Menendez Brothers Case

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.

Erik and Lyle Menendez aren't just receiving support from big-time celebs like Kim Kardashian ... they've got family in their corner too, who are holding a press conference to push for the brothers' release.

According to multiple reports, about two dozen members of the Menendez brothers' family will host a press conference in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon to pressure L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón to officially recommend resentencing the notorious killers.

Among the key pieces of new evidence the family is expected to discuss is a letter written by Erik just months before the killings ... in which he allegedly told his cousin, Andy Cano, about the abuse he and Lyle faced at the hands of their father.

"Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" has sparked some deep conversations, but let’s be real -- Cooper Koch’s full-frontal shower scene has also been a very hot topic.

The actor spilled the tea on baring it all for the Netflix show, cheekily admitting, "Mine was not a prosthetic" during "Watch What Happens Live" -- the declaration coming right after host Andy Cohen pointed out that Mark Wahlberg wore a fake penis in "Boogie Nights," while counting down Hollywood's "top five most iconic full-frontal moments."

Cohen was all ears for the admission, excitedly quipping, "That was going to be my next question! Congratulations to you, Cooper. You're very blessed, aren't you?"

Gypsy Rose Blanchard has some advice for the Menendez brothers ... saying the outside world is so different -- and, a good therapist goes a long way.

We caught up with Gyspy at LAX Sunday ... and, we had to ask her about the Erik and Lyle Menendez who are serving life sentences for murdering their parents -- though their case is receiving renewed attention over evidence supporting the claims their dad sexually abused them.

GRB -- who was sentenced to 10 years in jail for second-degree murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who abused her -- says she's not super educated on the intricacies of the Menendez case ... but, she stands for all victims of abuse.

Rosie O'Donnell says people need to stop hating on the Menendez brothers ... asking people to show more compassion, as new evidence surfaces in the decades-old case.

The TV personality took a few questions at LAX this week ... all about Erik and Lyle Menendez, who O'Donnell publicly came out in support of after the documentary series "Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged" dropped on Max in 2022.

Rosie said people need to show grace and understanding for the brothers' crime, because they were abused young men who had no choice but to shoot and kill both of their parents back in 1989.

A female juror from the Menendez brothers' first trial is speaking out -- about how sexism and homophobia impacted that outcome, and why she thinks they deserve to walk free now.

Hazel Thornton, who voted to convict Erik and Lyle Menendez of voluntary manslaughter back in 1994, joined us on "TMZ Live" ... and claims the male jurors she served with didn't buy the argument the brothers were molested by their dad, José Menendez, and also felt the public pressure to make a "macho" decision.

Hazel elaborated that homophobia was the biggest issue in the trial, highlighting how the case's prosecutor suggested the family's problems stemmed from Erik allegedly being gay.