were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The case has gained renewed attention thanks to the Netflix drama series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” Erik Menendez criticized the show's portrayal, calling it “dishonest” and painful to relive. Kim Kardashian, an advocate for criminal justice reform, has also spoken out about the case, suggesting that media coverage has distorted public perception. The brothers, now in their 50s, were described as model prisoners, with Lyle Menendez recently earning a degree in sociology from the University of California, Irvine.

(With agency input)