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An state court official has rejected a bid for a retrial for the Menendez siblings, stating that claims of sexual abuse did not outweigh their premeditation and intent when they murdered their mother and father more than 35 years ago.

Latest Decision and Legal Context

The recent ruling by Los Angeles superior court Judge William C Ryan comes just a short time after the brothers were denied parole and shuts another potential route to liberty for the pair, who have served almost 30 years behind bars.

Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced in 1996 for killing their father, José Menendez, and mom, their mother, in their luxury home in 1989. They were young adults at the time.

Although defense attorneys contended the siblings acted in self-defense after years of mistreatment, the state said the duo murdered their parents for a multi-million inheritance.

Early Release Hearings and Court's Reasoning

The judge wrote that recent proof that slightly supports the abuse allegations claims the fact that the defendants acted with premeditation and planning.

"This new information is not so convincing that it would have produced a uncertainty in the mind of at least one juror," the judge wrote.

Mark Geragos, a lawyer for the defendants, did not right away respond on the decision.

Recent Release Outcomes

A board of two officials on 22 August rejected the older brother release for a three-year period after a daylong session. The panel noted that the defendant still displayed anti-social personality traits like dishonesty, downplaying, and violating regulations.

The younger brother, who is incarcerated at the identical facility in Southern California, was likewise denied early release a day before, after officials concluded that his misbehavior in prison made him a risk to society.

Brothers' Statements and Support

During his testimony, the younger sibling offered his most comprehensive account in years of how he was brought up and why he made the decisions he did.

"I didn't grow up with a moral foundation," he stated. "I was taught to lie, to cheat, to steal in an abstract way."

In recent years, support from public figures and increased recognition of the siblings as survivors of mistreatment has contributed to gather a legion of advocates who have demanded their freedom.

The former LA county district attorney initially opened the way to possible release for the defendants by petitioning a court to lessen their prison terms.

After their conviction, the inmates have obtained an education, taken part in rehabilitative programs, and established various support groups for other inmates.

Concluding Thoughts

The judge's ruling to ultimately reject the new trial petition followed a period of pushback from present prosecutors.