Menendez Brothers' Lawyer Blasts New DA After Resentencing Announcement: 'Serially Abusing Them with His Lies'

Lyle and Erik Menendez's lawyer Mark Geragos did not hold back his criticism of newly elected Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.

During a tense live interview on the Today show Tuesday, March 11, Geragos laid into Hochman after the DA said in a press conference on Monday, March 10, that he would not recommend resentencing for the Menendez brothers because they have, in his eyes, not accepted responsibility for fatally shooting their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, in their $5 million Beverly Hills home in 1989.

Many Menendez family members disagree, Geragos said. He said that 22 members of the Menendez family met with the DAs office to advocate for the brothers' release and begged the office to, in Geragos' words, "stop re-traumatizing us."

"We could tell at that meeting that [Hochman] had no interest in that," Geragos claimed. "This really kind of points out one of the fallacies, if you will, of the DA office here. They’re not interested in victims."

"There isn’t a single living victim who endorses this. In fact, every single victim... wants them out," he continued. "This gentleman, this DA, re-traumatizes the family repeatedly. He’s almost serially abusing them with his lies and his litany of lies."

Related: New DA Won't Support Menendez Brothers' Resentencing: Why He Thinks 'They Shouldn't Get Out of Jail'

One of Hochman's alleged "lies," Geragos told Today's Savannah Guthrie, was the assertion that the brothers' claim of self-defense was fabricated.

"He keeps saying they were claiming self-defense. They were not claiming self-defense. They were claiming what was called ‘imperfect self-defense,' " said Geragos. "The jury did not convict. ... The first jury did not convict. That was a hung jury. Then the judge took away imperfect self-defense. He basically directed a verdict the second time around."

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Following a 1993 mistrial, Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. They've since fought for decades to be released from prison, insisting — as they claimed in court testimony — that they murdered their parents because they feared for their lives. Their father, the brothers claimed, had sexually abused them both for years and threatened to kill them if they told anyone.

On Monday, the DA said his office would only support the Menendez brothers resentencing if they denounce their self-defense argument and admit to 16 lies he claims they have told about what happened before and after they killed their parents.

But in Geragos' eyes, Hochman is just "showboating."

"He knows for a fact that the brothers were cross examined for weeks in the first trial. Every single one of those things that he mentioned was either abandoned or was cross examined in the first trial," Geragos said. "And guess what happened? Two juries, not one — one for Erik and one for Lyle — both juries voted against murder over the majority. ... [Hochman is] just trotting out the same old things and he’s re-traumatizing [the victims]."

Anamaria Baralt is one of the Menendez family members who has spoken out against Hochman. During an appearance on NBC's Top Story with Tom Llamas on Monday night, Erik and Lyle's cousin pushed back against the DA's claims.

"They have apologized, they have shown remorse and they have taken full accountability to the public,' she said. "[Hochman] wants them to agree to his truth — and not their truth and not the truth — in order for them to support his resentencing."

The family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition has also spoken out against Hochman, writing in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that in his press conference, the DA, “made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle, and our family hostage.”

Perhaps “most alarming, however,” the statement continued, was Hochman’s “not-so-veiled insistence they were not sexually abused. He instead sent a message to every young boy who’s the victim of abuse that they should not come forward or tell your truth. Because he’s demanding as much out of Erik and Lyle right now.”

Related: New DA Deals Severe Blow to Menendez Brothers' Hopes. Here's How Erik and Lyle Could Still Go Free

Ultimately, the courts will have the final say in whether the Menendez brothers are resentenced, which could make them immediately eligible for parole. A resentencing hearing is scheduled to begin March 20.

There’s also a pending request for clemency by Gov. Gavin Newsom that's already underway. At Newsom’s request, the California Board of Parole Hearings is currently investigating to determine what risk to the public the brothers would impose if they are indeed released.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

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