LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles District Attorney recommended annoying For Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989 and now have a path to freedom after spending 34 years behind bars.

Here are some things you need to know about the case:

What happened in the infamous murder case in 1989?

Shotgun murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez 20 August 1989At their mansion in Beverly Hills. It was their son, Lyle Menendez, who called 911. The brothers initially claimed that the murder was mafia-related or linked to their father’s business dealings. The brothers continued to spend wildly, buying Rolex watches, cars and homes. Two months later, Erik Menendez told his psychologist, Jerome Oziel, that he and his brother killed their parents. They were eventually arrested and charged with their parents’ deaths.

The murder case attracted public attention. In the immediate aftermath of the OJ Simpson trial, the country was starved for true crime TV. The brothers’ first trial was one of the first to be broadcast almost entirely in its entirety on Court TV. Documentaries, television programs and dramatizations emerged. Netflix drama “ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ” and the “Menendez Brothers” documentary, released in the fall of 2024, have been credited in recent weeks with bringing new attention to the case.

Why were there two hearings?

The brothers’ first trial took place in 1993 with separate juries. Prosecutors argued that they killed their parents for financial gain. The brothers’ lawyers never disputed that the couple killed their parents, but argued that they acted in self-defense after years of emotional and sexual abuse by their father.

Both cases resulted in a hung jury on all three counts for the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez and conspiracy to commit murder. The jury was split on murder and manslaughter convictions.

At the second trial in 1995, the judge excluded a significant amount of evidence heard at the first trial, including testimony from several family members who witnessed or heard the abuse. Prosecutors doubled down on their claim that no abuse took place. A single jury convicted both brothers of first-degree murder as well as three counts, including lying in wait and special circumstances allegations. They were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in 1996.

What will the appeal process be?

In the following years, the brothers repeatedly appealed their convictions. They were rejected by the appeals court and the California Supreme Court in 1998. Habeas corpus petitions filed with the court to review whether a person is lawfully detained have been denied by the state Supreme Court.

After exhausting their options in state court, they filed petitions in federal court, but those petitions were denied. They then appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2005, which again rejected them.

Their lawyers said they were willing to spend the rest of their lives in prison after the appeal failed.

How did the new evidence help the brothers?

The brothers became aware of a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his uncle Andy Cano in 2015, which was mentioned on the Barbara Walters television show. When they asked their lawyers about this, the lawyers were unaware of the letter and realized that the letter had not been presented at either hearing, effectively making the letter new evidence.

Lawyers say this letter confirms Erik’s allegations that he was sexually abused by his father.

Roy Rossello, a former member of the Latin pop group Menudo, recently said he was drugged and raped by the boys’ father, Jose Menendez, as a teenager in the 1980s. Menudo was signed under RCA Records, which was managed by Jose Menendez at the time.

Rossello spoke about the abuse he suffered in the Peacock docuseries “Menendez + Menudo: The Boys Betrayed.” He submitted a signed statement to the brothers’ attorneys, the final piece of evidence they need to file a new petition for habeas corpus in May 2023 and request a reconsideration of the case.

What does the current Los Angeles prosecutor say?

Los Angeles County prosecutors recommended 50-year sentences for the brothers. Because they were under 26 at the time of the crimes, they would have been eligible for parole under a California law that took effect in 2018.

District Attorney George Gascón said he took many factors into consideration when making the decision, including the brothers’ rehabilitation in prison. In documents filed by his office, prosecutors noted both brothers’ educational achievements (both earned various degrees) and contributions to society, such as the GreenSpace prison beautification program started by Lyle Menendez. Both siblings received low risk assessment scores.

Gascón also said the case would be handled differently with today’s understanding of how sexual and physical abuse affects children.

Brothers are strong The support of most of their families, Those who say they are victims of slander. However, one of their uncles wants them to stay in prison.

What happens next?

The reinstatement petition will now be reviewed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. Legal experts say it won’t happen smooth process Again.

Gascón faces opposition from his own office over the decision, and a family member does not support the outrage. They will have the opportunity to have their allegations heard before the judge.

If he accepts the resentment recommendation, the brothers will have to have the state parole board decide on their release. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has 150 days to review the parole board’s decision.