Case of the Menéndez brothers: Nathan Hochman describes the meeting with his followers as “very productive”

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney said Friday that he had a “very productive” meeting with the menendez brothers‘ family, but has not yet decided whether he will support any action that could lead to the brothers’ release.

During a meeting that lasted about three hours, Hochman said he met with about 25 family members who support the brothers’ bid for freedom.

“It was a very productive session where they gave me all their thoughts about what should happen in this case, their experiences they wanted to share, the ultimate direction they wanted this case to take,” Hochman told media at the Hall of Justice. in downtown Los Angeles “It was a very productive conversation that lasted several hours.”

LOOK: The Los Angeles County prosecutor analyzes a meeting with the family of the Menéndez brothers

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman says he had a “very productive” meeting with family members of Erik and Lyle Menendez.

Hochman insisted that he and a team of prosecutors are still reviewing thousands of pages of prison records and transcripts from the brothers’ two trials and appeals court proceedings, and no decision has been made on whether he will support an effort to reduce their sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole to a term that allows them to apply for parole.

A hearing on the possible new sentence remains scheduled for the end of January.

Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989 in their Beverly Hills home and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Here is a look at the key events that have unfolded in the Menendez brothers’ case.

While their defense attorneys argued at trial that their father had sexually abused them, prosecutors denied this and accused them of killing their parents for money. In the years that followed, they repeatedly appealed their convictions without success.

The brothers have the support of most of their extended family, who have said they deserve to be free after decades behind bars. Several family members have said that in today’s world, more aware of the impact of sexual abuse, the brothers would not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

In October 2024, then-District Attorney George Gascón recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life in prison, which would make them immediately eligible for parole. Hochman, who was running against Gascón, called it a “desperate political measure.”

Anamaría Baralt, cousin of the Menéndez brothers, spoke briefly to the media after the family’s meeting with Hochman and said they were “grateful” for his time.

“This 35-year process has been incredibly traumatizing for us, as I’m sure everyone can imagine,” Baralt said. “We are very hopeful that we can find a path to manslaughter. That we can see the release of the brothers immediately.

“Understanding that going to a parole board for our family will only serve to re-traumatize us more. Two parole boards. Two brothers. Again, with victim statements. We’ve had enough. It’s a lot, 35 years is a long time.” a very long time. So we hope that happens.”

Attorneys for the brothers are pursuing several avenues in hopes of securing their release from prison, arguing that new evidence supports the brothers’ claims that their father sexually abused them.

The case returned to the spotlight last year after the release of a Netflix drama and a documentary about the brothers.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.