A Wisconsin teen has an unusual defense for allegedly stabbing his mom to death ... he claims he was inspired to commit the savage crime by the notorious Menendez brothers, who killed their own parents with shotguns.
Racine County prosecutors charged 15-year-old Reed Gelinskey with intentional homicide after the March 4 attack on his mother, Suzanne, in their home in the village of Caledonia, about 20 miles south of Milwaukee. Prosecutors say Reed bashed Suzanne with a dumbbell and stabbed her three times in the chest and twice in the neck, killing her.
According to a criminal complaint, obtained by TMZ, Reed allegedly planned the gruesome murder while watching the shotgun scene in the Menendez brothers' Netflix documentary, "The Menendez Brothers." Reed reportedly referenced the scene that shows the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, when talking to cops.
As you know, Erik and Lyle Menendez wielded shotguns and fatally shot their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. After two trials, they were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The brothers are now making a bid to try to get out of prison through resentencing, a commutation or potential parole. They are expected to appear in court for a parole board hearing on June 13.
Erik and Lyle Menendez's family members held another rally to support the incarcerated brothers ... and, it touched on many of the same points they've been making in recent months -- and provided another forum to challenge L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Family representatives for the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition spoke outside Hochman's office in Downtown L.A. According to a press release, the group was set to discuss Hochman's "relentless fixation on the past, as he continues to dismiss who Erik and Lyle are today" ... and, they certainly hit on that.
Before the press conference even began, citizens gathered on the street overlooking the area to show support for the brothers ... bringing signs and wearing shirts calling for justice for Erik and Lyle. One even showed a picture of D.A. Hochman with the words "you're the liar" scrawled across his face.
Big update in the Menendez Brothers case ... California governor Gavin Newsom just revealed when Erik and Lyle will appear before the parole board.
Gavin dropped the bombshell news Tuesday on his new podcast, announcing the convicted killers will go in front of the parole board June 13 for a hearing.
The Governor says after the hearing, the parole board will finalize their risk assessment and send it to his desk ... and he'll consider their findings as part of his decision on whether to grant clemency in their case, which would set them free.
Attorney Mark Geragossays the new Los Angeles County District Attorney has no clue what he's talking about when it comes to the Menendez brothers ... telling us Nathan Hochman needs to brush up on the facts.
Mark, who is repping Erik and Lyle as they seek to get out from prison after three decades behind bars, joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and offered a scathing reaction to Hochman's latest press conference.
TMZ.com
For Mark, the whole thing was ridiculous and irrelevant ... and not just because Hochman was talking about a resentencing hearing that no longer holds weight due to California Governor Gavin Newsom circumventing the process.
12 PM PT -- The family of Erik and Lyle Menendez has hit back after L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he's asking the court to withdraw the previous district attorney's motion to resentence the famed brothers.
In a statement obtained by TMZ they say ... "District Attorney Hochman made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle, and our family hostage."
They also claim Hochman has "blinders" on that prevent him from seeing Erik and Lyle were "repeatedly abused" as kids, making them fear for their lives, and that they have apologized multiple times for murdering their parents.
They say the most "alarming" part is the D.A. is sending a message that young boys who are victims of abuse should not come forward.
The L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman just said he wants to withdraw the prior D.A.'s motion to have the Menendez Brothers resentenced, saying what they did in killing their parents was unforgivable and they have not copped to the various lies they told to cover their tracks.
Hochman went through a litany of lies he says were never retracted by Erik and Lyle, and said that's sufficient to turn thumbs down on a resentencing request. He pointed to the jury rejecting any claim of self defense in the second trial. What Hochman ignored, in the first trial, half the jury rejected murder in favor of manslaughter, based on "imperfect self defense." Hochman did not explain the judge in the second trial rejected "imperfect self defense" so the jury never received that instruction.
TMZ.com
The bottom line here ... the whole resentencing motion is irrelevant, because if the judge approved it, the case would go to the parole board. Fact is ... the parole board has the case already at the behest of California Governor Gavin Newsom so there is no need for a resentencing hearing anyway.
Lyle and Erik Menendez's uncle who opposed their release from prison has died.
Their cousin Anamaria Baralt confirmed Milton Andersen's death on TikTok Sunday evening, saying he passed from cancer. Furthermore, an obituary was shared by the Thompson & Kuenster Funeral Home in Illinois on March 4.
Anamaria -- who recently spoke to TMZ in favor of Lyle and Erik's release -- told fans that no one should celebrate Milton's death despite him being the only living family member advocating for their continued imprisonment.
Erik and Lyle Menendez will NOT have their day in court this month ... because their upcoming resentencing hearing has been postponed, and it's all because of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The Menendez Brothers were set to enter a courtroom March 20 and 21 for the first time since their 1990s murder trials ... but now their resentencing hearing is delayed because Newsom ordered an investigation into whether they are fit to return to public life.
Resentencing is now irrelevant for Erik and Lyle, with Newsom short-circuiting the whole process by directing the state's Board of Parole Hearings to conduct a "risk assessment investigation" on the brothers.
