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A state court official has rejected a request for a new for the Menendez siblings, stating that claims of abuse did not outweigh their premeditation and deliberation when they killed their parents more than 35 years ago.

Recent Ruling and Legal Background

The Monday decision by Los Angeles superior court Justice William C Ryan arrives just a short time after the siblings were refused early release and closes another possible path to freedom for the pair, who have been in almost 30 years behind bars.

The brothers were sentenced in 1996 for fatally shooting their parent, their dad, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. They were young adults at the time.

Although their lawyers contended the brothers acted in self-defense after years of abuse, prosecutors said the duo killed their family for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

Parole Hearings and Judge's Rationale

The judge wrote that recent evidence that somewhat corroborates the abuse does not negate the fact that the brothers 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 jury member," the judge noted.

The brothers' attorney, a legal representative for the defendants, did not immediately respond on the decision.

Latest Parole Decisions

A panel of two commissioners on August 22 rejected Lyle Menendez parole for three years after a lengthy hearing. Commissioners noted that the older brother still displayed problematic behaviors like dishonesty, downplaying, and rule-breaking.

Erik Menendez, who is held at the same facility in San Diego, was likewise refused parole a day earlier, after officials concluded that his conduct in prison made him a danger to society.

Brothers' Statements and Backing

During his hearing, Erik Menendez offered his most detailed description in years of how he was raised 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 figuratively."

In recent months, backing from celebrities and greater awareness of the siblings as victims of mistreatment has helped amass a large number of supporters who have called for their freedom.

The former LA county district attorney initially paved the door to possible freedom for the defendants by asking a court to lessen their sentences.

Since their sentencing, the inmates have obtained an degree, participated in rehabilitative classes, and established various support groups for other people in prison.

Concluding Remarks

The court's ruling to ultimately deny the retrial request followed months of pushback from current prosecutors.