3 weeks ago
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(NewsNation) — A California authorities sheet connected Thursday denied parole to Erik Menendez, 1 of 2 brothers who has been successful situation for decades aft the siblings killed their parents successful a notorious 1989 shotgun murder.
The intimately watched determination connected the 54-year-old inmate comes a time earlier the California Board of Parole was scheduled to perceive arguments implicit whether Lyle Menendez, 57, deserves to beryllium released.
The brothers became eligible for parole earlier this twelvemonth aft a judge reduced their sentences from beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole to 50 years to life.
In the 2 abstracted hearings, the parole committee was obligated to measure whether the brothers airs an “unreasonable hazard of information to society” if released from prison.
Parole committee commissioners antecedently determined the Menendez brothers person a “moderate risk” of committing unit if they are freed. California transgression defence lawyer Brian Claypool tells “NewsNation Now” that inmates with this mid-level of hazard appraisal get paroled 20% of the time, compared to the two-thirds of “low-risk” inmates who are granted parole. Not surprisingly, inmates with a “severe risk” appraisal seldom get released, helium said.
Still, Claypool said, parole committee officials volition see the implicit histories of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who person received praise for immoderate of the affirmative things they person done down bars.
Gov. Newsom has last accidental connected parole
Under authorities law, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has last say implicit parole decisions, adding an further hurdle for the brothers, who person spent 3 decades successful situation for the 1989 murders of their parents astatine their Beverly Hills mansion.
Whenever the committee grants parole, its main ineligible counsel has 120 days to reappraisal the determination "for ineligible oregon factual errors," according to accusation posted connected the Board of Parole website. If upheld by the ineligible counsel and sent to the governor's office, Newsom has 30 days to affirm oregon contradict parole nether a instrumentality passed by voters successful 1988.
Newsom was noncommittal Thursday erstwhile the Menendez lawsuit came up astatine an unrelated appearance, but helium said helium is keeping an unfastened mind.
“I person not watched immoderate documentary. I person not watched thing that has travel retired connected the Menendez brothers. And I precise intentionally avoided that successful anticipation and anticipation that this mightiness onshore connected my desk,” the politician said. “So, the facts themselves volition talk for themselves, not my opinion, not what's connected TikTok oregon what's connected YouTube oregon not what you oregon others whitethorn beryllium saying astir these 2 individuals.”
Menendez lawyer says they merit freedom
Mark Geragos, the brothers’ attorney, joined “CUOMO” on Tuesday and said some brothers merit to beryllium released.
“They are being judged separately. They each are fascinating, intriguing and deserving of getting parole. They some should beryllium out,” helium said, adding that some brothers are expected to reply a batch of questions.
“I deliberation connected Thursday, what you volition spot with Erik is simply a batch of treatment astir the programs that he’s instituted. Not the slightest of which is the hospice program, which helium pioneered successful California,” Geragos said.
“I deliberation erstwhile you get to Lyle connected Friday, you’re going to perceive astir the greenish abstraction program. This is simply a back-and-forth.”