Gypsy Rose Blanchardsays the Menendez Brothersshould pump the brakes before going full Hollywood if they are released from prison ... advising them to enjoy their freedom first.
Gypsy was at LAX Monday night when a photog asked what advice she would give Erik and Lyle if they become free men.
The Menendez Bros are pretty famous and Hollywood is waiting with tons of opportunities, but Gypsy says Erik and Lyle would be wise to take some time to themselves to adjust to life on the outside before getting in front of cameras.
The Menendez brothers' family has a lot of hope after Governor Gavin Newsom spoke about the brothers' case ... though they're still disappointed after L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman's recent comments on Erik and Lyle's case.
The Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition -- a group led by Menendez family members pushing for their release -- held a virtual press conference Thursday where they addressed key facts about Erik and Lyle's case and responded to statements made by L.A.'s top prosecutor.
Anamaria Baralt -- Erik and Lyle's cousin -- kicked off the comments ... saying Governor Newsom calling on the Board of Parole Hearings to conduct a "risk assessment investigation" is a huge sigh of relief for the family, which is excited to hear someone in power is paying attention to Erik and Lyle's plight.
Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to ask the California Board of Parole to review the Erik and Lyle Menendez matter could make next month's up-to-now critical resentencing hearing all but irrelevant.
The Board will effectively conduct a parole hearing, in which they will assess whether the Menendez brothers pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. By doing so, the Board will necessarily review how Erik and Lyle have conducted themselves in prison.
Governor Gavin Newsom is ordering an investigation into whether Erik and Lyle Menendez are fit to return to public life ... TMZ has learned, and he says it's a critical first step before he, or anyone else, can decide if they get out of prison.
This is a major, unexpected development in the Menendez brothers' fight for freedom. It seemed the Governor was going to take a back seat until the courts ruled on Erik and Lyle's fate, but all that has now changed.
The CA Gov. tells us, he's directing the Board of Parole Hearings to conduct a "risk assessment investigation" on the Menendez bros., which he says is their version of a "parole hearing" -- but before the Board weighs in, a "Comprehensive Risk Assessment" must be done.
L.A. County D.A. Nathan Hochman says he will consider evidence of sexual abuse at the hands of Jose Menendez when Erik and Lyle Menendez make their case for resentencing.
Hochman appeared Monday on "TMZ Live," and acknowledged the laws of government resentencing allow a judge to consider "psychological, physical, or childhood trauma, including ... abuse, neglect, exploitation, or sexual violence."
Hochman was adamant ... sexual abuse in no way calls Erik and Lyle's conviction into question, but it will come into play next month when the brothers ask a judge to resentence them to something less than life without parole -- which opens the door to a parole board freeing them.
The Los Angeles district attorney claims the letter detailing the alleged abuse Erik and Lyle Menendez faced at the hands of their father is fabricated and totally ludicrous ... this according to their attorney.
Mark Geragos -- a prominent defense attorney and the cohost of TMZ's "2 Angry Men" podcast -- spoke with NBC Boston about D.A. Nathan Hochman claiming the letter Erik allegedly sent to his cousin Andy Cano months before the Menendez brothers killed their parents might not be legit.
Listen to Geragos' comments for yourself ... he says the implication that Jose Menendez's sister Marta Cano and Kitty Menendez's sister Joan VanderMolen are lying about the letter -- they've testified to its authenticity under the penalty of perjury -- is BS, and totally unfair to the two women.
The family of Erik and Lyle Menendez is ripping Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman ... saying he's opening old wounds and silencing survivors of sexual abuse with his latest comments on their case.
Anamaria Baralt, Erik and Lyle's cousin and niece of Jose Menendez, tells TMZ ... Hochman's dismissal of two new pieces of evidence related to sexual abuse is "abhorrent."
The D.A. held a news conference Friday where he said the Menendez brothers didn't deserve a new trial, even though they claim they have new evidence showing they were being molested by Jose before they killed their parents.
The Menendez Brothers got a thumbs down from the L.A. County D.A. when it comes to getting a new trial based on new evidence.
L.A. County D.A. Nathan Hochman just announced his office will oppose the brothers' request for another trial based on 2 pieces of evidence -- a letter from Erik to his cousin purportedly written in 1988 where Erik discusses sexual abuse, and a declaration from a member of Menudo saying Jose Menendez molested him in the '80s. The D.A. says the new evidence does not change what happened when Erik and Lyle were convicted of murder.
2 Angry Men Podcast
Hochman says he did not hear the "2 Angry Men" podcast in which Erik and Lyle talked about how they've evolved in the 35 years behind bars.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were viciously attacked in the early days of their time in prison, but their lives have radically changed since then.
The Menendez brothers appeared by phone on TMZ's podcast, "2 Angry Men" with Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos, who reps Erik and Lyle. They talked about how they survived and evolved in the 35 years they've been incarcerated.
Erik says he was violently attacked numerous times, but never fought back. He and Lyle were in separate prisons for the first 21 years behind bars, and Erik vividly remembers when he got word his brother had been viciously attacked and suffered a broken jaw.
TMZ.com
They are clearly anxious about their re-sentencing hearing next month, where they will learn how they will spend the rest of their lives -- either as prisoners or free men.
