Court Blocks Release of Menendez Documents
A state appeals court blocked the scheduled release Tuesday of sales records on shotguns allegedly purchased by two brothers charged with killing their parents in Beverly Hills.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal on Monday issued an emergency stay at the request of a defense lawyers appealing a Santa Monica Superior Court judge’s order that would have allowed police to release the sealed documents.
It was not immediately known how long the stay will remain in effect, and defense attorney Gerald Chaleff was not available for comment. Chaleff had argued that the documents should remain sealed because they are related to private conversations between the brothers and their psychologist.
Lyle Menendez, 22, and Erik Menendez, 19, are charged with killing their parents, Jose Menendez, 45, and Kitty, 44. Police have seized audiotapes of conversations in which the brothers allegedly made incriminating statements about the slayings.
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Correction
Mary Louise (Kitty) Menendez was 47 when she died, not 44.
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