Menendez Brothers Resentencing Hearing Ends, Geragos Demands Risk Assessment Report
Menendez Brothers Resentencing Hearing Pushed Geragos Accuses D.A. of Bias, Demands His Recusal
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The Menendez Brothers resentencing hearing has ended for the day ... and will not be continued on Friday, as originally scheduled.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 9, and will address the admissibility of a risk assessment report ... and the brothers' defense attorney Mark Geragos is expected to file for L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman to be personally recused from the case. Hochman grew up in Beverly Hills and went to the same high school as the Menendez Bros.
In a news conference after today's hearing, Geragos repeatedly accused the D.A.'s Office -- and specifically Hochman -- of retraumatizing the Menendez family. One family member was reportedly hospitalized after crime scene photos were shown in court on April 11. Bryan Freedman, who represents members of the Menendez family, said he wants to ensure their Marsy's Law rights are respected.
Tamara Menendez, a cousin, spoke at Thursday's post-hearing news conference, and said she felt belittled by Hochman in a one-on-one meeting ... prompting Geragos to call it an abusive attack on her and claim Hochman is "serially" traumatizing the family.
No testimony will be heard in the May 9 hearing, though the family is invited to attend. Whether the hearing is open to the public is still being determined. Geragos still hasn't seen the risk assessment report, and is waiting to receive it.
Hochman himself filed a last-minute motion Wednesday night in L.A. County Superior Court to prevent today's much-anticipated hearing from going forward, arguing the court needs time to review the California parole board's risk assessment report for Erik and Lyle Menendez. The judge rejected that motion and today's hearing went forward.
As you know, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state's parole board back in February to conduct a risk assessment of the brothers before any clemency decision could be made.
Newsom plans to use the report as part of a June 13 hearing, in which Erik and Lyle will each appear before the board for their individual reviews. After the hearing, Newsom will then make his decision on whether to grant clemency to the brothers.
Erik and Lyle were convicted of shooting their parents to death with shotguns in their Beverly Hills home in 1989 and were ultimately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Despite their sentence, the brothers have been actively working the legal system in the hopes of getting released from prison, especially over the past two years. They've filed for resentencing, requested clemency and pushed for a new trial based on newly unearthed evidence.
