The Menendez brothers could be eligible for parole in the latest twist in the case

The Menendez brothers, convicted of murdering their parents and the subject of a recent controversial Netflix drama, could be eligible for parole.

Erik, now 53, and Lyle, 56, were jailed for the 1989 murder of their parents Kitty and Jose Menendez, who were shot multiple times while watching television in their Beverly Hills mansion.

During the subsequent high-profile trial that captivated the US public, the Menendez brothers claimed the shootings were in self-defense after enduring years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their father.

But prosecutors at the time said the claims were fabricated and that the killings were revenge for being written out of her father's multimillion-dollar will. The brothers were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The couple's story was told in Ryan Murphy's Netflix series Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendezwith Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Erik Cooper Koch, which brought renewed attention to the case.

Now a senior prosecutor has recommended that the brothers be resentenced by a judge.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said Thursday (Oct. 24) that he believes the couple has “paid their debt to society” and “the scheme represents a tool for the consideration of their case by a court.” . , added: “I believe the brothers have been subjected to enormous disruption and harassment in their home.”

At a press conference attended by some of Kitty Menendez's relatives, Gascón said: “After careful consideration, I have come to the point where I believe a resentencing is appropriate. I will recommend this to a court tomorrow.

“This means that we will recommend that the life sentence without the possibility of parole be removed and that she be convicted of murder, which, as there were two murders, is equivalent to 50 years to life in prison. However, because they were under 26 years old at the time of the crimes, they are immediately eligible for parole under the law.”

He further acknowledged that the case was deeply controversial.

“We don’t have a general consensus,” Gascón admitted. “There are people in the office who strongly believe they should stay in prison for the rest of their lives, they don't believe they were abused, and there are people who strongly believe they should be released immediately should.”

While many welcomed the move, others said Gascón was using the media attention to make a bid for re-election as voters go to the polls in less than two weeks.

When asked about the possible reasons for his decision, Gascón said there was “nothing political about it,” adding: “We have resentenced over 300 people, including 28 for murder. We will continue to resentence people.”

The possibility of parole apparently hinges on evidence not presented at the original trials: a condemning letter Erik wrote to a cousin about the abuse eight months before the murders, and allegations from Puerto Rican singer Roy Rosselló, a former member by the teenage boy band Menudo, who claimed Jose Menendez also sexually abused him.