Menendez brothers latest: LA DA to petition Gov. Newsom for clemency

(LOS ANGELES) -- Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is supporting the Menendez brothers' new effort to petition California Gov. Gavin Newsom for clemency, which would reduce their sentence or grant a pardon, ABC News has learned.

Gascón plans to submit a letter to that effect by the end of the day Wednesday.

Lyle and Erik Menendez have spent nearly 35 years in prison for the 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced in 1996 to two consecutive terms of life without parole.

While prosecutors alleged they killed their parents for money, the defense argued the brothers acted in self-defense following years of sexual abuse by their father.

Besides the new clemency route, the brothers have two other possible tracks to freedom.

One path is through resentencing.

Gascón announced last week that he was recommending the brothers' sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life.

Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, with the new sentence, they would be eligible for parole immediately, Gascón said.

"We appreciate what they did while they were in prison," Gascón said at a news conference of the brothers. "While I disapprove of the way they handled their abuse, we hope that they not only have learned -- which appears that they have -- but that if they get reintegrated into our community, that they continue to do public good."

Gascón's recommendation will go before a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, and if the judge agrees, the decision will next be in the hands of a parole board.

The second possible track for release is the habeas corpus petition filed last year for a review of new evidence not presented at trial.

One piece of evidence is allegations from a former member of the boy band Menudo, who is alleging he was sexually abused by music executive Jose Menendez.

The second piece of evidence is a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse. The cousin testified about the alleged abuse at trial, but the letter -- which would have corroborated the cousin's testimony -- wasn't unearthed until several years ago, according to the brothers' attorney, Mark Geragos.

Through this petition, the court could reverse the convictions or reopen proceedings.

Officials in the DA's office told ABC News they are "keeping an open mind" to reducing the conviction to a lesser charge based on the new evidence.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.