The cousin of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez slammed the Los Angeles County District Attorney after he sought to withdraw a previous motion that could have opened the door to their resentencing.
Concretely, Tamara Goodell issued a formal complaint to the US Attorney's Office Civil Division claiming the rights of the brothers are being violated.
TMZ detailed that DA Nathan Hochman is re-traumatizing the victims, saying he ignored the family's concerns in a recent meeting. She added that the official created an intimidating atmosphere with a dismissive tone, leaving attendants distressed and humiliated. The "lack of compassion was palpable," Goodell said.
The complaint comes after Hochman called the brothers' self-defense claims "lies," adding that his office wants to keep their original life sentences without parole intact.
In a statement obtained by ABC News, Hochman backed his decision "based on the current state of the record and the Menendez brothers' current and continual failure to show full insight and accept full responsibility for their murders."
Hochman argued that if the Menendez brothers were truly remorseful, they should come forward and admit they lied about self-defense—something they have refused to do.
"If they were to finally come forward and unequivocally and sincerely admit and completely accept responsibility for their lies of self-defense and the attempted suborning of perjury they engaged in, then the Court should weigh such new insight into the analysis of rehabilitation and resentencing -- as will the People," the district attorney said.
For context, the brothers have always claimed they killed their parents because they suffered years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, José Menendez. Prosecutors, however, believe the real motive was money—specifically, the Menendez family fortune.
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