ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Decades after a judge sentenced Lyle and Erik Menendez to life in prison for killing their parents, their case is once again in the national spotlight.

“Each new generation they learn about the case, and they go, ‘I don’t understand if they were abused, then why are they still in prison?’ Well, it is because in the 1990s, people didn’t believe them,” said Hazel Thornton, a juror in the Erik Menendez’s first trial. 

Thornton lives in Albuquerque, and she served as a juror on Erik Menendez’s first trial, which ended with a hung jury. 

KOB 4 spoke to Thornton about recent new evidence corroborating the brothers’ long-standing claims they were sexually abused by their father, Jose Menendez, for years. 

“The letter that Erik wrote to his cousin Andy has existed since before the killings, but it was unearthed and submitted in this new package to the DA,” said Thornton. 

A Los Angeles district attorney is also looking into an affidavit from a member of “Menudo,” a Latino boy band from the 70s. 

“The big news last year was that one of the Menudo boys who are now a grown man, Roy Rossello, he also was molested by Jose Menendez and that was never presented a trial,” said Thornton.  

Thornton has been following the case ever since her juror duty was over. She even wrote a book about her experience, and has kept a close watch on new potential developments. 

“One of the things that people forget is how unfair the second trial was. The judge changed a lot of his rulings from the first trial and did not allow the evidence of abuse,” Thornton said.  

She says this new evidence is the first real shot at potential freedom for the brothers. 

“I think if they aren’t set free now, they never will be. I think this is the time, and I am cautiously optimistic that it will happen. All of the elements are in place for a Menendez miracle,” said Thornton.