Los Angeles County’s new District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, is wasting no time after being sworn into the high-profile gig -- he's kicking things off with a case that’s been on everyone's mind -- the Menendez Brothers.
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00:00What's your thoughts on the Menendez brothers right now, where are you at with that?
00:06So, starting today I will get access to confidential prison files that number in the thousands
00:10of pages, trial transcripts from two months long trials.
00:14I'll get a chance now to meet with the prosecutors, law enforcement officers, the defense council,
00:20victim family members, and then we're going to look at what the different motions are
00:24that are currently pending.
00:25There's a habeas motion that's trying to get a new trial based on new evidence, and there's
00:29a resentencing request that basically says that from a combination of factors including
00:34rehabilitation, their sentence should be switched from life without the possibility of parole
00:39to life with the possibility of parole.
00:42We're going to take a very hard look at all of this.
00:44What about reducing demand slaughter, reducing the charge to manslaughter?
00:49We're going to look at all potential eventualities dealing with the Menendez case, but what I
00:53want to make crystal clear is two things.
00:55One, the Menendez case, though it's received high levels of media attention, will not get
01:01preferential treatment because it is on the media stage.
01:04This is the same type of analysis and thorough review of the facts of the law that I will
01:08give to every case, whether it gets media attention or not.
01:11And the second is I love the fact that the Menendez case has gotten media attention because
01:17what it has done is I'm hoping it's an entry point for people to get involved in the criminal
01:22justice system.
01:23And by that I mean you might have gotten sparked by a Netflix documentary or limited series,
01:28but if it gets you to look deeper into the facts of the Menendez case, read the trial
01:32transcripts yourself, read the court opinions, form your own opinions, and don't just stop
01:38with Menendez.
01:39There are hundreds, if not thousands, of similar type of cases in the system that aren't receiving
01:44this media scrutiny, but if the public takes interest in them, people will sit up and take
01:49notice.
01:50Do you have any new evidence that the brothers could have been molested?
01:53Will that change your perspective or view or allowing them to go free in any way?
01:57We're going to look at the totality of all the evidence.
02:00All the evidence presented, whether it's new evidence, old evidence, evidence presented
02:04during the trial, evidence that's been presented during the 30 plus years they've been in prison.
02:10We're going to look at all of that and then come down with a decision that we believe
02:13is the right decision and one we can defend in court.
02:16Do you think we'll get one on January 11th, 10th or 11th?
02:20January 30th.
02:2130th.
02:22I anticipate being able to go for it on January 30th.