West
Menendez brothers: Los Angeles DA Nathan Hochman asks to withdraw predecessor's motion to free killers
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters Monday that he is seeking to withdraw his predecessor’s motion to have a resentencing hearing for the Menendez brothers – two convicted killers, Erik and Lyle – who hope to be freed from life imprisonment without parole.
He said the brothers have failed to come clean about a motive or display meaningful self-reflection that would warrant a resentencing.
“The self-defense defense was a fabrication,” Hochman said. “They need to admit to that.”
They had previously exhausted all appeals and had no hope of freedom, until a new California law made resentencing hearings possible.
Any reduction could make them immediately eligible for parole. Hochman said the brothers have repeatedly lied about the case, their parents, and their interactions with witnesses.
MENENDEZ BROTHERS DISCUSS ‘BULLYING AND TRAUMA’ IN PRISON IN RARE PUBLIC REMARKS, NEW PODCAST INTERVIEW
This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Dept. of Corrections via AP, File)
In a statement following Hochman’s remarks, relatives of the brothers who have been pushing for their release accused the DA of holding their family “hostage.”
“He appears fixated on their trauma-driven response to the killings in 1989 with blinders on to the fact they were repeatedly abused, feared for their lives, and have atoned for their actions,” the family said in a statement. “How many times do we have to hear the same attempts to bury who they are today and rip us back to that painful time?”
The brothers have largely been credited for good behavior behind bars, even after they thought they exhausted all appeals.
In an 88-page filing, Hochman’s office said prosecutors were ready to proceed with the scheduled resentencing hearings on March 20 and 21 – but would formally ask the court to withdrew the initial resentencing request under former District Attorney George Gascon.
“The basis for that request is that the prior motion did not examine or consider whether the Menendez brothers have exhibited full insight and taken complete responsibility for their crimes by continuing for the past over 30 years to lie about their claims of self-defense, that is, their fear that their mother and father were going to kill them the night of Aug. 20, 1989, justifying the brutal murders of their parents with shotgun blasts through the back of their father’s head, a point-blank blast through their mother’s face, and shots to their kneecaps to stage it as a Mafia killing,” Hochman said.
“As a full examination of the record reveals, the Menendez brothers have never come clean and admitted that they lied about their self-defense as well as suborned perjury and attempted to suborn perjury by their friends for the lies, among others, of their father violently raping Lyle’s girlfriend, their mother poisoning the family, and their attempt to get a handgun the day before the murders.”
Read the filing
Hochman noted that jurors had rejected the self-defense claim at trial.
“We are basically, in some ways, offering a path to the Menendez brothers, and here’s what the pathway looks like: If the Menendez brothers, at some point unequivocally, sincerely and fully accept complete responsibility for all their criminal actions, acknowledge that the self-defense defense was phony as their parents weren’t going to kill them the night of August 20th when they murdered them in cold blood, acknowledged that they suborned or attempted to suborn perjury and all the various ways I have outline, if they go ahead and finally come clean with the court, with the public, with the DA’s office, with their own family members, and acknowledge all these lies, and then can be said to have fully and completely accepted responsibility for their actions in the future,” Hochman said. “[Then] the court can weigh these new insights into making a determination as to whether they now qualify for rehabilitation and re sentencing, and the people will do the same.”
The Menendez brothers have never come clean and admitted that they lied about their self-defense as well as suborned perjury and attempted to suborn perjury by their friends for the lies, among others, of their father violently raping Lyle’s girlfriend, their mother poisoning the family, and their attempt to get a handgun the day before the murders.
If they don’t, he said, they don’t deserve reduced sentences.
The brothers’ resentencing hearing has been postponed following November’s Los Angeles district attorney election, and was rescheduled to March 20 and 21.
The brothers killed their parents, Mary “Kitty” Menendez and Jose Menendez, with shotguns from behind in their Beverly Hills living room in 1989.
SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER
An undated photo of the Menendez family as it appears on screen during a panel at CrimeCon 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday, June 2. The brothers Lyle and Erik were convicted of fatally shooting both of their parents in 1989. (Michael Ruiz/Fox News Digital)
They claimed self-defense, arguing that they were afraid their father was going to kill them after they threatened to expose him as a child sex abuser.
The brothers are pursuing two other avenues that could set them free – clemency from Gov. Gavin Newsom and a habeas petition seeking new trials, which could result in lesser sentences.
Since then, roughly two dozen relatives have come out in support of their freedom, including Kitty’s sister Joan Andersen VanderMolen, 92.
Her brother, Milton Andersen, was the sole family member who spoke out publicly in opposition to their release. He died on March 3 at the age of 90, according to his attorney – just weeks before his nephews were expected to appear in front of a California judge.
Milton Andersen and his sister, Kitty Menendez, in an undated family photo. Kitty was killed in a 1989 ambush shooting carried out by her own sons. Anderson died earlier this month at the age of 90 as the family’s sole public voice opposing releasing his nephews, Erik and Lyle Menendez, from life imprisonment. (Courtesy of RJ Dreiling)
“Milton Andersen was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather,” attorney RJ Dreiling told Fox News Digital. “He served his country with honor as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. Kitty Menendez wasn’t just his sister—he helped raise her after their father left when they were young. He loved her deeply and missed her every single day.”
Andersen had vehemently opposed a sentence reduction for his nephews and previously told Fox News Digital he does not believe their claims of sex abuse against their father.
Erik Menendez (C) and his brother Lyle (L) are pictured on August 12, 1991 in Beverly Hills. (MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X
“It’s Milton Andersen’s continued belief that the claims of molestation were made up, and they were false, and he believes that the correct verdict was issued by the jury and the correct sentence was also committed,” his previous attorney, Kathleen Cady, told Fox News Digital at the time. She later recused herself from his case in order to take a new role within the DA’s office.
VanderMolen and other relatives in the pro-clemency faction met with former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon to push for their freedom, but he never met with Andersen.
WATCH ON FOX NATION: MENENDEZ BROTHERS: VICTIMS OR VILLAINS?
Gascon initiated the push for sentence reductions but lost re-election to Nathan Hochman in November. Hochman then met with both sides of the family.
Joan Andersen VanderMolen, sister of Kitty Menendez, speaks as family members of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the Beverly Hills brothers convicted of killing their parents, hold a press conference at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
LETTER AT CENTER OF MENENDEZ BROTHER’S BID FOR FREEDOM CALLED INTO QUESTION
“Milton was profoundly grateful that District Attorney Nathan Hochman took the time to personally meet with him,” Dreiling said. “He found comfort in knowing that Hochman was not only well-versed in the facts and the law but also approached their conversation with genuine compassion and concern. DA Hochman’s willingness to listen meant a great deal to Milton in his final days.”
Andersen spent 26 years in the Army and Army Reserve, serving with the 82nd Airborne and U.S. Army Special Forces and retiring as a 1st sergeant, according to an online obituary.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra Rose Andersen, three children, 18 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
California dominates top 10 priciest U.S. cities for homeowners — here’s what you need to earn
- California dominates US housing costs, with 9 of 10 priciest metros; San Jose leads at $11,690/month.
- San Francisco and Los Angeles also rank high, requiring annual incomes of $358,090 and $301,221 respectively.
- Despite a slight decline in income requirements since 2025, affordability remains a distant dream for many.
From Silicon Valley to San Diego, the Golden State boasts nine of the 10 most expensive metropolitan areas in the US for homeowners, a new report revealed.
San Jose landed in the top spot, followed by San Francisco at No. 2 and Los Angeles at No. 5.
An analysis from ConsumerAffairs examined monthly home payments across 200 of the nation’s largest metro areas to determine the income needed to afford a home in each location.
In San Jose, that monthly cost came out to a staggering $11,690 — making it by far the the most expensive US metro for homeowners for the second year in a row.
Buyers now need to earn an eye-popping $501,012 in annual income to afford a typical property.
That figure dwarfs the city’s actual median household income of $164,801, exceeding it by a massive 204%, according to the report. It also far surpasses the national median household income of $81,604.
With a median home price of more than $1.55 million, ownership in the Silicon Valley city remains out of reach for most residents.
Nearby San Francisco ranked the second most expensive, with monthly housing costs at $8,355 and buyers needing to earn $358,090 annually to afford a home there, the analysis found.
In Los Angeles, monthly costs averaged $7,029, with buyers needing to earn $301,221.
The 10 most expensive metro areas in the US and their average monthly costs:
- 1. San Jose: $11,690
- 2. San Francisco: $8,355
- 3. Santa Cruz: $354,973
- 4. Santa Maria: $305,535
- 5. Los Angeles: $301,221
- 6. San Diego: $293,618
- 7. San Luis Obispo: $280,591
- 8. Oxnard: $276,805
- 9. Salinas: $262,403
- 10. Honolulu, Hawaii: $255,280
The only metro outside California to crack the top 10 was Honolulu.
The divide across the country is stark.
The gap between the income needed to buy a home in San Jose compared to Huntington, West Virginia, the most affordable metro in the analysis, stood at a staggering $447,362.
Despite the sky-high costs, there is a slight silver lining: Income requirements in each of the top 10 cities in the ranking declined more than the average national drop of 3.2% since 2025.
Still, affordability remains a distant dream for many Americans.
The last time a typical US household could comfortably follow the 28% rule — spending no more than 28% of income on housing — was in 2015, when incomes exceeded required levels by just 0.4%.
Today, buyers need 48% more income than the median household earns nationwide.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
DENVER — A strong, late-season snowstorm has moved into northern Colorado and the Front Range Tuesday evening and will continue into Wednesday, making for a hazardous morning commute.
MORE | Denver7 weather blog
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from midnight Tuesday through 3 p.m. Wednesday.
How much are we getting?
The NWS forecasts 5-8 inches of snow for the Interstate 25 corridor, while areas closer to the foothills could receive up to 9 inches.
For the Eastern Plains, forecasters expect 2-6 inches of snow, a lower total than in the Front Range.
The Northern Mountains and foothills could receive as much as 2 feet of snow, with Estes Park and surrounding areas seeing early accumulation Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Southern Mountains are forecasted to get 6-14 inches.
NWS
When will it get here?
In Denver, rain began to transition to snow around 5 p.m. And snow accumulation is expected to continue into Wednesday afternoon, according to the NWS.
Forecasters expect that from Tuesday at midnight to 9 a.m. Wednesday will see the brunt of this storm in the Denver metro area.
NWS
What are the biggest concerns?
That midnight-to-9 a.m. stretch of snowfall should have the biggest impact, according to the NWS.
Wet, heavy snowfall poses the greatest risk for broken branches and tree damage, especially in areas with the largest accumulations, which can cause scattered power outages.
Hazardous conditions, especially for the morning commute in the Denver metro area, are expected due to heavy snowfall. The Colorado Department of Transportation is prepared for these impacts.
CDOT said there will be about 100 plows throughout the storm, focusing on clearing interstates and major roadways first before secondary roads.
Tuesday evening forecast
When will it skidaddle out of here?
Snow accumulation should end north to south by midday Wednesday, with drier weather moving in Wednesday night into Thursday.
Denver will see a high of 39 degrees with a low dropping below freezing on Wednesday. A freeze warning is likely on Wednesday night.
Thursday, we may see a shower or two, but mild springlike conditions will return.
NWS
Weather Links
MORE: Hourly forecast | Latest forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream
Stream live, current temperatures plus radars across Colorado anytime for free on the free Denver7+ app on your TV or watch from your computer or mobile phone anytime.
The Seattle Mariners have been staring down a difficult decision for weeks now and it’s only getting closer as Bryce Miller nears the end of his rehab assignment.
