Menendez brothers’ aunt hospitalized after DA shares graphic photos in court: ‘We are devastated’

Eric’s 85-year-old aunt and Lyle Menendes, Terry Baralt, was hospitalized after prosecutors showed images of a graphic crime during the brothers’ hearing, the family said.

Relatives are struck by the District Prosecutor’s Office of Los Angeles County for their “cruel” presentation in court on Friday and said they were taking official action to ask the Da Nathan Hochman office.

Lyle and Eric Menendes – who serve as a life in prison without the possibility of conditional release for the killings of their parents since 1989, Jose and Kiti Menendes – struggling to be released after 35 years behind bars. More than 20 of their relatives insist on their release, claiming that they have suffered a terrifying abuse, admitted guilt and apologized and used their decades in custody to help others.

Baralt, who is Jose Menendes’s sister, fights colon cancer. But she travels from her home in New Jersey to Los Angeles to support her nephews during their hearing, where the family says she is forced – without warning – a witness to sinister images, including her brother’s body.

“No physical pain has never prevented her from being there for her nephews,” the family says in a statement on Sunday. “But the display, placed by the DA office, pushed it along the edge.”

Baralt was found unanswered on Sunday morning and was hospitalized in critical condition, the family said.

“We are devastated,” the family said.

“Terry may not recover from what was done to her – and all of us – in this courtroom,” the family said. “We deserve better. We firmly believe that if the office of the fact had even shown a review for us as victims, we would not have hoped for another day with Terry.”

The family said that the graphics display had violated the law of Marcy – California’s bill for victims – specifically notes that he states that the victim has the right to “be treated with justice and respect” and be “free of intimidation, harassment and abuse”.

“Being difficult for crime is important, it is good,” said family lawyer Menendes Brian Friedman. “But this is difficult for crime – not creating fear and pain and trauma to family members.”

The DA service apologized “for not giving a prior warning,” said in a statement on Sunday, “we never intend to cause disaster or pain to persons who attend a court hearing.”

“However, by design, these hearing are intended to be a place where the truth, however painful, is brought to light,” added DA’s office. “This truth begins with the disgusting brutality and wonder of the murders themselves … There has never been an objection to describe this highly brutal, murderous behavior with words, nor has anyone objected to this office when such images on a crime scene have recently been shown in a documentary of Netflix.”

“We warn anyone who is personally listening to a hearing to be prepared for some of the difficult details and images around these tragic circumstances,” prosecutors added.

Initially, the family demanded the removal of Hochman from the case last month, calling his behavior “hostile”, “patronizing” and “re -traumatizing”.

“[The prosecutors] have shown again and again that they are unable to cope with this process with justice, care or neutrality required by law, “the family said on Sunday.

Hearing on Friday on Friday was regarding Hochman’s proposal to withdraw the petition to resent the brothers – represented according to the previous district prosecutor George Gaskon, who supported the brothers’ release. Hochman, who defeated Gasko in the November election, claims that Lyle and Eric Menendes did not take responsibility for their actions and he called their claims for self -defense part of the Lydha.

The judge on Friday rejected Hochman’s proposal and said the brothers’ official hearing would continue, as planned on April 17 and 18, bringing them closer to potential freedom.

Matt Gutman and Lisa Siversen have contributed to this report.