Solved The Menendez Brothers

[Kurve]

* Back in the news

August 1989, at the Beverley Hills mansion of entertainment executive Jose Menedez, he and his wife Kitty were watching television when suddenly a volley of shotgun fire. Jose Menendez is killed by a close in shot to the head, he has five other shotgun wounds. Kitty Menendez's body is riddled with shotgun pellets.

The shooters reloaded.

Lyle Menendez 21yo tells police on a 911 call, that he and his brother Erik then 18yo, discovered the bodies as they returned home from a movie.

lyle menendez 911 call recording - Google Search

Lyle and Erik lied successfully for months until Erik, in torment, confessed his crime to his therapist, Lyle then admitted to the murders. Their confession was overheard by the therapists mistress who went to the police.

Lyle was arrested in California, Erik who had been travelling overseas voluntarily flew home to surrender.

Three years later the Menendez brothers went on trial for murder.

At the trial the brothers said their parents killings were an act of self defence, that they were in fear for their lives by a controlling father who had been sexually abusing them.

Lyle claimed his abuse stopped at the age of 8yo but that he didn't know Erik was also being abused until just prior to the murders. Their testimony was compelling.

Relatives testified to Jose's harsh treatment of the two and reports by the boys of sexual abuse, the jury couldn't decide between verdicts of manslaughter or murder, hopelessly deadlocked.

They went on trial again, Lyle chose not to testify with the judge limiting their grounds for defence. They were convicted of 1st degree murder, life with no parole.

Lyle and Erik Menendez - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The new information is that there may be evidence recently uncovered that could back their claims of sexual abuse at the hands of Jose Menendez.

New evidence may back Menendez brothers' sexual abuse claims. But can it free them?

Twenty-seven years after Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of killing their parents, attorneys say new evidence supports the brothers' claims that they were sexually abused by their father.

www.latimes.com

 

[Kurve]

Includes court testimony through the first trial, cameras were banned for the second.

 

[BFew]

Their dead parents can't defend themselves, if they were innocent of what they are accused of by their murderous children.

Report your parent(s) to Police if you are being abused, don't kill them.

 

[craffles]

Their dead parents can't defend themselves, if they were innocent of what they are accused of by their murderous children.

Report your parent(s) to Police if you are being abused, don't kill them.

I understand your position, especially in this case where the boys splashed money like crazy afterwards but think in general it’s an overly simplistic take for a deeply complex subject matter. Trauma and power imbalances make humans do weird things

 

[Ballarat Bob]

In the eighties there wasn't the same focus or understanding of pedophilia and abuse that there is now. It was probably the end of the era of always believing the adult over the child as well , in this instance reporting of the father of abuse with his wealth and standing in the community it is more likely that the brothers would not be believed or brushed over (especially if the father told the police he was about to cut them off financially)
Having said that I remember the trials and both brothers came across as smug and entitled at the trial and I was convinced of their guilt. Subsequently the actions of the brothers after their parents death and their lifestyles certainly made it look like they did it for the insurance and inheritance.
If it goes to a retrial and the claims of abuse are accepted as a contributing factor to the killings then possibly it could be reduced to manslaughter and there is a possibility of parole.
The killing were premeditated and extremely brutal regardless of any alleged abuse.

 

[Jatz]

Posted this in the Netflix thread but will post it here as well. Back in the news due to the series.

Maybe just me but the sexual abuse claims just seem fabricated to me. I don't doubt the parents were over the top in their demands of the kids but it just seemed to me that the accusations came out when they most needed them to.

These boys seemed incredibly conniving and capable of this, after the trigger of being written out of the will.

We'll never truly know but in my opinion, Dad pushed them to breaking point through demanding the absolute best out of them, they were spoilt with everything they'd ever wanted really and when they realised they were getting cut off, they decided then to kill them. The way they did it was so cold and calculated - not a crime of opportunity per se.

The sexual abuse coming out when it did just feels like a hail mary right before the trial because it had dawned on them they were ****ed. Perfect for them really - creates doubt and has essentially kept them away from the death sentence.

 

[JackNah_8]

LA district attorney recommends resentencing for Menéndez brothers

The brothers said they killed their parents after years of sexual, physical and psychological abuse

www.theguardian.com

 

[johnymac1]

The sexual abuse coming out when it did just feels like a hail mary right before the trial because it had dawned on them they were ****ed. Perfect for them really - creates doubt and has essentially kept them away from the death sentence.

I was thinking that! If the dad was a prolific offender, he's going to have a lot more victims. Didn't one of the boy-band members just come out saying he was assaulted by Jose (the Dad)

 

[jason_recliner]

I was thinking that! If the dad was a prolific offender, he's going to have a lot more victims. Didn't one of the boy-band members just come out saying he was assaulted by Jose (the Dad)

Yep, there's at least one more accuser now.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

So the mother sexually abused own children as well? That would be very unusual for both. And after something so traumatic they go on a wild spending spree? No wonder the mother’s brother is so angry at the possibility of their release.

 

[Todman]

I was thinking that! If the dad was a prolific offender, he's going to have a lot more victims. Didn't one of the boy-band members just come out saying he was assaulted by Jose (the Dad)

It is a worst kept secret in Hollywood is that powerful executives were preying on children .

 

[OnTheRocks]

Killing the father (abuser?)....arguably manslaughter.
Killing the mother.....murder.

 

[Todman]

Killing the father (abuser?)....arguably manslaughter.
Killing the mother.....murder.

35 years, not long enough ?

 

[OnTheRocks]

35 years, not long enough ?

Long time dead.

 

[revo333]

The sexual abuse coming out when it did just feels like a hail mary right before the trial because it had dawned on them they were ****ed. Perfect for them really - creates doubt and has essentially kept them away from the death sentence.

What would their female cousin have to gain by backing up their story if it wasn't true?

One of brothers told her it as happening when they both children.