New Los Angeles District Attorney makes no promises on future of Menendez brothers

The newly elected Los Angeles County district attorney on Thursday said he would need to review a lot of evidence before deciding on how to move forward with the case regarding the Menendez brothers.

Former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman defeated LA District Attorney George Gascon in the general election last week, just weeks after Gascon recommended that the brothers be resentenced in the 1990s murder of their parents. 

The two brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996, after a second jury found them guilty of the crimes. The first trial concluded with a hung jury. 

Hochman on Thursday questioned Gascon's decision to recommend resentencing so close to the election. Gascon had claimed the decision was made after family members said the brothers would not have received such a severe sentence in the modern world because of allegations that their father sexually abused Erik Menendez. 

"Part of the problem with the Gascón timing of his decision is there's a cloud over that credibility," Hochman said, ABC News reported. "Is it a just decision, or was it just a political ploy?"

"There will be no cloud over whatever decision I do," he said.

If Hochman keeps the same recommendation for the brothers, then they would be eligible for parole immediately.

Gascón denied allegations that the recommendations were politically motivated, stating that he still believes the brothers should be released.

"I base my decision in the review of 30 years of ... information about their behavior, as well as a very thorough understanding of what they were convicted of and the elements of the crime," Gascón told the outlet. "So my decision was appropriately based."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.