The new sentencing hearing for brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of killing their parents in 1989, has been delayed by nearly two months due to the wildfires in Southern California. Originally scheduled for January 30 and 31, the hearing has now been pushed back to March 20 and 21. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the delay explaining that the fires had disrupted preparations for the hearing. It had already been postponed once, from November.
Hochman, who took office recently, met with the Menendez brothers’ family members earlier this month as he reviews their request for a reduced sentence.
Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life in prison without parole after they were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989. Now in their 50s, the brothers are seeking to have their sentences reconsidered, partly based on new evidence that their father sexually abused them. The case has gained renewed attention following a Netflix series and documentary.
In October 2024, the then-District Attorney George Gascon recommended that the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them eligible for parole. Hochman, who ran against Gascon, criticized that move, calling it a “desperate political move.”
