Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is advocating for clemency for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are currently serving life sentences for the murder of their parents in 1989. Gascón supports their clemency requests, citing their continued education and efforts to support fellow inmates during their 34 years in prison. The Menendez brothers’ attorneys have submitted the clemency requests to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has not indicated whether he will grant them. Clemency would allow the brothers to be released immediately, separate from Gascón’s resentencing recommendation, which would make them eligible for parole due to their age at the time of the crimes. The brothers claim they were sexually abused by their father, which was a central part of their defense during their trials in the 1990s. The Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 after two mistrials, with prosecutors arguing they committed the crime for financial gain. Gascón’s motion for resentencing is currently pending, with a hearing scheduled for December 11. The attorneys for the Menendez brothers emphasize their rehabilitation efforts, education, and age as reasons for clemency, painting them as exemplary candidates for release.
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