Name: Los Angeles DA Withdraws Recommendation Reducing Menendez Brothers' Prison Sentence
Uploaded: 2025-04-12T01:48:19.000Z
Description: Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed a reply motion on March 10 to withdraw a previous recommendation by former District Attorney George Gascón to reduce the prison terms of 54-year-old Erik Menendez and 57-year-old Lyle Menendez.

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Ukraine Says Russia Used North Korean Missiles in Latest Barrage Killing 13 Civilians 

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Justice Department Uncovers $350 Million in Alleged Fraud Across Southeast

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

Trump Renews Criticism Over China's COVID Cover-up

Nikou Bani

GanJing World Hosts #BeKindBeCool Award Ceremony in Times Square

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

FBI Displays Drones Seized Across Los Angeles During World Cup

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's national security correspondent. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

World News

International

Spain Deploys Military to Ceuta After Thousands of Illegal Immigrants Breach Morocco's Border; At Least 18 Dead

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump's 'Freedom Haulers' Solves 2 Problems at the Same Time: Analyst

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Police: Tony Romo Had Open Container of Alcohol in Vehicle

Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at jacki.thrapp@epochtimes.us

Jacki Thrapp

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

US News

State News

Georgia

Father of Apalachee High School Shooter Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Americans React: Should Congress Pass the SAVE America Act?

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 30)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 27)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 26)

Paul Greaney is an NTD news anchor and producer. Since joining the company in 2018, he has anchored the station’s flagship Evening News broadcast, launched the NTD Business show, and produced documentary reports on pointed issues. 

The highlight of Paul’s time in the field was his coverage of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Paul Greaney

Full Episodes

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 25)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 24)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 23)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 22)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 21)

Tom Gantert is a reporter for The Epoch Times.

Tom Gantert

Melina Wisecup is NTD's congressional correspondent based in Washington, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics.

Melina Wisecup

Politics

Executive Branch

Trump Uses Recent Speeches to Warn Americans of Resurging Communism

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

Shows

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

2.8 Million People in China Evacuated Amid Typhoon Bavi

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Breaking news and in-depth analysis from the United States and beyond. We bring you the latest updates, exclusive insights, and sharp discussions on the most pressing issues. NTD Newsroom airs Monday–Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

US Announces Visa Restrictions Targeting Cybercriminals

NTD Movies

NTD+ Movies

The Unrestricted War

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Congress

House Passes Legislation to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

Troy Myers is a regional reporter based in St. Augustine, Florida. His background includes breaking, criminal justice, and investigative writing for local news, producing on a national morning newscast in Washington, D.C., and working with an award-winning, weekly investigative news program. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his dog at the beach.

Troy Myers

Courts

Appeals Court Upholds Block on Trump Order to Tighten Mail-In Voting, Citizenship Verification

Sen. Lindsey Graham Likely Died After Aorta Tear, Medical Examiner Says

Bringing you the latest videos, livestreams, and premieres.


NTD Videos

Label

Live

NTD+ Live

Trump Makes an Announcement on Freedom Hauler in the White House

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

China News

China Floods: Thousands at Risk After Multiple Dams Collapse in Guangxi

Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University.

Jackson Richman

House Passes Defense Policy Bill That Attaches SAVE America Act

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed a reply motion on March 10 to withdraw a previous recommendation by former District Attorney George Gascón to reduce the prison terms of 54-year-old Erik Menendez and 57-year-old Lyle Menendez.

Gascón had recommended in October 2024 that the Menendez brothers be resentenced with the possibility of parole instead of life in prison without parole.

Hochman said he believes that the brothers have not exhibited “full insight and complete responsibility” for their crimes.

“We have now analyzed the original motion filed by the District Attorney's office and saw that in no way, shape, or form did they deal with what we believe to be one of the key issues: this exhibition of full insight and complete responsibility for one's crimes,” Hochman said during a <a href="https://www.ntd.com/live-now-district-attorney-provides-update-on-the-menendez-brothers-case_1053041.html">press conference</a> on the morning of March 10.

In 1996, the Menendez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in the 1989 deaths of their parents, Mary "Kitty" Menendez and Jose Menendez, in Beverly Hills, California. Jose Menendez was an entertainment executive in the 1980s.

Hochman explained that his position is partly based on the brothers allegedly failing to provide a consistent and clear motive.

"The self-defense defense was a fabrication," Hochman told reporters. “If they finally acknowledge the lies they have told and persisted in for 30 years, we will evaluate that sincerity and decide if it’s real or fake.”

He further urged the Menendez brothers to come clean so they could be in a position for the court to recommend resentencing.

"If that were to occur, then I've said the district attorney's office, if they believed that these new insights were sincere or unequivocal ... would reconsider whether or not we would go forward on a resentencing motion," Hochman said.

A 60-page statement of facts detailing the alleged crime was included with Hochman’s filing.

There were allegedly more than 12 shotgun blasts that occurred on the night of the murders, with one shot found through the back of Jose Menendez’s head, according to Hochman. Hochman alleged that when the Menendez brothers ran out of ammunition, they reloaded the shotgun and blasted their mother’s face. Hochman noted that after their parents were dead, the brothers shot them both in the knees to imitate a gangland hit.

Erik Menendez testified during his second trial that between the ages of six and 18, for seven days he had encountered sexual abuse from his father. He also said his brother Lyle had received sexual abuse from his father between the ages of six and eight.

When questioned by a reporter during the press conference, Hochman denied bias against the Menendez brothers.

“We are pulling back or asking the court to withdraw that motion while we're also indicating to the court that we're prepared to go forward on the court's own motion for resentencing," he said.

The court-initiated resentencing proceeding will include <a href="https://da.lacounty.gov/media/news/los-angeles-county-district-attorney-nathan-hochman-files-decision-menendez-resentencing">hearings</a> on March 20 and March 21.

Hochman previously denied a new trial during a Feb. 21 press conference, explaining that the evidence of abuse is not pertinent to determining the brothers' guilt in the case.

“Sexual abuse in this situation may have been a motivation for Erik and Lyle to do what they did, but it does not constitute self-defense,” Hochman said in February.

He also said the brothers’ own testimony of sexual abuse was untrustworthy because they had given five different explanations for why they committed the murder.

Latest

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

California

02_Second Lead

Juliette Fairley is a freelance reporter for NTD and The Epoch Times and a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Born in Chateauroux, France, and raised outside of Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Juliette is a well-adjusted military brat. She has written for many publications across the country. Send Juliette story ideas at JulietteFairley@gmail.com

Juliette Fairley

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Los Angeles DA Withdraws Recommendation Reducing Menendez Brothers' Prison Sentence

Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

NTD News Today Full Broadcast (July 31)

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.