New Los Angeles County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman has a message for followers of Erik and Lyle Menendez: don’t rush to judgment as their Dec. 11 resentencing listening to approaches.
Hochman, 60, instructed The Every day Beast he thinks many followers of the Menendez brothers’ true-crime collection don’t totally perceive the case.
The Menendez brothers, now 53 and 56, are serving life with out parole on the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, after they had been convicted of murdering their mother and father, José and Kitty Menendez, with a shotgun in 1989.
Hochman says the sudden curiosity within the Menendez brothers is probably going due to a Netflix collection and documentary about their crimes. To remain targeted, the incoming DA mentioned he hasn’t watched both.
“I didn’t want to see them,” he mentioned. “What’s the point? I’d rather read the book.”
Hochman admitted he solely remembers bits and items of the case from 30 years in the past, however that’s why he plans to fastidiously dig into the information. The Menendez case is a “high priority,” Hochman instructed The Every day Beast.
Hochman added, “Any time a particular case gets this level of attention, it’s even that more important to get it right.”
Hochman, Republican, decisively gained the seat earlier this month, incomes 61.46% of the vote, whereas Democrat incumbent George Gascón had 38.54%, in accordance with knowledge launched from the Los Angeles County registrar’s workplace.
He says he gained’t be swayed by movie star endorsements, together with from character Kim Kardashian and actor Cooper Koch, who performed Erik Menendez within the Netflix collection.
Earlier than leaving workplace, Gascón requested a decide to cut back the brothers’ fees to manslaughter, which some say was a transfer to assist his reelection marketing campaign.
Some superfans additionally hoped that the brothers might be launched as quickly as Thanksgiving after submitting a habeas corpus petition in Could of final 12 months with a listening to scheduled for Nov. 26, however their resentencing listening to is about for December 11. Hochman is predicted to request an extension from the decide.
The Menendez household has referred to as for the brothers’ fast launch, asking to skip the parole course of. However even when a decide agrees to resentencing, parole may nonetheless take a 12 months. On prime of that, Gov. Gavin Newsom may block their launch.
One other risk is clemency from Newsom. On the case, he mentioned, “What matters are the facts. What matters is justice and fairness. Not treating them any worse because they’re celebrities, not treating them any better.”
The brothers admitted to killing their mother and father, however claimed it was self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father. Prosecutors argued that wasn’t true, saying the brothers killed for cash.
Prosecutors on the time pointed to a $700,000 spending spree within the weeks after the murders, together with Porsche automobiles and Rolex watches.
The jury agreed, sentencing them to life with out parole. Although initially in separate prisons, the brothers had been reunited in San Diego in 2018.
Hochman will formally assume the place of Los Angeles County DA on Dec. 2.
He didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
