1:52 pm PT – Considering that the Menendez family was left behind Erik and Lyle Today, people in the crowd were cut off… some holding signs advocating the release, others wanting them to remain behind bars.
1:30 p.m. PT – Bryan FreedmanThe lawyer representing the Menendez family says the family is heading to the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles. As victims of the Marsy Rule murders, family members can go to court to be heard… and everyone will reiterate their perception that Erik and Lyle should be released from prison.
1:25 p.m. PT – kittenniece – Karen Vander Molen – says he always believed in Erik and Lyle’s story… feeling that something was wrong with his family’s rise. She adds that if Erik and Lyle were girls, they would have a much shorter sentence.
1:21 pm PT – Brian A. Andersen Jr. – kittennephew of – says he’s known the Menendez brothers his entire life… saying he doesn’t assume his cousins are the villains the media has made them out to be.
If the trial had taken place at this time – he says – the alleged sexual abuse they dealt with would not have been dismissed immediately, and the trial would have ended much differently. Brian says that if Erik and Lyle are released, he will happily welcome them into his home with a big hug and a place to sleep.
1:17 pm PT – Joan Andersen Vander Molen – Kitty Menendez’s 92-year-old sister – says it took a few years for her to talk about her sister’s murder again… but the alleged abuse the Menendez brothers suffered changed her mind.
Joan says Erik and Lyle were let down by the people who were supposed to protect them – including Kitty. She says the world was not prepared to simply accept that boys could be sexually assaulted in the 1990s – now, the world knows otherwise and her sentence must be changed.
1:12 pm PT – José Menéndezniece, Anamaria Baraltreceived a statement from their mother – José’s sister – saying that she will not be able to attend due to health problems… but she is giving her support to Erik and Lyle and asking for the brothers’ release. She wants to hug them at least once more in her life, she says in the letter.
1:07 p.m. (Pacific Time) – Marcos Geragos talked about Roy Rossellóof Erik’s testimony and letter to his cousin Andy in addition to the Menendezes’ work behind bars to rehabilitate… saying they hope the prosecutor will re-sentence the brothers.
The family of Erik and Lyle Menendez is pushing for their release from prison, holding a press conference outside a Los Angeles courthouse… and TMZ is broadcasting it live.
Rosie O’Donnell is scheduled to speak in support of the Menendez brothers… and nearly two dozen family members traveled from across the country to pressure the L.A. County district attorney George Gascón to formally suggest the new sentencing of the infamous murderers.
Erik and Lyle’s defense attorney, Mark Geragos, will also provide comments… and three of the Menendez brothers’ cousins, plus an aunt, will also take the microphone.
Among the key recent pieces of evidence the family will be debating is a letter Erik wrote just months before the brothers killed their parents… where Erik allegedly tells his cousin, Andy Cano, about the abuse he and Lyle faced for your father’s hands, José Menéndez.
Andy’s mother allegedly discovered Erik’s letter about nine years ago… and during the Menendez brothers’ trial, Andy testified that Erik told him about his father’s alleged abuse when he was just 13 years old. Andy died in 2003, so he clearly won’t be at the press conference.
As we reported, earlier this month DA Gascón announced that his workplace was reevaluating the test in the Menendez case… and the district attorney said he had heard of other abuse allegations against José, made by Menudo band member Roy Rosselló.
Erik and Lyle have been behind bars since 1990… they testified about being abused by their father during their first trial, which led to a hung jury – but a judge refused to allow such testimony at the retrial – and they are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.
It will be interesting to see what the family has to say here… they clearly hope this new evidence overturns Erik and Lyle’s sentences.
Initially revealed – 12:45 pm PT