Los Angeles Superior Court will use a lottery system to control the crowds eager to watch convicted murderers Eric and Lyle Menendez return to court to seek a reduced sentence, which could lead to their release.
The brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents nearly 30 years ago, will attend a hearing Monday morning at Van Nuys Courthouse West on a motion filed by their attorneys to have their convictions reduced to murder. such as murder.
Only 16 public seats are available for the much-anticipated trial, which follows the latest Netflix film and drama series that helped fuel public interest in the brothers’ case.
Lottery tickets will be distributed outside the courthouse from 8 to 9 a.m. Monday and the drawing will be held between 9 and 9:30 a.m., Los Angeles Superior Court announced Thursday.
Sixteen winners will be awarded a trial viewing badge, which must be worn at all times and is only valid on the date issued. Winning tickets are non-transferable and anyone attempting to transfer their ticket will be deemed ineligible for the lottery.
Two standby tickets will be issued and assigned seats if space is available. Pending tickets do not guarantee court access. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am and any members of the public who arrive late risk losing their seats.
Such lottery programs are not uncommon in high-profile cases. The court used a lottery system for those who wanted to get seats in the double murder trial of OJ Simpson in 1995.
A lottery system was also used for those who wanted to see for themselves the case of 2013 when the family of pop singer Michael Jackson accused the promoter of the concert Anschutz Entertainment Group of being responsible for the death of the singer in 2009.
The brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without parole for the murders of their parents in 1989 – a crime they pleaded guilty to. Prosecutors stated that the killings were caused by the boys’ desire to receive their inheritance of fourteen million dollars. The defense team said the boys were acting in self-defense, following years of abuse by their father, Jose Menendez.
Monday’s hearing will focus on a plea that could pave the way for the brothers’ release.
A habeas corpus petition filed last year by the brothers’ lawyers says that new evidence supports the defense lawyers’ allegations that the brothers were victims of sexual abuse.
This evidence includes a letter that lawyers say Erik Menendez wrote about the sexual abuse he endured as a child before the murder and new claims presented by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo, who also said he was raped by Jose Menendez.
Separated from petition for habeas corpus, LA County Dist. He said. George Gascón asked the judge to sentence the Mendez brothers, a step that could end in the brothers being granted amnesty.
But, the recent demotion of Gascón by Nathan Hochman in the November 5 elections may throw a towel in this second way of freedom for the brothers as the hearing of the consideration of the sentence is scheduled for Dec. 11, days after Hochman took office. .
The newly elected district attorney said the Gascón-backed convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez are among several high-profile cases he intends to review.
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