Once again propelled by the Netflix series, the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez unleashed passions in the 80s. Sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the murder of their parents, the two brothers are back in court to claim potential release.
At the end of August 1989, Lyle, aged 21, and Erik, aged 18, violently murdered their parents in their Beverly Hills villa. Millionaire businessman José Menendez and his wife Mary Louise ‘Kitty’ were riddled with bullets. Called by the crying siblings, who admit nothing at the time, the police are faced with a veritable bloodbath. Organised crime was the main suspect, supported by the two brothers, who had been spending their money on big parties and ostentatious luxury items ever since. But several months later, the investigation takes a new turn when recordings of confessions revealed to their psychotherapist come into the hands of the police. The story went viral and divided the general public.
Money or abuse?
Although the Menendez brothers initially denied the facts, the audio cassettes were damning. Lyle and Erik were accused of murdering their parents. The death penalty is being considered. The entire trial was broadcast on television. A first that contributed to the excitement of the story.
The two brothers justify the double murder on the grounds that their father, portrayed as a cruel, narcissistic and domineering paedophile, had physically abused them since the age of six. The details of the sexual assaults, repeated rapes and psychological violence are terrifying. The portrait of their mother is just as damning. The stern, unstable matriarch, addicted to alcohol and drugs, was allegedly aware of the abuse but did nothing to protect her children. The children allegedly acted out when the father threatened to kill them if they revealed the family secret.
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While the testimonies came one after another, many of which (and even Menendez’s own family) confirmed the image of parents who were harsh and violent towards their children, the jury was polarised. The women were more compassionate and preferred voluntary manslaughter with extenuating circumstances, as self-defence did not hold water since the children were not in immediate danger. The men, on the other hand, don’t believe the story and favour murder with a financial motive. Especially as the prosecutors described them as a greedy and capricious sibling, born with a silver spoon in their mouths, motivated by the fortune acquired by their father.
After months of deliberations, the jury still could not agree and the trial was cancelled.
A second, much faster trial
Two years later, in 1995, a second trial began, this time without cameras. The general public had turned away from the case, preferring to follow that of football star O.J. Simpson.
Menendez brothers to appear in court for first time in 28 years —and possibly soon walk free https://t.co/iH1eUPeGXM pic.twitter.com/RyqqZsxAXn
— New York Post (@nypost) November 25, 2024
The trial took less than a year, not least because Lyle was no longer allowed to testify. The reason? The eldest had confided in a certain Norma Novelli, who published the book The Diary of Lyle Menendez – In His Own Words! The book reveals that Lyle said he was prepared to cry to move the jury and appeared to be manipulating the verdict in his favour. At the same time, his ex-fiancée says that he wanted to pay her off for giving false testimony. Lyle had already done this to an old friend in the first trial. His lawyer refused to represent him and Erik, less assertive than his brother, found himself alone on the stand.
The accusations of sexual abuse were much less central to the debates and the court gradually unravelled the story told by the two brothers. In March 1996, the jury voted unanimously for life without parole, sparing the young men the death penalty. The two brothers returned to prison but were separated until 2018.
A criminal and legal saga revived in 2024
While murder cases and cold cases are ultra-popular on TV and platforms, the Menendez brothers’ case has particularly galvanised audiences. In 2023, the documentary series Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, Roy Rosselló broadcast on Peacock reported that former member of 80s boy band Menudo, Roy Rosselló, also claims to have been sexually assaulted by José Menendez as a teenager.
And a few months ago, Netflix released Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story in the same vein as Dahmer, which sent the web into a frenzy. Directed by the master of anxiety Ryan Murphy, accompanied by Ian Brennan, the fact-based mini-series has been a real success, buoyed by its cast. Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch play Lyle and Erik to perfection, while Javier Bardem plays José Menendez and Chloë Sevigny Mary Louise Menendez.
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A more informative documentary, The Menendez Brothers, was then released on the streaming giant, giving the brothers a direct say.
Opinions are divided. Some Internet users support the second verdict of 1996, based on the psychopathy of the two daddy’s boys. The other believes in the story of brothers abused and bruised throughout their childhood. Like superstar Kim Kardashian, who visited them in prison, many online petitions defend Lyle and Erik’s version of events.
The case was reopened several months ago. The defence is calling for the release of the two brothers, now aged 53 and 56, and has submitted a request for a pardon to the Governor of California. Technical problems prevented them from giving evidence by videoconference at the last hearing, on Monday 25 November 2024. A new hearing is due to take place at the end of January.
In the post mee too era, where the liberation of speech, including that of children, has given rise to a new perception of sexual and psychological violence, the case of the Menendez brothers seems far from over. See you next year.
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Featured photo : The Menendez family in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story © Netflix
