It was a brutal crime that shocked American society. In August 1989, Lyle and Eric Menendez — then ages 21 and 18 — walked into the living room of their Beverly Hills mansion.
Moving silently and with quick movements, they remove two suitcases from the trunk. They then enter the house and reach the living room where they meet his parents, Jose, a music industry executive, and Mary Louise, a former beauty queen named Kitty. who are watching TV on the sofa.
They unload 12 bullets into them with incredible fury as they destroy their father’s skull.
At 11:47 they call the police, crying and desperate. The two young people speak to the media and express their grief over the loss of their parents in different ways, while at the same time pointing out the Mafia as responsible for the horrible crime.
When their role was revealed, prosecutors argued that greed was the motive for the murders, as the brothers spent much of their inherited fortune on Rolexes, cars and luxury real estate before they became suspects.
In the first trial, defense lawyers alleged that the brothers murdered their parents after years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse by their father.
They also claimed that their mother knew about the abuse but did not stop it.
In 1996, the Menendez brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of their parents.
Watch Eric Menéndez’s testimony
It was their second trial. Two years earlier, in separate trials, a mistrial was declared after two different juries (one for each brother) deadlocked on the verdict.
After serving decades behind bars as part of his life sentences without the possibility of parole, the Menendez brothers may have a chance to break free.
In early October, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced that his office was reexamining the case after lawyers representing the Menendez brothers asked prosecutors to recommend a new sentence, a move that could lead to their release.
The review of their sentence comes as the Menendez brothers have returned to the media spotlight thanks to the revelation of new evidence, their army of social media defenders and a recent television series and documentary examining the crime and its trial.
Lawyer bans have resulted in sentences of life in prison without parole
Interviews with jurors following the mistrial revealed that some of them questioned the severity of the abuse and the extent to which it justified their actions. Prosecutors argued that it was a premeditated crime to inherit his father’s fortune.
Watch Lyle Menendez’s testimony
In the second trial where the brothers were tried together the brothers’ lawyers were not allowed to present much evidence and testimony.
Judge Stanley M. Weisberg, banned their lawyers from using the “abuse excuse”effectively leaving the jury with only two options: acquittal or conviction for murder. They chose the second.
The new data
In recent years, new evidence has emerged that could be favorable to the Menéndez brothers when their case is reexamined.
Last year, Roy Rossello, former member of the band Menudo, publicly disclosed that José Menendez sexually abused him at the family home in New Jersey when he was 14 years old.
Journalist Robert Rudd, who wrote extensively about the brothers in his book “The Menendez Murders”, also revealed a letter Eric wrote when he was 17 to his cousin, detailing sexual abuse committed by his father.
In a press conference on October 3, Gascon stated thatNone of this new information has been confirmed. from your office, but that prosecutors have a “moral and ethical obligation to review what is presented to us”.
The two series that reignited interest
The Menendez brothers were the subject of two recent Netflix series. The first, “Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez,” created by Ryan Murphy, premiered in September.
While Eric Menendez publicly spoke out against the program, calling it full of liesMurphy insisted, telling The Hollywood Reporter that the brothers should be grateful to him for bringing more attention to the case.
During the October 3 briefing, prosecutor J. Gascão he acknowledged that his office “got a lot of calls” about the Menendez brothers, especially after the show’s release.
Weeks later, Netflix premiered “The Menendez Brothers,” a documentary by Alejandro Hartmann featuring exclusive interviews with Lyle and Eric Menendez.
What will happen next?
Prosecutors are currently examining the new evidence and the extent to which, if known at the time of the trials, it could have affected the outcome of the trial. They also assess whether defendants have recovered during incarceration.
Mark Geragos, attorney for the Menendez brothers, said at an Oct. 16 press conference that Lyle and Eric Menendez were “exemplary” inmates who created special programs for sexual abuse, with guidance and ongoing help for those who have sufferedwhile pthey dropped out of higher education even though they had no hope of being released from prison.
Mr. Gascon did not initially indicate where his office is leaning. But he later said, in a television interview on October 17, that “given the totality of the circumstances, I don’t think they deserve to stay in prison until they die.”
Prosecutors can make a recommendation, but the court will have the final say on the brothers’ fate. The next hearing is scheduled for November 26th.
Many members of the Menéndez family support his release
Earlier this year, 24 family members requested a new trial in a letter they submitted to the court, arguing that “continuing incarceration serves no reformative purpose.”
Joan Andersen Vandermolen, sister of Kitty Menendez, also spoke in favor of her release.
When the abuse came to light, she said: “It was clear that their actions, although tragic, were the desperate response of two boys trying to survive their father’s unspeakable cruelty.”
But not everyone agrees. Milton Anderson, one of Kitty Menendez’s brothers told the New York Times in 2023 that the brothers should not be released.
“They don’t deserve to walk the face of this earth after killing my sister and brother-in-law,” he said.
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