Terry Baralt Hospitalized Following Los Angeles District Attorney’s Graphic Courtroom Display Without Family Notification

Display was an egregious violation of Marsy’s Law and basic human decency

(LOS ANGELES, CA) The Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition, a family-led initiative advocating for the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez, is calling for immediate accountability and oversight following a disturbing and reckless decision by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office during Friday’s court hearing that has had a detrimental impact on the victims’ family. In open court, and without any prior warning, prosecutors displayed an unredacted, graphic image of José Menendez’s lifeless body – an act that retraumatized family members in attendance and led to the hospitalization of José’s 85-year-old sister, Terry Baralt, who is now in critical condition.

“We are devastated to share that Terry Baralt – who is a mother, an aunt to many of us, and José Menendez’s sister – has been hospitalized and is in critical condition following the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office’s cruel and careless conduct in court.

Without notice, prosecutors chose to show a graphic, unredacted image of José’s dead body directly in front of us, his surviving family. No one prepared us. There was no warning, no humanity – just shock and pain inflicted on people who have already endured decades of grief. Terry, who is battling cancer, came to court to support her family. 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. By early this morning, she was rushed to the hospital and remains in critical condition.

This wasn’t just cruel. It was a clear violation of our rights under Marsy’s Law, which guarantees victims the right ‘to be treated with fairness and respect for their privacy and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse throughout the criminal justice process.’ What happened was the opposite. The display was retraumatizing, completely avoidable, and we believe it was intentional. The District Attorney’s Office knew what the law required and deliberately chose to ignore it. We are holding them fully responsible for the profound pain we are suffering right now. The shock and heartbreak we feel cannot be put into words.

Mark Geragos objected to their cruelty and clear violation of Marsy’s law to protect us in real time. In response, Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian didn’t apologize. He didn’t show an ounce of concern. Instead, he smirked and said, ‘Are you done, Mr. Geragos?’ The level of disrespect was staggering. But it’s part of a disturbing pattern we’ve come to expect, especially from DA Hochman, who has repeatedly spoken to us with aggression and disdain and we will be holding him accountable.

We have tried to engage in good faith. We asked for a different contact in the DA’s victim services division after learning that Kathy Cady had been appointed as the Director of the division. Our objection stemmed from Kathy Cady having previously represented the only family member who opposed Erik and Lyle’s release, while she actively campaigned and endorsed DA Hochman during the election. Our concerns were viewed as an annoyance. No one was reassigned to us. And time and again, the message from this office has been clear: because we believe in mercy and rehabilitation, our pain doesn’t matter. The District Attorney seems to only care about victims’ rights when they align with his point of view. 

Now, let us be crystal clear: our forgiveness for Erik and Lyle does not erase our grief. It does not mean we don’t mourn José and Kitty. It means we believe that people can grow. That trauma begets trauma. That cycles of abuse can and must be broken. It is not contradictory to hold love for those who were harmed and for those who caused harm, it is human. And yet this District Attorney’s Office seems determined to punish us for that humanity. 

We will not let what happened on Friday stand. We are taking formal action and demanding that the District Attorney’s Office be removed from this case. They have shown again and again that they are incapable of handling this process with the fairness, care, or neutrality required by law. Instead, they have been determined to make this personal, and they have. 

Our family is hurting. 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 announce of consideration for us, as victims, we would not be hoping for one more day with Terry right now.”

To learn more about the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition and support our efforts, visit www.justiceforerikandlyle.org.