As Los Angeles prosecutors Friday argue in a Los Angeles courtroom why they want to withdraw the resentencing recommendation for Lyle and Erik Menendez, the brothers joined the hearing remotely.
They were wearing their blue prison clothes as they listened to the argument from their San Diego prison, sitting together. They were wearing glasses, appearing to read something offscreen at some points.
When Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian described how Lyle pressed his shotgun into his mother’s cheek and fired shots, the elder brother was seen slightly rocking forward.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman was seated on the first row behind his team of prosecutors during the hearing while the brothers’ defense team led by Mark Geragos were in court along with the brothers’ family members.
The deputy DA said while they have the “awesome powers to recognize when someone has rehabilitated successfully,” they said they must exercise the powers wisely.
The prosecution also slammed former DA George Gascon, saying his decision to file the motion was politically motivated by the November election. Gascon ended up losing to Hochman by some 30 points.
The deputy district attorney told Judge Michael Jesic that he would focus on the lies told by the brothers as they exposed the sexual abuse their their father, Jose.
Balian argued that Lyle had written a letter in 1991, saying they needed to pain their mom, Kitty, as a violent person willing to murder her own sons.
The deputy DA also argued that Lyle had asked his then-girlfriend to lie and say that his father violently rapted her, but she refused despite Lyle offering her money.
This is a developing story. Check for updates.
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