Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, which may be distressing for some readers.
The Menendez brothers have faced a significant setback over three decades after their imprisonment for the murder of their parents.
In 1996, Erik and Lyle Menendez received sentences of two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole following their conviction for the 1989 murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez.
During their trial, the brothers claimed they had suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, which they argued drove them to a mental state that led to the killings.
Despite these claims, they were sentenced to life without parole. However, they gained some hope this year as they were given a new sentencing hearing, which opened the possibility of their release.
In May, a judge from the Los Angeles County Superior Court re-sentenced Erik and Lyle to 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole.
This decision followed the emergence of a letter from 1988 in which Erik described to his cousin the abuse he claimed to suffer at his father’s hands.
The letter stated: “I’ve been trying to avoid dad. It’s still happening Andy but it’s worse for me now. I never know when it’s going to happen and its driving me crazy. Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.”
However, Erik was the first to be denied parole last month, with Lyle following shortly thereafter.
Recent developments on Monday (September 15) included Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan’s decision to deny the brothers’ 2023 petition for a new trial.
The petition presented two new pieces of evidence: Erik’s 1988 letter and testimony from Roy Rosselló, a former member of the band Menudo, who alleged sexual abuse by José Menendez during his adolescence. These were intended to support the brothers’ claims of long-term sexual abuse.
According to NBC News, Judge Ryan stated: “The court finds that these two pieces of evidence presented here would not have resulted in a hung jury, nor in the conviction of a lesser instructed offense.”
“Neither piece of newly discover evidence is particularly strong. The evidence alleged here is not so compelling that it would have produced a reasonable doubt in the mind of at least one juror or supportive of an imperfect self-defense instruction,” the judge added.
While the judge acknowledged that the new evidence provided some support for the brothers’ claims of sexual abuse, he emphasized that their actions were carried out with ‘premeditation and deliberation’.
If you are affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Alternatively, support is available online at online.rainn.org.