Reanna Wludyka, Guest Writer
Trigger warning: the subject matter in this article has to do with child sexual abuse, murder, and psychological abuse.
The Menendez brothers in court. Photo//Caitlin Johnson, Printerval
In one of the most recognized criminal cases of the 20th century, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life without parole in March of 1996, for the murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The case not only gained traction for its shocking, family-centered killings, but also made national headlines as the description, “BEVERLY HILLS MURDER” crossed all news outlets.
In 1989, murder and Beverly Hills were never thought to be in the same sentence together, let alone a crime committed amongst family members. Yet, murder was not the only crime said to happen in this “picture-perfect family” home.
Erik and Lyle, who were just 18 and 21 at the time of the incident, admitted to the crime— so why did the trial last 3+ years?
Once Lyle and Erik turned themselves in 1990 and 1993, respectively, their trial went on to be completely televised.
Where the World is Divided:
Prosecutors claimed that the Menendez brothers killed their parents to gain their 14.5-million-dollar inheritance. Though this seemed to attract the attention of many viewers, the defense disclosed that the brothers killed their parents as an act of self-defense.
Both Erik and Lyle took the stand in emotional testimonies about the sexual and psychological abuse that their father, Jose, had inflicted on them since the age of 6 years old. The original hope of the defense was to bring the charges down from first-degree murder to manslaughter — which would bring their sentence down significantly, as the killings were expressed to be derived from imperfect self-defense.
After both juries deadlocked, a retrial occurred, and both brothers were convicted of first-degree murder: life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Now in 2024, the world remains divided, and the Menendez brothers take over news headlines once more as ABC Channel 7 reports that Los Angeles County District Attorney, George Gascón, has announced that the Menendez case is being reevaluated due to new evidence and public calls.
Letters have been reportedly uncovered revealing that Erik had tried to reach out to their cousin, Andy Cano, roughly nine months before the murders to disclose the sexual abuse he had been enduring from his father. Not only this, but Roy Rosselló of 80s boy band, Menudo, admitted that Jose Menendez molested him in the Menendez Beverly Hills home.
What does this Revisitation Mean for the Menendez brothers?
This could mean a retrial, resentence, or what many are hoping for, a release.
It is interesting to see the generational divide in this case. Those who were alive when the Menendez brothers stood on trial in 1993, stand with the idea that they “got what they deserved” with their life sentence. But my generation, Gen-Z, are looking at this case with a brand-new set of eyes: that Lyle and Erik saved themselves from being the individuals below ground.
This attention has been brought forth with TV shows like Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (which I do not like to mention when it comes to the truth of this case because of its over-sexualization and misinformation) and the newest documentary The Menendez Brothers that was released on October 7, 2024.
The Menendez Brothers documentary includes audio interviews with both Erik and Lyle from prison, where they discuss the timeline of the murder, their lives before, and what life has looked like since that infamous night.
This is what I have left to say about this case: It is dark. It is layered. It is disturbing on all accounts. Were 2 individuals killed? Yes, it was wrong, and this crime was admitted to. But what else was wrong? Two young boys were subject to sexual and psychological abuse with no help from family members and felt that they had no other way out— which brings us to the revisitation of the case in 2024 with more and new evidence in support of the Menendez brothers.
Just like everyone else, I have many questions and concerns with the case. But I would like to raise one final question for readers to think about:
Are people truly scared of the Menendez brothers and the crime they committed, or are people more afraid that they made a mistake in stereotyping their case for greed and instead failed two young boys who were being sexually abused?
Do not forget to do your own research, and make your own conclusions.
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