1:52 PM PT -- While the Menendez brothers' family stood behind Erik and Lyle today, people in the crowd were split ... some holding signs advocating for release, others wanting them to remain behind bars.

1:30 PM PT -- Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing the extended Menendez fam, says the family is heading to the Hall of Justice in L.A.. As victims of the murders under Marsy's Law, the family members can go to court to be heard ... and, they will all reiterate their belief that Erik and Lyle should be released from prison.

1:25 PM PT -- Kitty's niece -- Karen VanderMolen -- says she's always believed Erik and Lyle's story ... feeling something was wrong in their household growing up. She adds that if Erik and Lyle were women, they would've received a much shorter sentence.

1:21 PM PT -- Brian A. Andersen Jr. -- Kitty's nephew -- says he's known the Menendez bros his whole life ... saying he doesn't think his cousins are the villains the media has made them seem.

Had the trial been held today -- he says -- the alleged sexual abuse they dealt with wouldn't have been dismissed out of hand, and the trial would've ended much differently. Brian says if Erik and Lyle are released, he'd happily welcome them into his home with a big hug and a place to sleep.

1:17 PM PT -- Joan Andersen VanderMolen -- Kitty Menendez's 92-year-old sister -- says it took many years for her to come to terms with her sister's murder ... but, the alleged abuse the Menendez Brothers suffered has changed her view.

Joan says Erik and Lyle were let down by the people who were supposed to protect them -- including Kitty. She says the world wasn't ready to accept boys could be sexually assaulted in the 1990s -- now, the world knows differently, and their sentence needs to be amended.

1:12 PM PT -- Jose Menendez's niece, Anamaria Baralt, has read a statement from her mom -- Jose's sister -- saying she can't make it because of health challenges ... but, she's throwing her support behind Erik and Lyle and asking for the brothers' release. She wants to hug them at least once more in her lifetime, she says in the letter.

1:07 PM PT -- Mark Geragos has mentioned Roy Rosselló's testimony and Erik's letter to his cousin Andy as well as the Menendezs' work behind bars to rehabilitate ... saying they're hoping for the D.A. to resentence the brothers.

The family of Erik and Lyle Menendez is pushing for their release from prison, holding a press conference outside a Los Angeles courthouse ... and TMZ is streaming live.

Rosie O'Donnell is scheduled to speak in support of the Menendez brothers ... and nearly two dozen family members have traveled from across the country to pressure L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón to officially recommend resentencing the notorious killers.

Erik and Lyle's defense attorney, Mark Geragos, is also set to give remarks ... and three of the Menendez brothers' cousins, plus an aunt, are going to grab the mic too.

Among the key pieces of new evidence the family is expected to discuss here is a letter Erik wrote just months before the brothers killed their parents ... in which Erik allegedly tells his cousin, Andy Cano, about the abuse he and Lyle faced at the hands of their father, Jose Menendez.

Andy's mother reportedly found Erik's letter about nine years ago ... and during the Menendez brothers' trial, Andy testified Erik had told him about his dad's alleged abuse when he was only 13 years old. Andy died in 2003, so he obviously won't be at the press conference.

As we reported, earlier this month D.A. Gascón announced his office was reevaluating evidence in the Menendez case ... and the district attorney said he'd heard about other abuse claims against Jose, made by Menudo bandmember Roy Rosselló.

Erik and Lyle have been behind bars since 1990 ... they testified about being abused by their father during their first trial, which ended in a hung jury -- but a judge refused to allow such testimony in the retrial -- and they're serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

It will be interesting to see what the family has to say here ... they're clearly hoping this new evidence will overturn Erik and Lyle's sentences.