Menendez Brothers’ Fate Becomes Issue in D.A. Race: ‘The Timing Is Incredibly Suspicious’

As a seasoned observer of political races and a connoisseur of true crime narratives, I find myself intrigued by the unfolding drama between George Gascón and Nathan Hochman, the contenders for Los Angeles County District Attorney. The Menendez brothers case, rekindled by Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” has certainly added a captivating twist to this election.


The competitor running against George Gascón for the Los Angeles County District Attorney position has claimed that he’s manipulating the Menendez brothers case as a diversion tactic, concealing his shortcomings within his tenure in office.

On Tuesday evening, Nathan Hochman criticized Gascón for convening a press meeting a week ago to discuss the possibility of releasing the brothers from prison.

“The timing is incredibly suspicious,” Hochman said.

Last month, the Ryan Murphy series titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” made its premiere on Netflix, sparking renewed curiosity about the pair who are currently serving life imprisonment for murdering their parents back in 1989.

Last year, I petitioned the court along with my brothers, asking for a re-sentencing due to newly discovered evidence corroborating our defense’s allegations that our father, Jose Menendez, was a sexual abuser. The District Attorney’s office hasn’t responded to our petition as of yet, but George Gascón recently stated that he is giving it careful consideration.

He emphasized the importance of carefully examining information given to us, as it’s essential for both moral and ethical reasons. He also mentioned that there might have been a chance that if additional evidence had been provided, the verdict could have been different.

At the recent discussion, I found myself expressing that my team is diligently examining this matter, and I felt compelled to address the public due to an influx of inquiries from various media outlets following the premiere of “Monsters.” As a devoted film enthusiast, I understand the intrigue surrounding such captivating productions.

He stated that there’s disagreement within his office regarding the Menendez brothers’ cases,” he said, responding to Emily Valdez’s query from KNX. “Some think they should remain imprisoned, while we believe it warrants reconsideration. We plan to review the case again.

Hochman contended that Gascón diverted focus from a different murder case article by employing this situation, where a teenage girl initially received leniency only to be re-arrested post-release.

Additionally, he contended that Gascón was incorrectly managing the Menendez case, and had not communicated with the prosecutors who were part of the appeal process.

Hochman remained tight-lipped about his approach for the Menendez petition, yet he expressed his intention to delve thoroughly into the details, consult with specialists, and only then form an opinion.

He stated, ‘I’m definitely not planning to call a press conference to inform you that I’m merely considering it.’

The election takes place on November 5th, and according to surveys conducted by the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, Hochman currently enjoys a substantial advantage.

The next hearing in the Menendez case is Nov. 29.

The Netflix show has received strong criticism from the Menendez family, who labeled it as “biased,” “distasteful,” and “full of inaccuracies.” They also contend that the show disregarded more recent evidence, which they claim clears the brothers of guilt.

Murphy, one of the creators of the series, has justified the portrayal by stating he employed a “Rashomon” perspective towards the incident. In an interview with EbMaster, he expressed that the show is “the most significant event for the Menendez brothers in the last 30 years.

“They are now being talked about by millions of people all over the world,” Murphy said.

The fresh evidence emerged from the “Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed” documentary by Peacock, which was unveiled last year. Another documentary titled “The Menendez Brothers” was made available on Netflix this past Monday.

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2024-10-09 05:19