close
close

Guiltandivy

Source for News

Menendez family launches coalition for justice for Erik and Lyle
Update Information

Menendez family launches coalition for justice for Erik and Lyle

The family of Lyle and Erik Menendez and attorney Mark Geragos held a news conference Wednesday to introduce a new coalition and the website JusticeForLyleandErik.org.

Their aunt, Joan Vandermolen, urged the public to be there and sign the petition calling on Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to grant the brothers a resentencing.

On October 3, Gascón announced that he would review the brothers' 1996 murder convictions in the wake of increased attention given to the case following the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”

Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez

Geragos mentioned two key pieces of evidence that were not presented during the 1996 trial: a letter written by Erik before the murders relating to the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his father, Jose, and a statement from Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo, that he was also attacked by Jose Menendez.

The two brothers, now 56 and 53 years old respectively, were jailed after being found guilty of the double murder of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989. Both are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

On Sunday, Gascón posted on Instagram a screenshot of a handwritten letter from Erik from December 1988 that references the abuse he and Lyle allegedly suffered at the hands of their father.

“I tried to avoid dad. It's still happening, Andy, but it's worse for me now,” the letter to Erik and Lyle's cousin Andy Cano reads. “I never know when it's going to happen and it drives me crazy. Every night I stay awake thinking he might come in.” As CNN reported, Gascon's post was deleted on Tuesday.

Gascón said Oct. 3 that his office was “examining the possibility, asserted by his attorneys, not us, that there was evidence that the outcome of the trial would have been different had it been presented to the jury.”

The Attorney General's Office, Media Relations Division, said in a statement Wednesday that no decision has been made.

“Today's scheduled press conference will be hosted by the Menendez brothers' attorneys and family. The DA's office will not attend the press conference or make any announcements. A decision in the Menendez case has not yet been made. Once Prosecutor Gascón makes a decision, the victims’ family members and the public will be notified,” the statement shared with TheWrap said.

The family hopes the brothers will be released by Thanksgiving to celebrate their aunt's 93rd birthday, ABC News reported Wednesday.

Celebrities including Rosie O'Donnell and Kim Kardashian have campaigned for the brothers' release.

Kim Kardashian, Erik and Lyle Mendez

LEAVE A RESPONSE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *