Menendez brothers' long-awaited resentencing hearing to begin

A long-awaited resentencing proceeding connected Tuesday is acceptable to find whether 2 brothers who killed their affluent parents successful their Beverly Hills mansion could beryllium freed from situation aft 3 decades.

After months of delays, a justice volition statesman proceeding 2 days of arguments some for and against Erik and Lyle Menendez's bid to person a lesser condemnation - which could yet pb to their paroled release.

Prosecutors person argued the brothers meticulously planned the 1989 killings to entree their parents' fortune, inactive person not taken accountability and should not beryllium released. The brothers person said they acted retired of self-defence aft years of abuse.

The notorious case, which has prompted books, documentaries and dramas, inactive divides America.

During the two-day hearing, volition not beryllium televised oregon streamed, the justice is expected to look astatine evidence, perceive grounds from witnesses and yet find whether the brothers, who were sentenced to beingness successful situation without anticipation of parole, should person a lesser sentence.

It is expected to see grounds from a variety of people, including members of the Menendez household and perchance those progressive with the archetypal case.

Erik and Lyle could adjacent instrumentality the stand, though specified a determination would unfastened them up to questioning from prosecutors who reason their release. The BBC has asked whether they volition attest oregon who other mightiness beryllium called to testify.

On an occurrence of his podcast, their lawyer Mark Geragos said helium had not decided whether to telephone them to the stand.

"I cognize close present that I'm going to enactment household members connected the stand," Mr Geragos said. "I cognize close now, I'll enactment correctional officers connected the stand. I cognize close present I whitethorn enactment behavioural scientists connected the stand."

The territory attorney's bureau has not said who it plans to telephone to testify.

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The proceeding volition not beryllium a re-trial and the brothers' guilt volition not beryllium questioned.

Instead, overmuch of the absorption is apt to beryllium connected what they person done during their 30 years successful situation and whether they person been rehabilitated.

During their trials, prosecutors painted them arsenic entitled and anxious to entree their parents' $14m (£10.7m) fortune.

They argued that the duo methodically planned the killings, buying shotguns and opening occurrence connected their parents 13 times arsenic the mates watched TV - earlier going gambling, to parties and connected buying sprees.

The brothers yet admitted to the killings, but argued they acted retired of self-defence aft years of emotional, carnal and intersexual maltreatment by their begetter Jose, a high-powered movie and grounds statement executive.

The brothers' proceedings successful 1993 was 1 of the archetypal high-profile execution cases to beryllium shown unrecorded connected television, gripping audiences successful the US and globally.

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Their archetypal proceedings ended successful a deadlock, but successful 1996, the brothers were convicted of first-degree execution successful a retrial. Many of their claims of intersexual maltreatment were not allowed arsenic portion of the proceedings.

The proceeding comes aft a Netflix play thrust the lawsuit backmost into the spotlight, and enactment for resentencing them has notably travel from the erstwhile Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.

His replacement, Nathan Hochman, has vehemently opposed the brothers' efforts to beryllium freed and argued they person not "demonstrated existent accountability" and alternatively person clung to a litany of "lies" astir the case.