Erik and Lyle Menéndez‘s homicide case was thrust again into the highlight with Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters — and now there’s a likelihood their life with out parole sentences might be decreased.
The Menéndez brothers’ dad and mom, José and Kitty Menéndez, have been discovered useless at their Beverly Hills residence in 1989. After Lyle known as the police, they found José was shot six occasions and Kitty was shot 10 occasions. Lyle and Erik weren’t initially individuals of curiosity however have been arrested one 12 months later after their therapist recorded classes the place they confessed to the murders.
Throughout their high-profile trial, the brothers accused their dad and mom, José and Kitty, of alleged bodily, emotional and sexual abuse Erik and Lyle have been discovered responsible of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life with out parole in 1996.
Episodes of Regulation & Order, The Recent Prince of Bel-Air and The Sopranos talked about the case within the ’90s. The Menéndez brothers have been additionally referenced a number of occasions on the FX drama The Individuals v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story in 2016, which Murphy govt produced. (Along with Monsters, Murphy can be concerned with the American Story franchise.)
Netflix’s Monsters collection is going through backlash for the way it depicted Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez — particularly inaccurate particulars in regards to the occasions main as much as their homicide case. The restricted collection, which was launched on September 19, centered round Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), who have been convicted for the 1989 homicide of […]
On the thirty fifth anniversary of José and Kitty’s deaths, NBC launched an eight-episode particular in 2017 titled Regulation & Order: True Crime — The Menéndez Murders. Murphy took on the case for season 2 of Monsters, which starred Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch as Lyle and Erik, respectively. After the restricted collection made headlines, the assist for the Menéndez brothers resurfaced amid their makes an attempt to enchantment their sentence.
The Los Angeles District Lawyer’s workplace really helpful in October 2024 that Erik and Lyle’s sentence be decreased attributable to new proof indicating that their father allegedly molested them.
Maintain scrolling for a breakdown of their enchantment efforts through the years:
What Had been Erik and Lyle’s Unique Sentences?
Lyle and Erik have been arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree homicide every. Three years later, the brothers have been tried individually as they alleged that years of bodily, emotional and sexual abuse induced them to shoot their mom and father.
The case led to a mistrial after the jury was unable to succeed in a unanimous determination. A retrial started in 1995, however a lot of the proof surrounding the abuse couldn’t be used as a protection. Erik and Lyle — who have been now being tried collectively — have been in the end discovered responsible of first-degree homicide. Jurors deliberated between life with out parole or the loss of life sentence earlier than selecting the previous in 1996.
After initially remaining in the identical jail, Erik and Lyle have been transferred after their sentencing. Lyle was taken to Mule Creek State Jail whereas Erik moved round from Folsom State Jail to Nice Valley State Jail.
They reunited in 2018 once they have been moved into the identical housing unit at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. That was their first reunion since they started serving their sentences almost twenty years prior.
Ramey Photograph/Mega Company; Miles Crist/Netflix Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters obtained backlash for a mess of inaccuracies about Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez‘s homicide case — however what did the present really get proper? Season 2 of the hit Netflix collection, which was launched on September 19, featured a star-studded forged together with Nicholas Chavez, Cooper Koch, Javier […]
How Many Enchantment Makes an attempt Have Taken Place?
The California Courtroom of Enchantment upheld Lyle and Erik’s homicide convictions in 1998 and the Supreme Courtroom of California declined to evaluation the case later that very same 12 months. Each Menendez brothers filed habeas corpus petitions with the Supreme Courtroom of California in 1999, which have been denied. They filed the identical petitions in the US District Courtroom and that was denied in 2003.
Erik and Lyle’s protection staff determined to enchantment to the US Courtroom of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which resulted in one other denial in 2005.
What Impressed the Most Latest Request for a Retrial?
In 2023, Peacock launched a docuseries titled Menéndez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the place singer Roy Rosselló alleged he was drugged and raped when he was a teen by Erik and Lyle’s father, José. The accusations from the previous Menudo band member was included in a petition filed with Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom.
The courtroom paperwork requested a retrial whereas citing new proof within the case equivalent to Rosselló’s allegations towards José and a newly found letter Erik wrote to his cousin Andy Cano describing his father’s alleged sexual abuse months earlier than the murders.
“No person had checked out [the cousin’s personal] results till 2015, and that’s when it was discovered, 10 years after our final enchantment,” Erik and Lyle’s post-conviction legal professional Mark Geragos stated in an announcement to Individuals in September 2024. “We’re saying the second trial didn’t comport with constitutional protections for quite a lot of causes. And a Habeas [Corpus petition] has new proof. It requires new proof as a result of this case had mainly been moribund for near 17 years.”
Geragos broke down the three potential outcomes of the request.
“The choose can deny it, the choose can order the DA to reply, or the choose can do what he did, which was situation an order for the DA to informally reply, which they’ve taken very severely over the past 15 months as a result of we’ve introduced proof to them,” he continued. “[We provided statements from 24 family members who] have all requested that they be resentenced, introduced plenty of different paperwork and proof for them to check out and think about whereas making a call.”
Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story labored onerous to ensure the forged resembled their real-life counterparts. The ten-episode restricted collection, which will likely be launched on September 19, follows Lyle and Erik Menéndez, who have been convicted for the 1989 homicide of their dad and mom. The siblings confessed to the crime and claimed they killed […]
What Is the Present Replace of the Retrial Request?
Erik (L) and Lyle (R) Menendez KIM KULISH/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Lawyer’s Workplace launched an announcement about how the workplace “is investigating the claims submitted within the petition.”
“The matter is pending the submitting of a casual response, which is at the moment due on Sept. 26, 2024,” the district legal professional’s workplace instructed Individuals.
That very same month, Netflix introduced that Lyle and Erik have been interviewed for The Menéndez Brothers documentary. The particular, which is ready to be launched in October 2024, consists of footage from conversations with juror Betty Oldfield, Kitty’s sister Joan Vander Molen and prosecutor Pamela Bozanich.
“Everybody asks why we killed our dad and mom,” Lyle stated within the trailer utilizing an audio interview from jail. “Perhaps now folks can perceive the reality.”
Erik added: “What occurred that night time may be very well-known however a lot hasn’t been instructed. … So, we weren’t those who instructed the story about our lives. Two youngsters don’t commit this crime for cash.”
Erik and Lyle have been granted a brand new listening to for his or her case one month later after the Los Angeles District Lawyer’s workplace cited new proof indicating that their father allegedly molested them. The Los Angeles District Lawyer’s workplace really helpful in October 2024 that Erik and Lyle’s sentences be decreased.
