Public can claim seats for Menendez brothers' parole hearing—via lottery
What's the story
In a first, the Los Angeles County Superior Court has announced a public lottery to fill 16 seats reserved for the general public at the upcoming hearing of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
The infamous siblings, convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, could be granted parole after serving three decades in prison.
Naturally, the announcement has sparked widespread interest, given the high-profile nature of their case.
Case review
Menendez brothers' case revisited amid new evidence
The Menendez brothers were sentenced to life without parole for murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
Their trial was highly publicized, making Erik and Lyle household names.
Recently, a Netflix documentary series on their case has brought them back into the limelight.
The renewed interest comes from new evidence backing the brothers' claims that they were sexually abused by their father as kids.
Legal proceedings
Potential sentence reduction and parole eligibility
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon has reportedly proposed reducing the brothers' sentences to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
Their lawyers are also pushing for a downgrade of their sentences from first-degree murder to manslaughter.
If successful, this could lead to their release as they have already served three times the maximum sentence for manslaughter.
Crime aftermath
Menendez brothers' spending spree and self-defense claim
Before being charged with the double murder, the Menendez brothers reportedly blew their $14 million inheritance on luxury items including travel, a sports car, Rolex watches, two restaurants for Lyle, and a full-time tennis coach for Erik.
In court, they confessed to the killings but claimed they were acts of self-defense against a lifetime of abuse from their parents.
This included allegations of sexual abuse by their father.
Release efforts
Celebrity support and legal strategies for Menendez brothers' release
In October, supporters of the Menendez brothers, including family members and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, had gathered outside the courthouse to advocate for their release.
Their lawyer Mark Geragos is pursuing three legal strategies to secure their freedom.
These include a writ of habeas corpus to vacate their first-degree murder conviction, an effort to have them re-sentenced on the same conviction enabling parole requests, and a clemency request submitted to California Governor Gavin Newsom.