Kim Kardashian cheered on a major development in the infamous Menendez brothers’ case, after the Los Angeles District Attorney suggested they receive new sentences for their parents’ murder.
Kardashian used Instagram to share her delight about the development, applauding Gascon for offering the Menendez brothers a “second chance” and “righting a significant wrong.”
“The Menendez brothers were granted a second chance at life and will wake up tomorrow finally eligible for a parole hearing,” she began, noting that they could get out in “as early as six months.”
Gascon publicly advocated for a new sentence for Erik and Lyle, 35 years after the notorious murder of their parents, Kitty and Jose, in Beverly Hills.
View this post on Instagram
His push involves immediate parole eligibility, though a court will determine the brothers’ new sentences.
Erik and Lyle, now in their 50s, acknowledged their crime but have claimed enduring abuse led them to their actions.
“I believe they have paid their debt to society… and the system provides a vehicle for their case to be reviewed by a court of law,” Gascon remarked.
Initially dismissed by the public in the ’80s as cold-blooded, recent TikTok campaigns and Netflix documentaries have sparked renewed public empathy and attention.
“I do believe they were molested. They have been in prison for nearly 35 years. I believe that they have paid their debt to society,” Gascon said at the Thursday afternoon press conference.
The DA noted that his office had carefully reviewed the case and he “came to a place” where he believed that “resentencing is appropriate.”
“I believe they have paid their debt to society,” Los Angeles County DA George Gascon said Thursday in announcing that he would file to have Erik and Lyle Menendez be eligible for parole immediately. pic.twitter.com/duOnNvzqES
— KTLA (@KTLA) October 24, 2024
He announced that his office would recommend to the court that the “life without possibility of parole” be taken off the table and that they be sentenced for dual murder charges.
While resentencing may seem like a gamble, the current law is in their favor, as the brothers were under the age of 26 at the time of the murders, so they “will be eligible for parole immediately.”
Gascon decided against reducing charges to manslaughter, citing the clear nature of the murders despite the brothers’ young age during the crime.
“Thank you, George Gascón, for revisiting the Menéndez brothers’ case and righting a significant wrong,” wrote Kardashian, a longtime prison reform advocate.
“Your commitment to truth and fairness is commendable,” the reality star lauded.
She also praised the support of the Menendez brothers’ family, friends, and a vocal fan base, crediting media attention created by television show for highlighting the brothers’ abuse claims.
Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” was released last month and became a smash hit on Netflix.
She stressed that societal understanding of child abuse has “evolved,” empowering people to scrutinize the justice system’s decisions.
“This case highlights the importance of challenging decisions and seeking truth, even when guilt is not in question, Kardashian noted.
“I believe in the justice system’s ability to evolve, and I am grateful for a society where we can challenge decisions and seek justice,” her post concluded.
In a follow-up, she noted the brothers’ new parole eligibility due to a 2015 California bill aiding youthful offenders, acknowledging their 35 years served.
At the beginning of the month, Kardashian wrote an Op-Ed for NBC News advocating for the brothers’ freedom, along with highlighting details from their case and and abusive childhoods.
“We are all products of our experiences. They shape who we were, who we are, and who we will be,” a caption from the article read.
“Physiologically and psychologically, time changes us, and I doubt anyone would claim to be the same person they were at 18. I know I’m not!” She wrote.
The 1989 murders initially ignited fears of a fugitive killer, yet police suspected greed as the motive, with the brothers poised to inherit millions from their parent’s deaths.
Lyle indulged in luxury purchases, while Erik pursued tennis training post-murder, cumulatively spending $700,000 before their 1990 arrests.
Throughout their incarceration they maintained a self-defense claim, alleging lifelong parental abuse, while their attorneys seek to vacate the conviction as the case gains fresh scrutiny.