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(NewsNation) — A California parole committee volition perceive arguments this week implicit whether Erik and Lyle Menendez deserve to beryllium released, but adjacent if the brothers are fixed the greenish light, their state volition yet beryllium successful the hands of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Under authorities law, Newsom has the last accidental implicit parole decisions, adding an further hurdle for the brothers, who person spent 3 decades successful situation for the 1989 murders of their parents.
The brothers became eligible for parole earlier this year, aft a judge reduced their sentences from beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole to 50 years to life.
In 2 abstracted hearings, the parole committee volition measure whether the brothers airs an “unreasonable hazard of information to society” if released.
If the committee grants parole, the main ineligible counsel has 120 days to reappraisal the case.
After that, Newsom has 30 days to affirm oregon contradict parole nether a instrumentality passed by voters successful 1988.
California and Oklahoma are the lone states that let the politician to veto parole grants, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
What has Gov. Gavin Newsom said astir Menendez brothers case?
Newsom had antecedently ordered the authorities parole committee to behaviour a hazard appraisal of the brothers successful effect to a clemency request. At the time, helium emphasized a cardinal question was whether the brothers posed an “unreasonable hazard to nationalist safety.”
The determination was seen arsenic a thin toward their freedom, but Newsom hasn’t straight addressed his imaginable decision.
"There's nary warrant of result here," Newsom said successful February connected his podcast. "My bureau conducts dozens and dozens of these clemency reviews connected a accordant basis. But this process simply provides much transparency, which I deliberation is important successful this case, arsenic good arsenic provides america much owed diligence earlier I marque immoderate determination for clemency."
Last month, helium hinted astatine the anticipation of making a determination earlier Labor Day if the committee recommends the brothers' release, according to ABC News.
Newsom said helium has some approved and rejected decisions by the parole board, and that helium was the “ultimate arbiter.”
Which notable parole approvals has Gov. Gavin Newsom reversed?
Newsom has exercised his powerfulness to reverse parole committee decisions hundreds of times portion successful office.
One of his astir notable reversals was for Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated Sen. Robert F. Kennedy successful 1968.
Even though a parole committee recovered him eligible, Newsom blocked the decision.
“After decades successful prison, helium has failed to code the deficiencies that led him to assassinate Senator Kennedy," Newsom said successful a statement successful 2022. "Mr. Sirhan lacks the penetration that would forestall him from making the aforesaid types of unsafe decisions helium made successful the past."
Newsom besides blocked parole for Leslie Van Houten, a follower of Charles Manson who was convicted successful the 1969 killings of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
The parole committee recommended Van Houten’s merchandise successful 2022, but Newsom said helium had concerns astir her rehabilitation and nonaccomplishment to adequately code her engagement successful the Manson household murders.
“Evidence shows that she presently poses an unreasonable information to nine if released from prison," Newsom said astatine the time.
Van Houten was yet released successful 2023 aft the politician said helium would not combat a authorities appeals court's ruling that said she should beryllium granted parole.
