Terry Baralt, the 85-year-old aunt of Lyle and Erik Menendez, was hospitalized in critical condition after she viewed graphic crime scene images during a court hearing Friday related to the Menendez brothers' resentencing efforts, the family says. Baralt, who is battling colon cancer, traveled from New Jersey to support her nephews, Fox News reports. A spokesperson for the family is accusing the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office of "cruel and careless conduct in court," claiming that prosecutors gave no warning before showing graphic images, including an "unredacted image" of the body of Baralt's brother, Lyle and Erik's father.
The family says the move violated Marsy's Law, which protects victims' rights in the criminal justice process, and is calling for the DA's office to be removed from the case. "This wasn't just cruel. It was a clear violation of our rights," the family says in a statement. "The display was retraumatizing, completely avoidable, and we believe it was intentional. The District Attorney's Office knew what the law required and deliberately chose to ignore it." Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman apologized for the lack of warning, but said the Menendez brothers' own decision to work toward resentencing is responsible for "trigger[ing] emotions for all those concerned in a case after staying dormant for over 18 years."
At the Friday hearing, Judge Michael Jesic ruled against withdrawing the brothers' petition for a new trial, a win for them and a ruling against Hochman, who had requested the withdrawal, ABC News reports. Resentencing proceedings will continue this week on Thursday and Friday. In a separate process, the brothers are also seeking clemency from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and are scheduled to appear before the state parole board June 13 as part of that process. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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