He opposes the Menendez brothers’ opposition to a new trial in the Los Angeles County district in the murder of their parents. Atty. Nathan Hochman cited the issues that have plagued the accused since the beginning of the case.
Here’s what we know based on time coverage:
“Life and Deception”
Hochman cited what he described as a pattern of “lie and deception” before and after the court hearing, including a changing version of the event regarding the murder of the Menendez brothers.
The brothers mentioned the possibility that their parents were targeted by the mafia and recruited their friends to claim that Jose Menendez had raped her, initially saying that they were a history of sexual abuse by their father. He didn’t mention what he said.
“Eric and Lyle Menendez were telling five different versions of what happened,” Hochman said.
Their new attempts at freedom are based on what the defendants say is new evidence supporting allegations of sexual abuse.
A habeas-protection petition filed on behalf of a brother in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2023 quoted a 1988 letter sent to his cousin from Eric Menendez. He said he was raped by Jose Menendez when he was a teenager.
Hochman said Friday that the court should deny habeas-protection petitions and that the brothers should not be given a new trial as murder is a matter of conviction rather than a sexual abuse allegation.
He cited a statement from a defense attorney from the first trial that stated that sexual abuse was not justification for murder. He said the brothers should fear their parents kill them over revelations of sexual abuse so that the murder is considered self-defense.
Legal analysis
Former federal prosecutor Neema Ramani said the doors are open to extending the project based on rehabilitation. Hochman said he will revisit the issue of responsiveness “in the coming weeks.”
“But given Hochmann is talking at length about the Menendez brothers’ lies, I think this is unlikely,” Ramani said. “Hochmann said he hasn’t made a decision about resenting and reading tea leaves, but I’m guessing he’ll be against it.”
The murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez in his family’s Beverly Hills home in 1989, followed by the highly publicized trial that followed, renewed public interest in the case decades later, documentaries, films, and more. It sparked a recent TV series about Netflix.
Defence counsel Louis Shapiro said the announcement made it clear that Hochmann “doesn’t enjoy the weak debate from Netflix Watchers.”
“He says they follow pure and simple laws,” Shapiro said. “His attitude and tone tells you that he is not sympathetic to the cause of the Menendez brothers.”
background
In 1989, Eric and Lyle Menendez bought a shotgun with cash, walked to their Beverly Hills home, shooting their parents while watching a movie in the family’s living room. Prosecutors said Jose Menendez was hit five times, including the back of his head, and Kitty Menendez was raw on the injured floor, and his brothers were reorganized and fired the final fatal explosion. .
Police initially speculated that the murder was a mafia hit based on the horrifying scene. The brothers were charged with murder after Eric, who was 18, confessed to his therapist in March 1990.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that the brother’s motives to kill his parents were rooted in greed. The brother’s defense attorneys retorted that years of violent sexual abuse by his father justified the killing as a form of self-defense before the shooting.
The first trial ended with each brother’s ju apprentice. Second, allegations of abuse and support testimony were restricted, and Lyle and Eric Menendez were convicted of first-degree murder in March 1996.
reaction
A group of brothers’ parents who support their release said in a statement Friday that they were “very disappointed.” [Hochman’s] He effectively tore new evidence and made statements that he trusted the trauma they had experienced. ”
Eric and Lyle Coalition Justice, founded by the brother’s parents, blew up Hochman’s comments and said top prosecutors had sidelined the brother’s allegations.
“Abuse does not exist in the vacuum,” the group said in a statement. “To say that Eric and Lyle’s actions didn’t play a role is to ignore decades of psychological research and basic human understanding.”
What’s next?
The next big decision will focus on whether the siblings could be responsive.
Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will not make a generous decision on the murder conviction until Hochman reviews the case.
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