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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman remains a significant obstacle in the Menendez Brothers‘ path to possible freedom. Erik and Lyle Menendez recently responded to the D.A.’s comparison of their case to RFK’s assassin, Sirhan Sirhan. The duo, through their attorney, Mark Geragos, slammed Hochman for putting them on the same plane as the infamous murderer.Â
Geragos argued that the brothers’ controversial murder of their parents differed from Sirhan’s case. He noted the main difference stemmed from Erik and Lyle’s guilty confession while RFK’s assassin insisted on his innocence. The attorney also attacked Hochman for leaving out facts from Sirhan’s case to draw a false comparison to the Menendez siblings.
Erik and Lyle initially denied shooting their parents when questioned by cops. However, they confessed to the crime during the murder trials. At the time, the brothers claimed they were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, Jose. After 35 years behind bars, Geragos insisted the duo had been rehabilitated. He stressed that they were no longer threats to society and should be released, per TMZ.
Nathan Hochman Believes the Menendez Brothers Should Remain in Prison
In his argument against the Menendez Brothers’ release, Hochman compared their parole bid to Sirhan. He noted the pair should not regain their freedom, citing RFK’s assassin’s parole denial. The politician’s killer initially admitted he shot the former United States Senator before doing a complete 180.
Sirhan pushed for parole, claiming he was innocent and could not remember the shooting. However, Governor Gavin Newsom denied his plea for freedom. Unlike Sirhan, Newsom supported the Menendez Brothers’ quest and has sent their case to the parole board for a risk assessment.
As for Hochman’s move to block Erik and Lyle’s resentencing, many found the D.A.’s actions problematic. “Hochman seems angry at the brothers. Why compare them? Was Sirhan also abused by the person he shot? No. So it’s not the same,” someone argued. Another supporter echoed similar sentiments, declaring the brothers should be released.
The Menendez Brothers Address Their Possible Release From Prison
Erik and Lyle’s response to Hochman’s motion follows their new documentary, TMZ Presents: The Menendez Brothers: The Prison Interview. We covered the story, reporting the pair addressed their possible release from prison after 35 years. Lyle noted their parole was something they had never dreamed of, saying:
“Hope for the future is really kind of a new thing for us, I think. I think Erik would probably agree with that. It’s not something that we spend a lot of time on.”
Erik echoed similar sentiments, claiming he strived to be a “better person” and someone his family could be proud of. The talk of hope and change continued with Erik confessing he had finally learned to love and accept himself. Meanwhile, Lyle emphasized their desperation for freedom, saying, “You never know how long you’ve been blessed with on the Earth.”
