Menendez Brothers Win Ruling in Bid for Resentencing

An effort to resentence the Menendez brothers can proceed after a Los Angeles judge cleared the way Friday for additional hearings next week.The ruling by the judge, Michael Jesic, in a Los Angeles courtroom, advances Lyle and Erik Menendez on one front in their push for freedom after decades in prison for killing their parents.If the brothers are ultimately resentenced, they could almost immediately walk free.Separately, Gov.

Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat, is weighing clemency for the brothers and has scheduled parole board hearings for Lyle and Erik Menendez on June 13.The ruling by Judge Jesic has no effect on the brothers’ bid for clemency.The Menendez brothers brutally murdered their parents inside the family’s home in Beverly Hills, Calif., more than 35 years ago.

They were eventually convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances, and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.For a time, it appeared their best chance to walk free would be through the resentencing efforts playing out in court this month.But those efforts have been complicated by the election of a new top prosecutor in Los Angeles, Nathan Hochman, who opposes any resentencing.The purpose of the hearing on Friday was to deal with a motion Mr.

Hochman filed.Last year, Mr.

Hochman’s predecessor as district attorney, George Gascón, asked a court to resentence the brothers, declaring, “I believe they have paid their debt to society.”Mr.Hochman subsequently sought to withdraw the resentencing motion filed by Mr.

Gascón.On Friday, Judge Jesic denied Mr.

Hochman’s request to pull back his predecessor’s resentencing motion.The parties will reconvene late next week to argue the issue more broadly.Lyle and Erik Menendez attended the Friday hearing virtually, appearing via video in blue jumpsuits.The brothers killed their parents in 1989 when Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18.

Their first trial, in 1993, ended in a mistrial after separate juri...