Lyle and Erik Menendez They are two American brothers who became known worldwide for being convicted in 1996 by the murder of his parents, José and Mary Menéndezin 1989 in his luxurious Beverly Hills mansion. Their case captured media attention due to the circumstances of the crime and the reasons they gave to justify it.
The brothers, who came from a wealthy family, alleged that they had suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their father. In 1993, after a trial that attracted widespread media attention, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
José Menéndez, the boys’ father, was an entertainment industry executive and businessman of Cuban origin who, together with his wife Mary, created a life of luxury for his family in Los Angeles, California.
His fortune was primarily the result of his career in the film and television industry, particularly through his work at companies such as Sony Pictures and his involvement in the business of distributing and producing film and television content.
Brothers Lyle and Erik Menéndez: the murder of their parents
On the night of August 20, 1989, brothers Lyle (21 years old) and Erik (18 years old) Menéndez they shot and killed their parentsJosé and Mary Menéndez, in the living room of their Beverly Hills home. At first glance, it looked like a robbery gone wrong, but doubts soon arose. The brothers claimed they had found the bodies, but police soon discovered there were no signs of a robbery, leading to suspicions that not everything was as it seemed.
Everything started to change when The younger brother confessed the whole crime to his psychologist and far from acting well, he began to try to use the information to his advantage. It was no surprise to anyone that years later they took away his license to work as a psychologist.
Later, the brothers changed their initial version and began to relate that the motive behind the crime was the physical, sexual and emotional abuse they had suffered for years at the hands of their father, José Menéndez. However, the theory of greed also emerged, as the brothers began spending their parents’ money on a luxurious life after the murder. This combination of reasons would be one of the key points in the trial.
It is also important to note that after the murders, The brothers spread the idea of the mafia but at the same time they spent more than a million dollars on clothes and luxuries. That caught the attention of the officers.
How was the trial of the brothers Lyle and Erik Menéndez
The first trial of the Menéndez brothers began in 1993 and was widely covered by the media. The prosecution and defense presented their cases, but in the end, the verdict was a mistrial because the jury could not reach a consensus.
The defense argued that the brothers had acted in a state of “sudden emotion.” or “impulsive reaction” due to the prolonged abuse they suffered from their father. The central argument was that physical, sexual and emotional abuse What the brothers had experienced since childhood had led them to kill their parents in a moment of desperation. For the defense, the crime was not premeditated, but was a reaction to years of abuse, an impulsive and unplanned act.
After months of deliberations, the jury could not agree on the verdictand the trial was declared a mistrial in 1993. 11 of the 12 jurors voted to convict the brothers, but since there was no unanimity, the case was annulled. Defense attorneys were optimistic about the outcome, but the prosecution quickly called for a second trial.
The second trial, which began in 1995, was much more organized and less mediated. This time, prosecutors and defense prepared their cases more robustly. The case continued to be highly publicized, and the brothers once again faced charges of first-degree murder for the murders of their parents.
The defense team continued with the line that the brothers had killed their parents as a result of the abuse they had suffered for years. More details were introduced about physical, emotional and sexual abuse, with expert testimonials who explained how prolonged abuse can alter behavior and how “sudden excitement” can lead to homicide. The defense also argued that although the brothers had spent inheritance money, this was not a primary reason, but rather a consequence of their emotional trauma.
The verdict was guilty. The Menéndez brothers were convicted of first-degree murder for the death of his parents, with multiple charges of homicide.
How was the sentence of the Menéndez brothers
In the sentencing phase, They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.. The death penalty option was not applied, as the jury did not recommend that sentence. Therefore, both brothers were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison. Both have been imprisoned since then, although at first they were put in different prisons without notifying them of the separation, after more than 20 years they were able to be together again.
The trial of the brothers was and continues to be very controversial, to this day there are several opinions that claim that they did not receive the sentence they deserved.
Source: Ambito
