Two brothers convicted of murdering their parents over 30 years ago may be closer to release on parole.
A Los Angeles County district attorney has recommended that Erik and Lyle Menendez have their sentences re-evaluated due to new evidence warranting a review.
The 1989 killings of Kitty and Jose Menendez in their Beverly Hills home have captivated the U.S. for decades, even inspiring a recent Netflix series.
For the brothers to be released, a judge would need to approve the recommendation, followed by approval from a parole board.
The case hinged on the brothers’ motive, as their parents were fatally shot 13 times while watching television.
"I believe the brothers faced significant dysfunction and molestation in their home," said George Gascón, Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor, on Thursday.
Gascón acknowledged that while murder is inexcusable, "I believe they have paid their debt to society."
During their 1990s trials, prosecutors described the brothers as wealthy, calculating young men who planned the murders to inherit their parents' fortune. However, their defense argued that the brothers had endured years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and acted in self-defense.