Will the Menendez brothers be released? Prosecutors will announce imminent resentencing announcement

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón will announce his decision to potentially recommend resentencing of Erik and Lyle Menendez on Thursday, Oct. 24, his office said.

Gascón will hold a news conference at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles at 1:30 p.m. PT, his office said in a news release.

He makes the decision after reviewing new evidence in the case as well as the brothers' behavior and rehabilitation in prison.

Gascón can make a resentencing recommendation, but a judge will ultimately make the final decision.

Lyle, 56, and Erik, 53, are currently serving life sentences without parole after being convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Since 2023, Gascón's office has been reviewing a habeas corpus petition filed by lawyers for the brothers in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing new evidence.

The new evidence included allegations of sexual abuse by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, against Jose, who he said raped him in the 1980s. It also included a newly discovered letter that Erik wrote to his now-deceased cousin Andy Cano, in which he described his father's alleged sexual abuse months before the murders.

Gascón spoke about the petition at a press conference on Thursday, October 3, saying his office was “open” to resentencing the Menendez brothers.

Last week, the brothers' family members held a news conference in downtown Los Angeles and called on prosecutors to release the brothers.

At the press conference, numerous family members cited the sexual abuse the brothers allegedly suffered at the hands of Jose.

Gascón, who is up for re-election in November, acknowledged that the brothers “were clearly the killers” and said his office has “a moral and ethical obligation to review what is presented to us” and determine whether such evidence has any influence could have dissuaded jurors from convicting people of first-degree murder.

Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when they fatally shot their parents with 12-gauge shotguns in the den of their Beverly Hills, California, home on August 20, 1989.

Want to stay up to date with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Jose, 45, was hit several times, including directly in the head. Kitty, 47, was shot multiple times, including once in the face.

According to the brothers, the murders came after years of sexual abuse by Jose – abuse that they claimed was ignored by their mother, a former beauty queen.

But prosecutors at the time said the two brothers' motive was greed, citing their lavish spending spree after the murders.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.