The Menendez Brothers’ long-awaited resentencing trial was postponed on Thursday. The ongoing hearing, which was scheduled for Thursday morning, will determine if the brothers will serve their remaining life sentences or if they will have the opportunity of release.
The trial on Thursday and in the coming week will decide whether the brothers should serve a shorter sentence based on their rehabilitation. The highly publicized case is controversial because of the brothers’ claims of sexual abuse by their parents.
Professor of Journalism Practice Alan Abrahamson, a licensed former lawyer, covered the courtroom trials when the case opened thirty years ago.
“The sexual abuse has never been corroborated, and to be honest with you, it’s completely irrelevant. So all you have to do is read a federal appeals court decision on this matter in 2005 and it lays everything out in simple black and white English, simple black and white English,” Abrahamson said.
Abrahamson also appeared in the 2024 Netflix documentary featuring the Menendez Brothers.
“If more reporters, more journalists, would take the time to read the Ninth Circuit opinion from 2005, they would understand that this case is about two brothers who shotgunned their parents to death. Case closed,” Abrahamson said.
The outcome of the trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents is unprecedented.
“If I could predict the future, I would go to Vegas and sit at the blackjack table. Honestly, all I know is that it is a very unusual thing that 30 years after being convicted and sent to life in prison, the Menendez brothers are in the news,” Abrahamson said.
Despite much speculation, a definitive outcome will not be available until May 9. Judge Michael Jesic said that although he will be hearing testimonies on Thursday and Friday, the decision for the resentencing is not likely to come until next week.