Erik and Lyle Menendez who infamously murdered their parents in 1989, appeared virtually for the first time in almost 30 years at a court hearing. It was thanks in part to outgoing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon’s recent recommendation of reducing their sentences, which could allow them to be eligible for immediate parole. Gascon credited the recent popularity of a Netflix documentary on the case for that request.

The defendants also shared new evidence supporting their claims that they were sexually and physically abused by their father, wealthy music industry executive Jose Menendez, which led to the murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills, California, mansion.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic announced Monday in court that the Menendez brothers’ originally scheduled Dec. 11 hearing would be moved to Jan. 30-31, 2025. The judge needed more time to consider the new evidence and go through 17 boxes of material.

While in court, the hearing was briefly delayed Monday due to technical difficulties regarding the Webex video system that virtually connected the brothers to the courtroom.

Aunt Terry and Aunt Joan, two older sisters of Kitty and Jose Menendez testified during the hearing and were sympathetic to the brothers. The family members pleaded with the judge to allow the brothers to go home.

During the posthearing press conference, one of the sisters said, “35 years is a long time.”

Lyle Menendez said he has experienced “miraculous” support from their family, in a September 2017 interview with NBC 4 Los Angeles.

During Monday’s status conference, Mark Geragos, the attorney for the Menendez brothers, requested that the judge reconsider their habeas corpus petition, which was filed last year for a review of new evidence and requested a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.

“Newly discovered evidence directly supports the defense presented at trial,” the petition reads.

Netflix recently released the film Monsters: Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and the documentary The Menendez Brothers, which brought renewed interest in their case.