On Friday, April 11, a Los Angeles judge authorised a resentencing hearing for Lyle and Erik Menendez, delivering a blow to prosecutors who have resisted any effort to lessen the brothers’ life sentences for the 1989 fatal shooting of their parents.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman attempted to halt the resentencing process, arguing that it could lead to the brothers becoming eligible for parole after serving more than 35 years. Despite this, Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic dismissed Hochman’s request to withdraw an earlier motion for resentencing, clearing the way for the hearing to proceed on April 17 and 18.
"Today is a good day. Justice won over politics," said the attorney, Mark Geragos, following the hearing.
The Menendez brothers were convicted in 1996 of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in the family’s Beverly Hills home on August 20, 1989. The case drew widespread national attention in the 1990s due to the brothers' privileged upbringing as sons of a successful music industry executive.
Interest in the case was recently renewed by a Netflix documentary series, which presented evidence bolstering the brothers' claims that they endured abuse from their parents. That development led Gascon to push for a lesser charge and consider the possibility of their release.
In the early stages of the investigation, the brothers denied involvement and staged the scene to look like an organized crime hit. They later admitted to the killings, explaining that they acted in fear after years of abuse. Their first trial ended in a hung jury, but a second trial resulted in convictions and life sentences without parole.
Over the years, some members of the Menendez family—including the sisters of Jose and Kitty—have expressed support for the brothers’ release. One notable exception was Kitty Menendez’s brother, Milton Anderson, a vocal opponent of their release who rejected the abuse claims; he passed away recently.
Separately, California Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the state parole board to assess whether the brothers would pose a risk to public safety if released, as he holds the power to commute their sentences.
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Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party is on course for victory, with Armenian media reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
A city north of Tokyo has suspended classes at all 94 of its primary and middle schools after its first-ever reported bear sighting, amid growing concern over increasing encounters between bears and people across Japan.
A Turkish fishing vessel rescued migrants from a boat in distress in international waters off Malta on Sunday (7 June), after the overcrowded craft capsized in the central Mediterranean.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as efforts to secure a ceasefire continue.
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