Menendez Brothers Case

The Menendez brothers may have just caught a break in their resentencing ... because the judge in their case is notoriously liberal -- and, local attorneys say he's letting them out.

Judge William C. Ryan of the Los Angeles County Superior Court has been assigned the Menendez case ... and, we've talked to a number of prominent attorneys who have argued before this judge and personally know him, and they all highlight his fairness and open-minded nature.

We're told he's smart and fearless ... and supervising judges like to assign him sensitive cases other judges would be afraid to handle.

The Menendez brothers are one step closer to their potential freedom ... but L.A. County D.A. George Gascón, who’s recommending the resentencing, is rejecting calls that he’s letting them off the hook.

Gascón spoke to "Good Morning America" Friday, following his big announcement yesterday -- and he made it clear that despite the good news for Lyle and Erik, the murders of their parents, Kitty and José, were brutal acts, and morally they haven't been given a free pass.

He explained his recommendation for their release is based on the belief that the brothers are not the same people they were at the time of the brutal murders 35 years ago ... as they've spent a lot of time doing good works while behind bars.

The Menendez brothers are a step closer to potentially getting out of prison ... because Los Angeles' District Attorney just filed the document officially asking a judge to resentence them.

D.A. George Gascón filed the motion mere minutes ago ... asking a judge to change the brothers' sentences from life without the possibility of parole to life with the possibility of parole. Because of time served, this would allow them to potentially be released from prison immediately.

It's a long document ... but, basically, the D.A.'s office says Erik and Lyle have been upstanding inmates and no longer present a risk to public safety -- so, there's no reason to keep them locked up.

Gypsy Rose Blanchard's telling the Menendez brothers to tread carefully ... because while people are currently advocating for them, she knows from personal experience it won't always be like that.

We spoke with Gypsy, and she tells us she hopes all the facts of their case are taken into account, and they have a peaceful transition back into society if they're released following Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón's decision to advocate for resentencing.

That said, GRB says she worries society's building them up only to tear them down just like she says they've done to her.

The Menendez brothers' possible resentencing is music to Lyle’s first wife’s ears ... 'cause she tells TMZ she’s still standing by the pair, despite her own rocky history with her ex-hubby.

Anna Eriksson, who was married to Lyle from 1996 to 2001, tells TMZ that even though Lyle shattered her trust when a misdirected letter revealed he had feelings for someone else, it doesn’t change her stance -- she still believes the brothers should be freed.

Anna gives us more insight into her heartbreak, admitting she actually fainted when she found out Lyle was all in for someone else. Even though he wanted to work things out, she wasn’t having it -- she says she told him he taught her not to put up with things like that -- and she filed for divorce.

Kim Kardashian is thrilled the Menendez bros have a shot at freedom, and she's singling out Ryan Murphy as a judicial influencer who got the D.A. to act.

Fact is ... there was a hearing set for Erik and Lyle Menendez to make their case long before Murphy's 'Monsters' dropped on Netflix. But L.A. County D.A. George Gascón did make a point that he accelerated the process because of public interest in the wake of the documentary -- presumably he's referring to the Paramount doc.

As for Kim, she was effusive ... "Thank you, George Gascon, for revisiting the Menendez brothers' case and righting a significant wrong."

A former classmate of Erik Menendez who went viral when her daughter posted a video of her yearbook says she hopes he and his brother Lyle are released from prison.

Earlier this month, a woman named Hannah Ellenhorn posted a TikTok showing off her mother's yearbook -- which features Erik, Bill Clinton's White House intern Monica Lewinsky, and "Shahs of Sunset" star Reza Farahan.

People online freaked out over the star power in just one high school class from Beverly Hills High School ... and, we caught up with Hannah's mom -- Edith Ellenhorn -- ahead of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón's decision of the Menendez brothers' case.

Erik and Lyle Menendez are currently awaiting word from L.A. County D.A. George Gascón for an important case update ... but their fellow inmates are already acting like they're getting out, TMZ has learned.

A source inside the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility tells TMZ ... prisoners are already lining up and calling dibs on the Menendez brothers' property on the inside ... all in the hope of scoring a famed memento or two.

We're told everything -- from clothing items to their TVs -- is up for grabs right now, despite that being a prison no-no.

Some cops in Beverly Hills aren't happy Erik and Lyle Menendez could possibly be released ... with some officers going as far as blasting it as a political move.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... several officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department -- the city where the Menendez brothers murders occurred -- say Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón is trying to win political points by letting the brothers out of prison.

He's fallen behind in the polls to his opponent for the position, Nathan Hochman, and some officers see this as a big swing to get himself back in the race.

Erik Menendez is ready to trade his regimented prison life for the lights of Southern Nevada ... because TMZ has learned he's got plans to live with his wife in Las Vegas if he gets out.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Erik wants to live with his better half, Tammi Menendez if he's released from prison. She lives there, so that's where Erik plans to go.

We don't know Lyle's intention once he's released from prison ... though he's married too.

The Menendez brothers case is set to take a dramatic turn -- with fresh evidence uncovered, a major decision's just around the corner ... and it could even mean a shot at their freedom.

L.A. County D.A. George Gascón told CNN Tuesday that by the end of the week he’ll have a decision on whether Erik and Lyle Menendez -- who are currently serving life sentences without parole for killing their parents José and Kitty Menendez in 1989 -- will be resentenced, or will get a new trial.

A new trial could result in the pair getting new sentences -- and one possible outcome is a downgrade of their convictions from first-degree murder to manslaughter, which could see them walk free with time served.

Cooper Koch's got a lot of love for the convicted murderer he played ... saying he cares for Erik Menendez -- and, meeting him in prison was a treat.

The actor -- who plays Erik in Ryan Murphy's "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" -- spoke with Deadline at the Motion Picture Academy Gala Saturday night ... and, he says his meeting with Erik was "rewarding"

Cooper says preparing to play Erik was sort of like preparing to meet him as well ... explaining he developed a trust and care for Menendez over hours of preparation.

Some true-crime junkies are getting way too pushy, trespassing at the former house of the Menendez brothers ... and Beverly Hills police are dreading what that could mean for Halloween, TMZ has learned.

Here's the deal ... thanks to a hella popular Netflix series and doc ... people have been swarming the affluent Beverly Hills location where Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally murdered their parents in '89 ... the duo later claimed it was a response to the severe lifelong abuse they endured.

Police tell TMZ ... what were initially calls from pissed neighbors about an uptick in foot and car traffic  -- annoying, but not illegal -- have now escalated to straight-up trespassing ... and in one case, an apparent break-in caught on TikTok.

Erik and Lyle Menendez don't deserve to get out of prison over new molestation allegations against their father ... at least according to a reporter who was in court for the brothers' first trial.

USC journalism professor Alan Abrahamson joined us on "TMZ Live" and we asked his thoughts on the Menendez brothers' new push to get out of prison, despite life sentences without parole.

Alan covered Erik and Lyle's first highly televised trial in 1993 -- which ended in a mistrial -- for the Los Angeles Times, and he says he sees the brothers as stone-cold killers who deserve to spend the rest of their days behind bars.

You're bound to see one or two Menendez brothers-inspired costumes this Halloween ... as folks on eBay have already curated everything you'd need amid renewed interest in the siblings' parental murders case.

Check it out ... one seller has listed a Los Angeles County Jail uniform ... specifically advertised as a take on Lyle's prison "overalls." Be advised, it's listed as "pre-owned," so no telling who had it last ... or what they might have done to get the garb.

Similarly, a different eBay seller is trying to offload a blue L.A. County Jail shirt ... that looks an awful lot like the ones worn by Erik and Lyle. At least 10 people are interested, and 4 have already sold, so better act fast if you want to lock in the look.

1:52 PM PT -- While the Menendez brothers' family stood behind Erik and Lyle today, people in the crowd were split ... some holding signs advocating for release, others wanting them to remain behind bars.

1:30 PM PT -- Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing the extended Menendez fam, says the family is heading to the Hall of Justice in L.A.. As victims of the murders under Marsy's Law, the family members can go to court to be heard ... and, they will all reiterate their belief that Erik and Lyle should be released from prison.

1:25 PM PT -- Kitty's niece -- Karen VanderMolen -- says she's always believed Erik and Lyle's story ... feeling something was wrong in their household growing up. She adds that if Erik and Lyle were women, they would've received a much shorter sentence.