‘True Crime News’ host Ana Garcia shares the possibility of the Menendez brothers being released

Ana Garcia focuses on the justice system.

After Lyle and Eric Menendez killed their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, on August 20, 1989, the nation became obsessed with what happened next. After two trials, the brothers were convicted in 1996 and sentenced to two consecutive prison terms without parole.

Now, those sentences have a shot to be reduced, meaning Lyle, 56, and Eric, 53, could be free men.

Garcia sat down for a conversation with The Post and got candid about what the brothers’ future might look like — and what’s standing in their way from independence.

“Los Angeles District Attorney [George Gascón] Said he was recommending to a judge and filing paperwork to reduce the sentence to 50 years to life,” the Emmy Award-winning journalist explained. “So what does that mean? That means California has something called a youthful offender law. And that means, if you were under 26 at the time of the crime, you’ll be eligible for parole. You have a chance of redemption.”

Lyle was 21, and Eric was 18 at the time of their parents’ murder.

“So if he can get the judge to change the sentence to 50 to life in prison, that kicks in parole eligibility. And the district attorney said he believes they should be released immediately, they should be eligible for parole immediately,” Garcia elaborated. “The question is what will the judge do? Because the judge can make a decision in real time and say, ‘Okay, I am reducing the sentence and I recommend that they be paroled.’

The “True Crime News” host shared that the case will go to the parole board.

They “need to have a full hearing,” Garcia continued. “And in California, you can have a hearing, which is basically what they’ve modeled on citizens? Do they show that they have been rehabilitated? Do they show remorse? Will they be a threat to the community if released? And then there will be recommendations from the victim’s family, which could also be Lyle and Eric’s family.”

“And what the district attorney thinks, what the public might think. And then the parole board has 120 days from the hearing to make a decision. Paroles are also like checks from the governor’s office. So Governor Newsom could do nothing, which means they get parole or he could veto it, which is unlikely.”

Some of the reasons the case has been at the forefront of the media include having supporters like Kim Kardashian champion the siblings and their well-known attorney Mark Geragos, who also defended Scott Peterson, who was convicted of her murder in 2002. Pregnant wife Laci Peterson and their unborn son Connor.

Another huge factor is the City of Angels.

“This case is very unique to California,” Garcia thought. “From the beginning, it’s California, so L.A. I mean, it’s Beverly Hills. It’s a millionaire. It’s the entertainment community. Being rich and privileged is everything in Los Angeles. Big media trial – really big, like the media at the forefront of the trial and then the situation around it. How they behaved after the murder. One wanted to be an Ivy Leaguer and the other a professional tennis player. It’s the lifestyle of the rich and famous.”

“And so, then you have our very progressive, liberal incumbent district attorney who is facing a very tough re-election, who believes in reform,” the news anchor admitted. “This is what he considers reform. There is a way of being played right now by Mark Geragos. So, his third step here is going directly to Governor Newsom and begging for forgiveness. This does not mean that he will absolve them of their guilt. This means that he will have the power to appeal to the governor. And many criminals do. He will have the ability to say, ‘OK, I’m commuting your sentence. You are released immediately.’

As for the possibility of that happening? “It’s a possibility,” Garcia said.

“What is going to happen in this political landscape? That’s the part I don’t know,” the podcast host admitted. “Personally, I think the most prudent thing to do is to move this through the courts, to have a hearing, as public as possible — whether it’s a hearing on a reduced sentence or a hearing on habeas corpus and new evidence. I want them to be public. I want everyone to hear both sides of the argument. I think we should take testimony from the victims’ families, the survivors. I think that would be really important. They should be as transparent as possible.”

The crime reporter noted that Geragos “has three plates in the air” at the moment. One of which calls for fresh evidence.

“Now, that’s a whole different way of looking at things because, in that case, they’re basically saying the new evidence is a letter from one of the Menendez brothers to his cousin, who is now deceased, talking about the alleged abuse. [A] Handwritten documents that predated the murder by several months. So it’s an independent document,” Garcia said. “And also, a member of the boy band Menudo, who says he was sexually assaulted by Jose Menendez. So that the judge can make a decision. It might be one of those decisions where the judge might say, ‘Okay. I am releasing you now. We withdraw the charges’ or say, ‘Let’s have a new trial.’ I don’t think anyone wants a third trial. I don’t think there is any interest here.”

But he also acknowledged that “there are many deputy DAs who are against their release and resent them.”

“District Attorney Gascon, when he first said he was looking at new evidence in the case, basically said, ‘I’m not going to make a decision after that. [the] election.’ And then last week, boom, it’s like a race everybody’s running. This is breaking news. He is making an announcement and he is making it before election day. What happened? What is an emergency? What is like in this case there is no emergency. So, I believe it’s because he’s trailing in the polls,” Garcia revealed. “I believe it was politically motivated on his part, probably for one or two reasons. One, to help his election, or two, if he really believes the sentence should be commuted and wants to do it while he’s still elected and in power, he should do it. Let’s say if he loses the election, he has to do it and get it done before his term expires. So it could be one of these two factors that pushed it or even both.”

If Lyle and Eric is Given a second chance at life, the journalist knows how he wants the siblings to spend it.

“You know what I want them to see?” Garcia said. “If they get a second chance at life, I want them to do well with it. I want them to take everything they learn and champion this cause for others. I want them to make a difference in this world. I think it will be the greatest gift. And rehabilitation really means turning around and doing good for others, not for yourself. And, if they can sacrifice their lives for the betterment of other people, I think that is the best outcome. However, if they decide to choose their life with buying Rolexes and Rolls Royces and parties and all that – I hope not.”