Two factors Hyphen sees in Bryan Woo’s recent struggles
When Miller makes his return to the big league club, which is now less than two weeks away barring a setback, the Mariners will have six capable starters but only five rotation spots.
The assumption when Miller started the season on the injured list was that he would replace Emerson Hancock when he returned, but Hancock has been Seattle’s best starter thus far, posting a 2.59 ERA over seven starts while striking out batters at a career-best 28.9% clip.
Now it looks as if veteran Luis Castillo could be the top candidate to taken out of the rotation. In seven starts this season, the right-hander has produced a 6.29 ERA and minus-0.8 bWAR.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan weighed in on the possibility of Castillo being taken out of the starting rotation when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday.
“I think it all depends on where Luis Castillo’s frame of mind is,” Passan said. “If Luis Castillo is open to going to the bullpen, you consider that. And if he is not, then you take a look and see what his willingness to go on the injured list is. And if that’s not the case, then maybe you do consider a six-man rotation. I think there are just lots of different possibilities here.”
For Passan, what Castillo has done for the organization, which includes helping the team reach the playoffs twice, is also an important part of the equation.
“I think what also factors in is Luis Castillo has done this for a really long time at a really high level and been a really important part of the success that you’ve had organizationally, and I don’t take that lightly,” Passan said. “I think the way that you treat people who have done right by you and helped you get into the position (you’re in), they’re not disposable. So you can’t just say to Luis Castillo, you’re not performing right now, you’re going to the pen.
“Well, you could. I just don’t know how well that goes over and I don’t know what sort of precedent that sets for treatment of players going forward.”
Passan added that moving Castillo to the bullpen is the type of “cold” decision a contender has to make sometimes, but that having a productive Castillo is also key for the team.
“Having a productive Luis Castillo makes them much likelier to be a World Series team,” Passan said. “You can get rid of your manager and survive that. But knowing that Castillo has to be around still, you just need to be mindful of the way – not even the way that you’re treating him, because the way that you’re treating him is through your perspective. The question is, how does he feel like he’s being treated? That is imperative here, and if you can thread the needle and figure out a way to solve your problem while still keeping Luis Castillo content, then that’s the ideal (situation). That’s the goal, that is the aim of this whole thing. And it’s a very delicate and difficult subject.”
Castillo in line for positive regression?
While it has been a struggle for Castillo early on, Passan sees some reason to believe his numbers will level out with more starts. He pointed to Castillo’s 4.25 FIP, which is nearly identical to Bryan Woo’s and better than Logan Gilbert’s. However, he is concerned with Castillo’s career-low groundball rate.
“Ever since he’s come to Seattle, he’s been much more of a flyball pitcher. But he’s down to a 33% ground ball rate this year. Not good,” Passan said. “I will say this, the positive regression is going to come in the form of runners being stranded. He’s got a strand rate right now of only 58.8%, league average is somewhere in the 70-plus range.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
Seattle Mariners coverage
• Seattle Mariners place Gabe Speier on IL, add two lefty relievers
• The latest on Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh’s injury
• Seattle Mariners showing some concerning signs on defense
• Mariners prospect Felnin Celesten on a tear for High-A Everett
• What Mariners’ Emerson Hancock says has been key to his breakout
-
Health5 minutes agoSleep apnea may be quietly changing your body in an unexpected way, study finds
-
Sports11 minutes agoWWE star Chelsea Green reveals she underwent ‘heart procedure’ to address SVT
-
Technology17 minutes agoInstantly upgrade your streaming: At home and when traveling
-
Business23 minutes agoCrypto exchange Coinbase to lay off 14% of staff as AI reshapes work
-
Entertainment29 minutes agoWhitney Leavitt is leaving ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ after Season 5 wraps
-
Lifestyle35 minutes agoHow to have the best Sunday in L.A, according to Halle Bailey
-
Politics41 minutes agoElections officials urge early mail-in voting, warn about ‘misinformation’
-
Science47 minutes agoDeadly hantavirus outbreak strikes luxury cruise. What you should know about the disease