Menendez Brothers' House of Horrors Crime Scene Photos Re-Emerge in Court 'Without Warning' — Causing Stunned Aunt to Be Hospitalized
A judge has ruled Erik and Lyle Menendez's resentencing trial can move forward.
April 14 2025, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Gruesome crime scene photos of the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez have resurfaced following a dramatic day in court for Erik and Lyle Menendez, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Friday, April 11, Judge Michael Jesic rejected a bid by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office to withdraw a motion supporting re-sentencing for the brothers, who were convicted of brutally murdering their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
With Jesic's order, Erik and Lyle's resentencing trial will move forward.
Warning: graphic content below.
Kitty and Jose Menendez were fatally shot at their family's Beverly Hills home in August 1989.
Erik and Lyle have been imprisoned for over 30 years.
Following multiple bids for their freedom, citing new evidence of alleged sexual abuse from their father, the brothers' resentencing trial has been scheduled to take place in Van Nuys on Thursday, April 17.
The Menendez brothers are hopeful they will receive a lesser sentence, allowing them to either be released or become eligible for parole.
Kitty's body was discovered on the floor and her husband was discovered on the couch.
While former DA George Gascón supported the brothers' resentencing, his successor, Nathan Hochman, strongly opposes it.
As he addressed Gascón's motion, Hochman argued "in no way, shape, or form did they deal with what we believe to be one of the key issues …. (which is) the exhibition of full insight and complete responsibility for one’s crimes."
During Friday's hearing, prosecutors used crime scene photos from the double murder in an attempt to highlight the "severity and depravity" of Erik and Lyle's actions.
One photo shared featured Kitty and Jose drenched in blood on the family's couch.
Prosecutors used the graphic images to argue the 'severity and depravity' of Erik and Lyle's actions.
As the graphic images were displayed on a large screen, Assistant Head Deputy Habib Balian told the court: "Are they the same people they were when they committed this brutal crime? Have they changed?"
Mark Geragos, one of the attorneys representing the brothers, objected to the images being shared in court, where members of the Menendez family were present.
Geragos said it was "outrageous, frankly, (that Balian) flashes up photos of the crime scene without warning," noting the photos being displayed "re-traumatized" family members.
He branded the use of the crime scene photos "horrific" and apologized to Kitty and Jose's family.
A family member was later hospitalized after the images were flashed in court 'without warning.'
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One of the family members who attended the hearing was Erik and Lyle's aunt, Terry Baralt.
After the hearing, Baralt was found unresponsive in her hotel room and was hospitalized.
The family has since slammed the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office over their "cruel" use of the photos, which they said overwhelmed her.
In a statement, Baralt's family said: "No physical pain has ever kept her from being there for her nephews. But the display put on by the DA's office pushed her past the brink."
Their statement continued: "We are devastated. Terry may not recover from what was done to her – and to all of us – in that courtroom.
"We deserve better. We firmly believe that if the DA's office had shown even an ounce of consideration for us, as victims, we would not be hoping for one more day with Terry right now."
The family additionally argued prosecutors violated Marsy's Law, California's bill of rights for victims, which states a victim is "to be treated with fairness and respect" and be "free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse."
