In 1996, Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life without parole for the murder of their parents. In court, the Menendez brothers argued that the murders were self-defense in retaliation to the sexual abuse they endured since the age of six. Prosecutors did not believe the abuse and considered it an “act” during the trials.
After almost three decades, a new piece of evidence in the Menendez Brothers case was uncovered in 2023, suggesting the brothers were telling the truth about being abused during their trials. Following the uncovering of the letter written by Erik Menendez to his cousin eight months before the murders occurred, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón filed a petition for resentencing.
The petition opens the possibility for the court to re-sentence the brothers to 50 years to life with parole.
The parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez were killed by Erik Menendez, then 18, and Lyle Menendez, then 21, on Aug. 20, 1989, when they were gunned down at their home in Beverly Hills by the two of them.
At first, the authorities didn’t think the brothers were people of interest, instead, the brothers claimed that it was a mafia-driven murder connected to José Menendez’s job. Suspicions were soon raised that the brothers had something to do with the murder of their parents when they went on a huge spending spree and weren’t “reacting right” to the death of their parents. It later was confirmed to be true when the therapist of Erik Menendez, Jerome Oziel, recorded his confession.
In March of 1990, the tapes were brought to the authorities’ attention, and within a week the brothers were arrested.
Since the murder followed after the O.J. Simpson trial, the public’s attention was focused on the Menendez brothers case ready for more true crime stories. According to Jaimie Ding from AP News, “The brothers’ first trial was one of the first to be almost entirely televised on Court TV.”
This caused documentaries, dramatizations, and television series to be created, producing more public viewing and popularity, the most recent being “Monsters” on Netflix which had a viewing of 12.3 million within four days of its release.
At their second trial in 1996, they were finally convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life without parole.
“The brothers’ attorney, Mark Geragos, called them model prisoners who worked tirelessly to reform themselves with no expectation they’d be released,” said Emily Shapiro from ABC News. Over their time in prison, they have focused on improving themselves, as well as assisting other inmates.
According to Christopher Cann from USA Today, “If the judge sides with the defense and district attorney, a parole board will evaluate whether the brothers have been rehabilitated and are safe to reenter society.”
But the surging public interest in the case may affect the judge’s decision. Would their resentence request be seriously considered if Netflix and others hadn’t put the story in the public eye?
