Toni Waterman: US Correspondent on the resentencing of the Menendez brothers

A US parole board will decide next month if infamous brothers serving life sentences can be freed, after their sentences have been reduced.  

Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents in 1989.  

An LA judge has now resentenced the pair to "50 years to life", with time served making them instantly eligible for parole.  

US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge the brothers have always maintained they killed their parents as they feared they would be killed after years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father. 

She says that over the years, family members have come out and advocated for them.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The men in India's Brothers is a famous case in America.
They may be released from prison, could be within the
next few weeks. Tiny Wardman and US correspondent Figure Story
News with me this morning.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Tiny, Good morning, Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
So how has this come about. Why has the judge
decided to reduce this sentence.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, this judge resentenced them to life in prison with
the possibility of paroles, So this is going to really
pave the way for them to be released. The judge
didn't outright say that the brothers should be released. That
is a decision that's going to be left up for
California's governor and the parole board. But he did say
that after thirty five years behind bars, that they did

(00:41):
deserve a chance to get out. This is really a
case that has gripped the United States for decades. It's
been the saga that has been playing out and there
have been a number of these docu series, particularly this
one that came out last year on Netflix, that have
been done on them, which has really brought the to
a younger generation. They have been behind bars essentially since

(01:05):
nineteen eighty nine, that is when they were convicted of
killing their parents inside their Ritzy Beverly Hills Mansions, and
the brother The brothers have always maintained that they killed
their parents because they feared their parents were going to
kill them first after years of really horrible sexual abuse
at the hands of their father, something that they claim

(01:27):
their mother was aware of and that they were trying
to keep a secret. So that has always been their claim.
Over the years, their family members have come out and
advocated for them, including before this decision came down, and
as you mentioned, they're going to be potentially could be
released as soon as June thirteen, that is when they
are scheduled to appear before the Board of Paroles and.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Very quickly, Tony, the two hundred and ten Boeing aircraft
that kassan Ewise is going to get us part of
this deal with Trump.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, so this is actually the big Boeing order ever,
two hundred and ten Boeing airplanes that was signed as
Donald Trump is taking this trip across the Middle East
in Kutta earlier today. You know, there was another thing
that they signed. This is a statement of intent that
could lead to thirty eight billion dollars in investments at

(02:18):
Qatar's LB Airbase, which is this vital US military hub
in the Middle East. One thing they didn't talk about,
at least publicly, is this very controversial offer by Kuta
to donate a four hundred million dollar luxury Boeing jet
to be the next air Force one, which of course
has led to a raft of conflict of interest concerns

(02:40):
and foreign foreign influence concerns, because don't forget, this is
the same Kuta where the Trump family business has just
struck a deal to build a Trump branded luxury golf
resort and villa. And he's his family has been striking
deals like this all across the Middle East right now,
his first foreign trip as president to that very region.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, big, Dale's tiny. Thanks for your time. Tony Waterman,
US correspondent Figure Story News.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
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