An aunt of notorious killers Erik and Lyle Menendez is in critical condition after Los Angeles prosecutors displayed a graphic photo of murder victim José Menendez during a resentencing hearing for the siblings, their family said.
“In open court, and without any prior warning, prosecutors displayed an unredacted, graphic image of José Menendez’s lifeless body — an act that retraumatized family members in attendance and led to the hospitalization of José’s 85-year-old sister, Terry Baralt, who is now in critical condition,” the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition said in a statement Sunday.
The Menendez family has also called for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office to be removed from the case following the “disturbing and reckless decision,” according to NBC News, saying prosecutors are “incapable of handling this process with the fairness, care, or neutrality required by law.”
Baralt, who has cancer, had appeared in court to advocate for the brothers’ release on Friday.
Lyle, now 57, and Erik, 54, were sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills home on the night of Aug. 20, 1989. The brothers say they killed their parents in self-defense after suffering sadistic sexual abuse at the hands of their father.
Prosecutors say the murders were committed out of greed for their parents’ $15 million fortune. The Menendez case received new attention following the release of last year’s hit Netflix series, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
The Menendez family said the DA’s use of the photo violated California’s Marsy’s Law, which gives victims’ relatives the right to fairness, respect and dignity.
“No physical pain has ever kept [Baralt] from being there for her nephews,” the family statement said. “But the display put on by the DA’s office pushed her past the brink. By early this morning, she was rushed to the hospital and remains in critical condition.”
The DA’s office in response said its prosecutors did not intend to “cause distress or pain” to those in attendance at the hearing.
“To the extent that the photographic depiction of this conduct upset any of the Menendez family members present in court, we apologize for not giving prior warning that the conduct would be described in detail not only in words but also through a crime scene photo,” the DA’s office said.
Following Friday’s hearing, a judge ruled against District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s bid to withdraw the resentencing request filed by his predecessor, George Gascon, saying prosecutors had no legally valid reason to do so.
Judge Michael Jesic set additional hearings for Thursday and Friday of this week, after which a final decision on resentencing is expected.
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