SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A psychiatric nurse and forensic expert who testified in the Menendez brothers’ first trial says the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s decision to move forward with a recidivism recommendation for the duo is slightly was what she had been asking for for a long time.

ABC 10News reporter Spencer Soicher broke the news to Dr. Thursday afternoon. Anne Burgess.

“There’s no way this is just about money,” she said.

Burgess rushed home from the class she was teaching at Boston College to talk to Soicher. The Zoom call took place just as LA District Attorney George Gascón’s announcement came out.

“I just got home, what happened?” Burgess asked.

“They are recommending sentencing,” Soicher responded.

“Excellent, excellent, excellent,” Burgess said.

In the 1990s, Dr. Burgess was asked to interview the brothers and determine whether they had been abused by their father. She strongly believes Thursday’s sentencing recommendation is the right one.

“I testified for Erik Menendez and thought we did our best and I was really surprised that they didn’t get any verdict in the first trial,” she said. “I did not participate in the second test.”

The issue of abuse was not allowed in the men’s second trial, which ended in their convictions. Burgess doesn’t believe the motive here was money. Before the trial, she spent 50 hours interviewing Eric Menendez.

She saw what was in the letter that launched the review.

“Being a defendant is the right thing to do,” Burgess said. “I’m relieved and happy for them.”

Burgess said she would like to reconnect with the brothers when they are released.

“I would like to hear how they are doing because it will be an adjustment when they are released,” she said.