Family members will speak out in renewed pressure to release the Menendez brothers from prison

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Family members of Eric and Lyle Menendez, serving life sentences for killing their parents in Beverly Hills more than 35 years ago, are set to speak as prosecutors review new evidence in the case.

About two dozen relatives will hold a news conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday to pressure the district attorney to formally recommend regency in the brothers' case.

The brothers' defense attorney, Mark Geragos, and their family told ABC News their biggest wish is for the two to be released from prison and home in time to celebrate their aunt's 93rd birthday this Thanksgiving.

Earlier this month, L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon announced that his office would review the new evidence and decide whether to contest the infamous case that has drawn national attention.

New evidence presented in a petition includes a letter written by Eric Menendez that his attorneys say supports allegations he was sexually abused by his father.

The brothers said they killed their parents in self-defense after enduring a lifetime of physical, mental and sexual abuse from them. Their attorneys argue that because of society's changing views on sexual abuse, the brothers were not convicted of first-degree murder and are today sentenced to life without parole.

Attorneys for the brothers said the family believed from the start they should have been charged with murder instead of murder. Manslaughter was not an option for the jury during the second trial that ultimately convicted the brothers of murder, Geragos said.

Lyle Menendez, then 21, and Eric Menendez, then 18, admitted they shot and killed their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, in 1989 but said they feared their parents would kill them. is going Disclosure of Eric's father's long-term sexual abuse.

Prosecutors then claimed there was no evidence of molestation. They said the boys were after their parents' multi-million dollar estate.

Jurors rejected the death penalty in favor of life without parole.

The case received new attention after Netflix began streaming the true-crime drama “Monsters: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story.”

Gascon said he believes the issue of sexual assault could have been treated more sensitively if the case had happened today.

“We have not decided on an outcome. We are reviewing the information,” Gascón said earlier this month.

He said his office did not know the “validity” of what was presented at trial.

Gascon, who is seeking re-election, noted that more than 300 people have been offended during his tenure and only four have reoffended.

The date of hearing was fixed on November 29.

Lyle Menendez recently earned a sociology degree from the University of California, Irvine through a prison program. Geragos said they were model prisoners despite believing they would never be released.

“I think it's time,” Geragos said. “The family thinks it's time.”

Reality TV star and celebrity personality Kim Kardashian, who has advocated for criminal justice reform, also weighed in, writing in a personal essay shared with NBC News that media attention to the first nationally televised trial denied them justice.

He noted “their stories of hardship and abuse were mocked in skits on 'Saturday Night Live'” that they were “two arrogant, rich kids from Beverly Hills who killed their parents out of greed. There was no room for sympathy, let alone sympathy. “

“Eric and Lyle had no chance of a fair trial against this background,” Kardashian wrote.

The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.