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Judge Mathis says Erik and Lyle Menendez deserve to be free men ... telling us new evidence they were allegedly molested by the father they killed totally changes things.

We got the TV judge Thursday at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, and our photog asked him about the Menendez brothers and their bid to get out of prison after nearly 35 years behind bars.

Judge Mathis says if he was handling their resentencing case, he would reduce the length of their punishment on account of the molestation claims and send them home ASAP.

Big twist for Erik and Lyle Menendez ... a judge who may have been sympathetic to their bid to get out of prison is off the case, and a new judge is coming on board.

The case has been transferred to the Van Nuys Courthouse, which is where the brothers were originally tried for murdering their parents, and the new judge coming into the fold is Michael V. Jesic of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Jesic is a former district attorney who is known as a law and order guy and for being prosecution-oriented ... and he's described as being very smart and fair.

7:50 AM PT -- Ryan Girdusky is doubling down on his controversial comment ... defending his "beeper" remark was nothing more than a joke.

He tells TMZ ... "You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar funded media. Apparently, you can't go on CNN if you make a joke. I'm glad America gets to see what CNN stands for."

Ryan also penned a lengthy essay in response to the controversy, sharing he warned the network he wouldn't apologize for being Republican.

While he confessed to having a "go big or go home" mentality heading into the roundtable, he said he genuinely thought Hasan said he supported Hamas, rather than Palestine.

The Menendez brothers' prison is taking no chances with security threats following the major update in the infamous siblings' case ... TMZ has learned.

A source within the California Department of Corrections tells TMZ ... prison security has been beefed up after L.A. County D.A. George Gascón's announcement, in which he confirmed he would ask a judge to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez -- who are currently serving life without the possibility of parole sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents, Kitty and José Menendez. Gascon filed the document officially asking a judge to resentence them Thursday evening.

We're told guards are working overtime to keep everyone safe inside the prison ... as well as outside the facility, given the likelihood that lookyloos will descend upon the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.

Charlamagne tha God and Anderson Cooper found themselves in a tense faceoff debating CNN's coverage of former President Donald Trump ... with the radio host suggesting the network doesn't call out 45 for his "fascist" behavior.

The war of words took place during Thursday evening's broadcast, with the CNN broadcaster and the radio personality getting into it on how Trump is discussed versus Vice President Kamala Harris.

As Charlamagne put it ... CNN hadn't held Trump's feet to the fire for the allegedly "fascist" things he's said during his bid for reelection ... including his previous call to "terminate the U.S. Constitution" and "overthrow the election."

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.

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."

L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón just announced he will ask a judge to free Erik and Lyle Menendez ... the 2 brothers convicted of murdering their parents.

Gascón told a jam-packed room filled with reporters and cameras ... he will go to court Friday to file for the resentencing of Erik and Lyle. Based on their ages at the time of the crimes, he will recommend they should be eligible for parole immediately.

This means if a judge signs off Friday or later, a parole board will decide if the brothers should go free.

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.

11:45 AM PT -- A representative for the Royal Bahamas Defense Force confirmed to TMZ ... The 66-year-old woman jumped from the 14th floor of the cruise ship. Search and rescue efforts were officially called off Wednesday.

The Taylor Swift-themed cruise from Florida to the Bahamas went from happy to sad Tuesday ... as a 66-year-old woman fell overboard and is now missing.

A rep for the U.S. Coast Guard tells TMZ ... the Royal Caribbean cruise ship filled with Taylor's "Swifties" left the Port of Miami Monday and was about 17 miles north of Nassau in the Bahamas when tragedy struck Tuesday night.

According to the spokesperson ... the woman tumbled off the ship called Allure of the Seas, plunging into the ocean at about 9:40 PM.

10/23 12:15 PM PT -- Andy Dalton will not start this weekend against the Denver Broncos, the team announced ... meaning Bryce Young will be the starter for the first time since Week 2.

7:10 AM PT -- Andy's wife, Jordan, just said in a message on her Instagram page that while she and the family are "a little banged up," they're going to be just fine.

"Thank you to everyone who responded so quickly to the accident," she wrote. "First responders.. friends and strangers... our hearts could not be more greatful for how you showed up for our family.. specifically our kids."

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton and his family were involved in a car accident on Tuesday ... but thankfully, no one needed emergency medical treatment.

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.

A group of numbskulls in India apparently lured a leopard over to them for some snaps, and instantly regretted it ... 'cause the big cat looked like it was auditioning for "When Animals Attack."

Here's the rundown ... several people in central India's state of Madhya Pradesh fired up their smartphones when they noticed a leopard in the nearby woods ... and some in the group called the wild animal to come closer, per the Indian Express.

Diddy's kids are speaking out in the wake of their father's incarceration and growing legal controversy ... posting their support of the music mogul in a joint statement.

In a message shared to Instagram, Diddy's children -- D'Lila, Jessie, Justin, Christian, Chance, and Quincy -- reflected on the last month's events ... and how it "has devastated our family."

The rapper's children wrote ... "Many have judged both him and us based on accusations, conspiracy theories, and false narratives that have spiraled into absurdity on social media. We stand united, supporting you every step of the way. We hold onto the truth, knowing it will prevail, and nothing will break the strength of our family."

Tragedy struck the Houston area when a helicopter collided with a radio tower last night and crashed to the ground ... killing 4 people, including a child.

The moment the chopper hit the radio tower was caught on camera ... and one witness captured the fiery aftermath of the tragedy.

Watch the vid ... a fireball plummets to the ground as debris begins to crumble around it -- shocking residents in the area. Smoke fills the air, as the surrounding area is set ablaze.