Apu Gomes/Getty Images
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon has recommended that the Menendez brothers be resentenced following the release of a Netflix show featuring their case.
The siblings are currently serving life in prison without parole for the shotgun murders of their father and mother – Jose and Kitty Menendez – in 1989.
They were jailed after a trial in 1996 when Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18.
It has now been recommended that their life sentence is replaced with a sentence of 50 years to life, which would mean the brothers would be eligible for parole immediately because they were under 26 years old at the time of the murders.
“Under the law, resentencing is appropriate. I’m going to recommend that to a court tomorrow,” the district attorney told a news conference.
“I believe they have paid their debt to society.”
Prosecutors must now seek court approval on the case, with the final decision falling to the judge.
Gascon said his office would be reviewing new evidence that allegedly corroborates claims that Erik was sexually abused by his father, who was a music executive.
Both the brothers claim they killed their parents in self-defence after enduring a lifetime of physical, emotional and sexual abuse from them.
Their lawyers argue that because of society’s changing views on sexual abuse, if tried today the brothers may not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Related: Tony Blair reveals the one thing that still surprises him
