Are the Menendez brothers out?

The Menendez brothers have been serving life without parole since their convictions in 1996 over the murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1996.

George Gascón, District Attorney of Los Angeles County, on Thursday, said he would recommend the re-sentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez, nearly 30 years after the brothers – a recommendation which, he added, would make the duo eligible for immediate parole.

At a news conference in Los Angeles, Gascón said that after carefully reviewing the arguments from both sides, he believed that re-sentencing was appropriate and would recommend that to a court the next day.

The decision was made an hour before the announcement while reviewing the case, where the defence counsel stated in 2023 that new evidence had come to light.

Gascón said he believed that the Menendez brothers had paid their debt to society and the criminal system allowed their case to be reviewed by a parole board.

He said the brothers would be released accordingly if the board concurred with his statement.

An LA Superior Court judge would ultimately decide on the re-sentencing of the brothers, his office said.

Gascón said he supported the resentencing of the brothers to life with the possibility of parole – which would normally entail 50 years to life. However, as the crimes were committed when the brothers were below the age of 26, they would be eligible for youthful parole under California law.

The case was being reexamined 35 years after Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot to death in their Beverly Hills house.

Lyle, 21, and Erik, 18, at the time of their arrest in 1990, were accused of first-degree murder.

In their high-profile trials, which took place decades ago and were one of the first cases to be televised, the duo admitted to the crime but argued that they should not be convicted as they acted in self-defense after suffering a lifetime of abuse at the hands of their father.