Menendez brothers set to be resentenced for murder of parents after case featured by Netflix
Two brothers who were convicted of killing their parents and featured in Netflix shows could be freed early after 34 years behind bars.
Lyle Menendez, 56, and his 53-year-old brother Erik are serving life in prison without parole for the shotgun murders of their father and mother – Jose and Kitty Menendez – in 1989.
They were jailed after a trial in 1996 when Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18.
(L-R) Lyle and Erik Menendez. Pic: AP
On Thursday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon recommended that the pair be resentenced – replacing their life sentence with a sentence of 50 years to life.
This would mean the brothers would be eligible for parole immediately because they were under 26 years old at the time of the murders, Mr Gascon said.
Read more: The real case behind the Netflix drama
LA District Attorney George Gascon. Pic: Reuters
“Under the law, resentencing is appropriate. I’m going to recommend that to a court tomorrow,” the district attorney told a news conference.
“I believe they have paid their debt to society.”
Prosecutors must now seek court approval on the case, with the final decision falling to the judge.
The brothers in 2023. Pics: Richard J Donovan Correctional Facility
It comes after Mr Gascon said his office would be reviewing new evidence that allegedly corroborates claims that Erik was sexually abused by his father, who was a music executive.
Both the brothers claim they killed their parents in self-defence after enduring a lifetime of physical, emotional and sexual abuse from them.
Their lawyers argue that because of society’s changing views on sexual abuse, if tried today the brothers may not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
George Gascon shakes hands with Joan Andersen VanderMolen, sister of Kitty Menendez. Pic: Reuters
But prosecutors contended at the time there was no evidence of any molestation and said the brothers were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.
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Multiple extended family members have united to call for the brothers’ release and have formed a “new coalition” called Justice for Erik and Lyle.
Speaking after the recommendation was announced on Thursday, Anamaria Baralt, a niece of Jose, said: “Today is a day filled with hope for our family.
Pic: AP
“This step gives us all hope that the truth will finally be heard and Lyle and Erik can begin to heal from the trauma of their past.”
Another relative, believed to be a niece of Kitty, added: “This decision is not just a legal matter, it is a recognition of the abuse my cousins endured.
“We are grateful to the district attorney for putting justice over politics. We know this wasn’t an easy decision but it is the right one.
“It is time for Lyle and Erik to come home.”
Not all Menendez family members support resentencing. Milton Andersen, the 90-year-old brother of Kitty, has filed a legal brief asking the court to keep the brothers’ original punishment.
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The Menendez case was thrust back into the limelight after Monsters, a Netflix drama telling of their story, and a documentary were recently released.
Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.
The charges relate to four women.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.
He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.
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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges
The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.
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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.
He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.
Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.
Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.
Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.
Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.
Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.
In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.
The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.
Bruce Springsteen is to release seven albums of mostly unheard material this summer.
The US singer said the songs, written and re-recorded between 1983 and 2018, were being made public after he began completing “everything I had in my vault” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a short video posted on Instagram, Springsteen said the albums were “records that were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released”.
The 83-song collection is being released in a box set called Tracks II: The Lost Albums and goes on sale on 27 June.
Some 74 of the tracks have never been heard before.
Springsteen first teased the release on Wednesday morning with a short social media video accompanied by text which said: “What was lost has been found”.
Tracks II is the follow-up to the star’s first Tracks volume, a four-CD collection of 66 unreleased songs, released in 1998.
Bruce Springsteen at New York’s Carnegie Hall at a tribute to Patti Smith last month. Pic: PA
The New Jersey-born rocker, nicknamed The Boss, last released a studio album in 2022.
Only the Strong Survive was a collection of covers, including songs by Motown and soul artists, such as the Four Tops, The Temptations, The Supremes, Frankie Wilson and Jimmy Ruffin.
The late soul legend Sam Moore, who died in January and was a frequent Springsteen collaborator, sang on two of the tracks.
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Springsteen is coming to the UK in May to launch a two-month tour of Europe with his E Street Band.
The shows will include performances at the Co-op Live in Manchester and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.
The singer-songwriter has sold more than 140 million records since his debut on the music scene in 1973, according to his website.
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