Brothers Lyle & Erik Menendez horrified the country with their cold-blooded 1989 murder of their rich parents, Jose & Kitty Menendez. The crime happened in their lavish Beverly Hills palace and it turned into an international sensation almost instantly. The brothers had gunned down their parents with 16 shots, a murder that went cold for almost four months. The brothers’ greed and sense of entitlement were made clear in the following trials. They hardenedly insisted their right to inherit their family’s $14 million estate. They argued that their actions were the result of years of sexual abuse perpetrated by their father. This myth has sparked a powerful and important #MeToo backlash that has underscored the messy realities of healing and justice.
At first, the Menendez brothers received a significant amount of negative publicity from the general public as well as the press. They were depicted as rich brats who killed all those people in cold blood because they hated their mom and dad. In the months following the murders, they went on a shopping spree. That figure eventually climbed to $700,000 which would go on to establish them as the worst and most entitled criminals. Their affirmative defense—aggressively focused on the accusations of sexual abuse—was mostly disregarded through the trials. Prosecutors and comedians combined forces to bring their ridiculous claims into comedy court. The humor spilled onto late night television and even to joke-writing the Academy Awards.
The first trial ended with a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The second trial would prove to be the charm. Lyle and Erik Menendez were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Since their incarcerations, the brothers have both actively sought to make conditions behind bars better. Erik started a hospice program for geriatric and disabled inmates, and Lyle has taken on a leading role in improving the prison’s environment through landscaping projects.
In a historic move, a Los Angeles judge took a defiant step in 2022. Most controversially, he commuted their sentence to life-with-parole. The future of the Menendez brothers is now in the hands of California’s Parole Board and Governor Gavin Newsom. If they are given parole, they have the potential to be released in as little as five months, per California Department of Corrections.
Today, influential community leaders are taking to the airwaves and social media in opposition to the Menendez brothers’ freedom. Perhaps the most famous celebrity advocate for their freedom has been reality star Kim Kardashian, who has campaigned to highlight their cause. She highlighted the importance of understanding sexual abuse victims’ experiences, stating, “Back then, there were limited resources for victims of sexual abuse, particularly for boys.”
Governor Newsom has also weighed in on the case multiple times through social media and his podcast, suggesting that he is considering how public opinion has shifted over time. He noted, “I’m obviously familiar with the Menendez brothers just through the news over the course of many decades.” This awareness does not influence his judgment on their case, as he stated, “So that won’t bias my independent and objective review of the facts.”
Every surviving member of the Menendez family’s extended network has expressed a desire for Lyle and Erik to be released. This encompasses family members like cousins, aunts, uncles and even the siblings of Jose and Kitty Menendez. By drawing on and exploring the closeness of this family unit, the filmmaking illuminates a nuanced tangle of hope and hurt that shrouds the case.
While many view the Menendez brothers through a lens of horror for the violent nature of their actions, “You can’t get around the elephant in the room: They brutally murdered their parents,” commented Robert Rand. Others advocate for a more nuanced understanding of their experiences. Rand added, “If you do believe that they were abused and that they suffered from a lifetime of abuse, and there actually is evidence that supports their story, it’s a very different situation.”
The Menendez brothers’ story has changed drastically since their trials came to an end. Our cultural understanding has begun to catch up with the understanding of trauma and how it affects behavior. As Prof Phillips noted, “The things that get really big online are things that have lots of sources of energy,” reflecting how societal discussions have changed over time.
In light of these developments, Governor Newsom faces a dual challenge: addressing public sentiment while considering his political ambitions. Others suggest that providing parole would result in the kind of surprise campaign jolt. Sam Chen remarked, “Can you imagine a reality TV show of the Menendez brothers while Newsom is trying to run for president? Talk about free campaign airtime.”
As Lyle Menendez articulated during an interview from prison: “I’m not as hopeless as I was as a 21-year-old, that’s for sure. Obviously, I feel more hope when society seems to be understanding these experiences and sex abuse better.” This comment indicates how much his attitude towards his old life and new situation has changed.
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