What's Next For The Menendez Brothers?
Alyssa Torres
On August 20, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents José and Kitty Menendez. In March of 1990, the brothers were arrested for the murders. Their first trial began in 1993 and ended in 1994 with a hung jury. The retrial began in 1995 and concluded in 1996, resulting in first degree murder convictions and a life sentences without parole.
Society had deemed the brothers as “evil” psychopaths, believing they killed for money after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars from their inheritance in the months following the murders. Being raised in a wealthy family and the amount spent after their parents death, the public had seen them as spoiled Beverly Hills brats.
However, during the trial confessions about the family’s dynamic came out shedding light on the motives behind the killings.
The brothers claimed that they suffered emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from their parents. They detail the abuse, particularly the sexual abuse they experienced from their father while also mentioning their mother’s knowledge of the abuse, which lead them to have resentment towards their mother as she never spoke out for them.
Days before the murders, Lyle confronted his father about the sexual abuse, leading the brothers to believe their parents were going to murder them. They had become extremely paranoid and afraid of their parents, as in the past their father had threatened them if they ever spoke out on the sexual abuse.
While it was without a doubt that the brothers had killed their parents, their second trial focused more on determining the appropriate charges. The defense was hopeful that jurors could empathize and view the brothers as victims who acted in self defense, as well as being charged with manslaughter rather than first-degree murder.
The public was split between believing they were victims who had to endure horrible abuse from their parents while the other half believed they were psychotic monsters who killed their parents for money.
This renewed interest led to producing shows and documentaries. Recently in September, Netflix released “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” a very dramatized version of the brothers relationship, experience of the murders, and how the media played a role in the murder case. This release has led to debates in the media over some of the public support of the brothers.
The Menendez brothers were disappointed with the portrayal of their life. They expressed disappointment with Ryan Murphy, the director of the show, as he insinuated incest between the brothers.
In result of this, Netflix gave them a chance to tell their side of the story in a documentary recently released on October 7th, titled “The Menendez Brothers”. The boys and many others were interviewed regarding the case, their version of what really happened and what their life is like now.
In early October, a few weeks after the Netflix show’s release, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that they are currently reviewing new evidence. While details about the new evidence remains unconfirmed, there is speculation about a retrial or re-sentencing.
There is an upcoming hearing for the brothers scheduled on November 29, 2024. Supporters are hopeful that justice will be served for the brothers now that the circumstances have changed.
Around the time of the boy’s first trial, there was already significant distrust between the public and the Los Angeles criminal justice system. One reason being the Rodney King incident in 1991 involving police brutality.
Before the brothers retrial, the infamous OJ Simpson case was taking place; this captured most of the public attention, as most found the result of Simpson’s case inaccurate. This put pressure onto the criminal justice system, which led them into securing a conviction to improve their image.
Sexual abuse, especially involving male victims, was not well understood in the 90s. The impact of abuse on people, particularly men and children, were poorly recognized by society and the court at the time. Now we have resources like organizations, counselors and more for a better understanding of the issue and its affects on victims.
At the the time of the case, it gained significant attention. The Menendez trial was televised, allowing worldwide access that resulted in heavy media involvement.
In the media, the brothers' case was not taken seriously. They were negatively portrayed on talk-shows and publicly mocked. Skits aired making fun of the brothers and their situation, with many TV hosts calling them liars.
During the case, the brothers mostly faced hatred and were made out to seem as “evil” in the media. However, the current public opinion of them has shifted, with many people viewing the brothers as victims and offering support. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian are even publicly advocating for them to be released.
Even though the brothers are receiving plenty of support now there are still people who believe they are psychopaths who belong in jail. However it is now up to the court to decide what will happen next to the brothers.