Menendez Brothers: New Hearing Set as D.A. Weighs Evidence of Molestation Amid Success of Netflix’s ‘Monsters’

As a movie lover with a keen interest in true crime narratives, I must admit that the case of Erik and Lyle Menendez has always intrigued me. The recent news about their upcoming court hearing, just two weeks after the release of “Monsters” on Netflix, feels like a script straight out of Hollywood.


28 years since I first reported on their chilling tale, a new court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez is scheduled for November 29. This comes hot on the heels of their harrowing story being brought to life once more in the gripping Netflix series “Monsters.” I can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation as we delve back into this intriguing case that continues to captivate us all.

Erik and Lyle were sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for murdering their father and mother, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills mansion on August 20, 1989. The brothers were originally tried separately, but the juries were deadlocked and resulted in mistrials. When they were tried together, they were convincted and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. In their defense, the brothers say they committed the murders out of fear for their lives after a lifetime of abuse and alleged sexual abuse by their father.

In 1998 and 1999, the convictions of brothers Erik and Lyle were upheld by the California Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of California, and they chose not to reconsider the case. The brothers subsequently appealed to the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, but their requests were denied. However, in May 2023, Erik and Lyle asked for a new trial due to evidence suggesting that their father had allegedly molested singer Roy Rosselló, formerly of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo.

At a Thursday press conference, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón shared some news.

As a concerned individual following this case closely, I’ve been privy to some intriguing pieces of information. For instance, we’ve received what appears to be a photocopy of a letter, claimed to have been penned by one of the brothers, discussing his experiences as an alleged victim of molestation. Additionally, there’s evidence provided by the defense team, detailing allegations made by a member of the Menudo band regarding molestation by their father. It’s important to emphasize that none of this information has been substantiated at this point. We, however, have a responsibility to thoroughly examine these claims in light of a potential resentencing hearing. The question is not about our personal beliefs but rather our duty to assess if the actions warrant a reconsideration of their sentence, considering they’ve served 35 years in prison and arguably fulfilled their debt to society. If undisclosed evidence from that time could have potentially influenced the jury’s decision, it may have led to a different verdict.

More to come…

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2024-10-04 01:16