When Los Angeles County judge was indignant with Erik and Lyle Menendez on Tuesday, he offered the brothers a path to freedom as they went to jail for killing their parents with a shotgun in 1989.
The latest developments have qualified Lyle, 57, and Erik, 54, for parole — but that's just one of three ways to allow them to walk freely after falling behind 35 years.
Over the next few months, several different judges, parole commissioner and even Governor Gavin Newsom could still hold the brothers’ fate.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic on Tuesday's ruling changed the brothers' original sentence to 50 years. Both are immediately eligible for parole under the state’s young offender law, as the shooting occurred before the age of 26.
According to lawyers who work with Menendez's defense team, parole hearings may be held before the end of the year. At the hearing, the panel of commissioners could consider a brother who is suitable for parole, but the decision was not final. A 90-day review period will follow, and Newsom may block its release.
As of Wednesday, nothing was arranged. During the parole hearing, the brothers will have to be held responsible for their crimes and argue with the Commissioner that they are unlikely to re-offend. In a statement issued in court on Tuesday, they appeared frustrating and thrilled in the remurse of the murder.
"My actions were criminal, selfish, cruel and timid," Erik Menendez said Tuesday. "I have no excuses, no reason.
Lyle also said he fell down his mother and father due to a shotgun explosion and fought for his release to nearly twenty relatives.
"I'm sorry for each of you," Lyle told the court Tuesday. "I lied to you and forced you to be the focus of public humiliation you never asked for."
Erik and Lyle's lawyers also filed a lawsuit with Newsom before the hatred process began. If the governor grants leniency, their verdict will be commuting immediately and they can immediately walk out of the Richard Donovan Correctional House in San Diego, where they have been placed for years.
A remote leniency hearing is scheduled for June 13, and the brothers will actually appear before the parole committee. On that day, the board could make suggestions to Newsom about its applicability release – which could also predict their fate at the final parole hearing.
Newsom has no timetable to take action on leniency application and does not need to respond to it. The governor has announced potential changes to the statewide parole procedure related to the case.
The brothers also have a new trial petition that is pending. In the motion, defense attorney Mark Geragos pointed to other evidence of sexual abuse committed by Jose Menendez, including new charges by members of the boy band Menudo.
The brothers have long believed they had committed crimes because of fear that their parents would kill them in order to cover up the years of sexual abuse Jose committed.
Los Angeles County. Atti. Nathan Hochman even put himself in the center of the Menandes case before he was elected, attacking his ex's decision, whose decision seeks to disgust the brothers, despite not having access to the file in the case.
Hawkman asserted that former district. Atti. George Gascón filed a petition just to save his failed reelection and promised to review the case after he was in office.
In March, Hochman formally declared his grudge against them, saying the brothers still did not show proper "insight" about the crime because they uttered lies, they told them the motives in the case, and tried to get witnesses to make fabricated testimony in their original trial.
Although Jesic repeatedly warned prosecutors that these arguments were not legally suitable for hearings, Hochman's team advanced and ended with the most striking early term of Hochman as a district attorney.
Hawkman said Wednesday he still considered opposing their resentment to success because it raised objections to the judge, parole board and the governor who had a say in the fate of the brothers - "a complete record of facts."
Hockman insisted he did not think the brothers should be released and said prosecutors would "participate" in future parole hearings.
Hawkman may also appeal Jesus' ruling. The District Attorney's Office did not immediately question this method.
Time worker Richard Winton and Matthew Ormseth contributed to the report.