Menendez brothers' resentencing postponed due to LA fires.
A hearing to assess whether the Menendez brothers should be resentenced more than thirty years after the murder of their parents has been delayed due to the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Initially set for later this month, the hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez has been rescheduled for March, as announced by the county's chief prosecutor on Friday. This marks the second occasion on which Nathan Hochman, the newly appointed Los Angeles County District Attorney, has postponed discussions regarding the brothers' potential future in prison.
Related: Do the relatives of Lyle and Erik Menendez think they are innocent?
His predecessor, George Gascon, had previously recommended that they be resentenced and granted parole. The brothers are currently serving life sentences for the murders committed in 1989. Efforts to control the wildfires in the Los Angeles region continue, with the fires having claimed at least 27 lives and devastated several communities.
The notorious case dates back to 1989 when Lyle, aged 21, and Erik, aged 18, shot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. During their initial trial, the defense argued that the brothers acted in self-defense after suffering years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father.
Conversely, prosecutors contended that their motive was financial gain. The first trial, which involved separate juries for each brother, resulted in mistrials. In 1996, a second trial excluded much of the evidence related to the abuse claims, leading to the conviction of both brothers and their sentencing to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. Mr. Hochman, who won the election against Mr. Gascón in November, has stated that he requires additional time to review the case and will refrain from taking a public position like his predecessor.
He intends to announce his decision regarding his office's support for the resentencing initiative on January 30, which has now been postponed to March 20. Mr. Hochman campaigned on a platform aimed at abolishing what he termed "pro-criminal, extreme policies" and seeks to prosecute offenses more stringently to deter crime.
In response to the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles, he has taken a strong stance against looters, arsonists, and individuals impersonating first responders to gain access to evacuated zones. Additionally, he is mobilizing teams to the impacted regions to deter and prosecute those committing insurance fraud against wildfire victims. On Friday, Mr. Hochman's office initiated arson charges against six individuals alleged to have started fires following the destructive Palisades and Eaton incidents.
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