36 years after the brutal murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, Lyle and Erik Menendez are one step closer to being set free and getting what they believe to be the justice they deserve. In a high-profile 1996 trial, the brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors and jurors believed that the brothers acted out of financial gain, while Lyle and Erik claimed they committed the crime in self-defense following years of abuse and neglect by their parents. Now, after numerous legal battles and new evidence, they are a procedural hearing away from a resentencing and possible freedom.
On the evening of August 20, 1989, in the beautiful suburb of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills was filled with ringing shots of gunfire. Residents of Elm Dr. were awakened with screams and intense blasts from nearby neighbors. Dispatchers received a call around 11:47 pm from Lyle and Erik Menendez, who found their parents gruesomely murder after a night at the movies. After looking at the crime scene, police suspected the murders as a mob hit because of the father’s successful business and strong competition. However, the brothers started to draw attention with their behavior by taking luxurious shopping sprees for high-priced items like Rolex watches, gambling, and partying. They also hired a computer expert to try and delete their fathers recently updated will. Lyle was arrested on March 8, 1990, and Erik later turned himself in after being out of the country.
3 years after their arrest, the brothers were put on trial not once, but twice. During the first trial, the brothers claimed their wrongdoing out of self-defense and described in harsh and graphic detail the abuse and assault by their father, José. Despite strong argumentative defenses from both sides, a mistrial was declared after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. As the second trial began, the main focus was the alleged abuse. Numerous witnesses argued that the brothers showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acted out of fear that their parents would continue to harm them. In the end, it was not enough to overcome many suspicious actions by the brothers such as offering to bribe witness for false testimonies. In 1996, Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Since the sentencing in 1996, new evidence supporting the brothers claim has finally made its way to the court. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office shared a letter written by Erik in 1988 to his cousin, Andy Cano, detailing his father’s abuse. Erik wrote “I’ve been trying to avoid dad. It’s still happening Andy but it’s worse for me now.” A former Menudo member, Roy Rosselló, publicly stated that he was assaulted and abused by José Menendez at 14. Diane Vander Molen, cousin of Lyle and Erik, spoke during the 1996 trial stating that in the summer of 1976, Lyle had proclaimed that his father was touching him. “In hindsight, I wish that I would have been stronger about what Lyle was telling me so I could have done something to help them,” Diane said. With this new evidence, the hope is that a resentencing will allow for the brothers to be eligible for parole.
The resentencing trial was originally set for December 11, 2024, but was postponed due to several legal challenges and the Los Angeles wildfires. Now scheduled for May 9, it is hoped that the new trial will move forward and finish by the June 13, 2025, deadline set by California Governor Gavin Newsom. It will definitely be an event that fans and supporters around the world are looking forward to.
