10 months ago
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(NewsNation) — Nearly two twelve household members of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the 2 brothers convicted of sidesplitting their parents successful 1996, are holding a quality league Wednesday successful Los Angeles successful hopes it volition determination the needle successful the brothers' appeal of their conviction.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced earlier this month that helium was reviewing caller evidence successful the lawsuit against the brothers.
New grounds allegedly includes a missive from Erik Menendez to a relative earlier the killings. In it, Erik Menendez details immoderate of the sexual maltreatment helium survived astatine the hands of his father, Jose Menendez.
Plus, caller allegations against Jose Menendez from a second, young lad claiming to person been raped by him astatine 14 person travel into the spotlight.
Family stands by Menendez brothers
Family members person said the Menendez brothers should not person been charged with murder, but manslaughter — but that wasn't an option.
The brothers' extended household volition advocator for the brothers’ merchandise from situation during the quality league arsenic prosecutors reappraisal caller grounds to find whether they should beryllium serving beingness sentences for sidesplitting their parents.
Erik Menendez, present 53, and his 56-year-old brother, Lyle Menendez, are presently incarcerated successful authorities situation without the anticipation of parole aft being convicted of sidesplitting their parents successful their Beverly Hills mansion much than 35 years ago.
Lyle Menendez, who was past 21, and Erik Menendez, past 18, admitted they fatally changeable their amusement enforcement father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, successful 1989. However, they argued self-defense, saying they feared their parents were astir to termination them to forestall the disclosure of the father’s semipermanent intersexual molestation of Erik.
While grounds and grounds astir the intersexual maltreatment was allowed successful the brothers' archetypal proceedings that ended successful a hung jury, it was not allowed successful the 2nd proceedings that ended successful blameworthy verdicts.
"I ever believed that they were sexually molested," Karen Vandermolen Copley told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo earlier this month. "My sister Diane lived with them, and they person grounds that was not allowed. We person ever supported the boys erstwhile we knew and understood the facts."
The extended family’s lawyer Bryan Freedman antecedently said they powerfully enactment the brothers’ release. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell besides plans to articulation the household Wednesday.
New grounds sparks lawsuit review
Earlier this month, Gascón said determination is nary question the brothers committed the 1989 murders, but his bureau volition beryllium reviewing caller grounds and volition marque a determination connected whether a resentencing is warranted successful the notorious lawsuit that captured nationalist attention.
The brothers’ attorneys said the household believed from the opening they should person been charged with manslaughter alternatively than murder. Manslaughter was not an enactment for the jury during the 2nd proceedings that yet led to the brothers’ execution conviction, lawyer Mark Geragos antecedently said.
The lawsuit has gained caller traction successful caller weeks aft Netflix began streaming the true-crime play “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
The caller grounds includes a missive written by Erik Menendez that his attorneys accidental corroborates the allegations that helium was sexually abused by his father. A proceeding was scheduled for Nov. 29.
Prosecutors astatine the clip contended determination was nary grounds of immoderate molestation. They said the sons were aft their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.
In a recorded speech successful a Netflix documentary, Erik Menendez claimed the spending was to "cover up the horrible symptom of not wanting to beryllium alive."
Jurors successful 1996 rejected a decease condemnation successful favour of beingness without parole.
NewsNation reached retired to relatives and the brothers' lawyer for comment. However, they said they would not remark connected the lawsuit until aft Wednesday's quality conference.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
