For the first time in nearly three decades, the Menendez brothers could make their first court appearance in person during their hearings in March, according to their legal representatives.
The law office of Geragos & Geragos told NBCLA that the brothers would be physically present during their resentencing hearing at the Van Nuys Courthouse on March 20 and 21. However, a source familiar with the case told NBC News that whether they appear in person or virtually has not yet been determined.
Originally set for January 30 and 31, the hearing was postponed to March due to the devastating wildfires that struck Los Angeles in early January.
“The extension is due to the impact of the recent wildfires on the extensive preparations required for the hearings,” stated Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s office.
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The brothers have not been seen in court since July 1996, when they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez.
On October 24, 2024, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón formally recommended that Erik and Lyle Menéndez, now 53 and 56, be resentenced.
A hearing was held on November 25, 2024, at the Van Nuys Courthouse to discuss the next steps in the petition for a new sentence. The brothers could be heard, but not seen, on a feed from a San Diego prison. They were expected to appear on a video feed, but technical problems prevented them from being seen together in court for the first time in decades.
The judge granted additional time for newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who took office on December 2, to review the case and related trial documents.
The resentencing hearing is now scheduled for March 20 and 21, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. at the Van Nuys Courthouse.
