Family members and friends of Lyle and Erik menendez, the two brothers who have been imprisoned for more than 30 years for shooting their parents to death, have launched a public appeal for their release. in fact, the Menendez brothers’ case has become one of the highest-profile criminal trials of the 1990s since their arrest for the 1989 murder of Kitty and Jose Menendez.
On Wednesday, supporters, including family members and the siblings’ lawyer, gathered outside the Los Angeles courthouse, arguing that the siblings suffered terrible sexual abuse by their father and no longer pose a threat to society.
However, not all relatives share this perspective. An attorney representing the uncle stated that the “cold-blooded” brothers should remain behind bars.
This heated debate arises as the Los Angeles district attorney’s office is reviewing new evidence related to the alleged abuse, which could potentially lead to a retrial or reduced sentences.
The brothers were tried in 1993 and admitted shooting their parents with a pair of shotguns, but claimed they did so in self-defense after years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse by their father.
Prosecutors argued that the brothers meticulously planned their parents’ murder so that they could inherit their wealthy fortune.
In the second trial, held in 1995, much of the evidence related to the alleged sexual abuse was not allowed to be presented. As a fact, the jury found both brothers guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced them to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Kitty Menendez’s sister, Joan Anderson VanderMolen, 92, said her grandchildren’s actions were “tragic.”
“They were just children” who were ‘brutalized in the most horrible ways.’
During their trial, she argued, “the whole world wasn’t ready to believe that the boys could be raped, or that young men could be victims of sexual violence; She went on stating that, “today we know better” and “a jury today would never deliver such a harsh sentence”.
The lawyer for Kitty Menendez’s brother, Milton Andersen, rebutted such claims, “The Menendez brothers’ cold-blooded actions destroyed their family and left a trail of grief that has persisted for decades.”
“Jose was shot six times, while Kitty was shot ten times, including a shot to the face after Erik had reloaded.”
Mr. Andersen thinks his grandchildren should remain in prison for their “heinous act,” said attorney Kathy Cady.
Earlier this month, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón held a press conference in which he announced that his office was reviewing the Menendez case with two potential outcomes: a new conviction of the Menendez brothers or the granting of a new trial. Still, the results and final decision are expected to be disclosed at a hearing scheduled for the end of November.
