Lyle was 21 at the . Lyle and Erik Menendez claimed that they killed their parents in 1989 because they feared for their safety following a lifetime of sexual abuse perpetrated by their father, Jos, an RCA Records executive, and condoned by their mother, Kitty. Still, such notions are undermined by the sense that Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is deliberately avoiding a comprehensive reexamination of the case. 30 Years After Menendez Brothers Murders - People 'I Don't Forgive Her': Why Lyle Menendez Blames His Mother, Kitty, For There was also a $5 million life insurance policy on their father, though technicalities stopped them from collecting. After Joseph Lyle Menendez was born in 1968, the family moved to New Jersey, where, Jose was 35 when he became executive vice president at Hertz, a subsidiary of Radio Corporation of America, more commonly known as RCA. Lees ons privacybeleid en cookiebeleid voor meer informatie over hoe we uw persoonsgegevens gebruiken. Streaming Schedule, Season 5, Part 2 Debut Info, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, 'American Horror Story' Season 12 Casts Michaela Ja Rodriguez and Cara Delevingne, Patti LuPone Blasts Kim Kardashian for Newly Booked 'American Horror Story' Role: "What Are You Doing With Your Life? It was one of my mothers delights that I pursue a small restaurant chain and serve healthy food with friendly service, Lyle told the student newspaper in an interview. Though he portrayed himself as a doting father and husband, behind closed doors Jose was reportedly strict and cruel. It was just in the news, constantly, said family friend John Burnett. 1,516, This story has been shared 1,358 times. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! alleges that Jos Menendez, who was an executive at RCA Records at the time. Lyle purchased a Rolex, a Porsche, lots of clothing and a restaurant back in Princeton, where he had been living before the murders, while Erik was more practical, opting for a Jeep Wrangler, a $50,000 personal tennis coach and a $40,000 investment in a rock concert that never happened. The famous interviewer literally cried out in disgust and annoyance. Why did Lyle and Erik Menendez kill their parents? | The US Sun Where are the Menendez brothers today? Lyle And Erik Menendez, The Infamous Brothers Who Killed Their Parents Immediately, it was announced that they would be retried. It's Me, Margaret' Streaming on HBO Max or Netflix? The population was then around 5 million. Finally, the Supreme Court of California ruled that two of the three tapes were eligible to be used in the trial, including one that contained Lyles admission of guilt. Lyle enrolled in Princeton University but was suspended for a year for plagiarism, portending a troubled next few years. The legal team for Lyle and Erik Menendez argued that they were sexually abused by their father. He practiced up to 10 hours a day and flew to the Middle East to compete. Get them out of prison, she told The Times. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. At the heart of the trial wasnt whether the brothers killed their parents but whether they should be charged with murder or manslaughter. Ryan Murphy's 'Monster' Anthology Sets New Season Featuring Menendez The prosecution contended the brothers' motive was greed, pointing to their spending spree in the months following their parents' murders. Who was missing woman Kim Mason and how did she die? More of Joss business ventures sent detectives looking into a transaction between Jos and a New Jersey-based businessman whod sold Jos a pornographic film company. When Lyle and Erik were caught burglarizing neighbors' homes for the thrill of it, Jose used his money and influence to shield them from any real consequences,, chief executive of Live Entertainment when he was. I had been told that right after his murder, people were pretty pleased that he was no longer on the earth.. Justice was served, Det. The Untold Truth Of The Menendez Brothers - Grunge The Menendez Brothers' History of Sexual Abuse Is Complicated They also attended therapy sessions with Dr. Jerome Oziel. Jose left RCA in 1986. Jose set high goals for himself and his sons. Menendez was affiliated with Menudo because he had signed the group to RCA Records, reported Global News. Lyle was arrested soon after. The network carried not only the trial but endless hours of coverage before and after each days proceedings, helping fuel a national obsession with a case that had all the elements of a great primetime soap opera: a rich family torn apart by scandal, two handsome and mysterious young men, a grisly crime and psychodrama galore. What The Menendez Brothers Have Been Up To All These Years - NickiSwift.com Thomas Edmonds told, The case returned to the spotlight in 2017, when Erik participated in a tell-all for a documentary while serving his sentence, appealing to a new generation navigated by social media and living against the backdrop of the, During the pandemic, the trial was streamed on Court TV, and with the new sets of eyes belonging to a generation more compassionate toward, Commentators also pointed out gender bias something the brothers had been publicly arguing since their trial and that there might have been a different outcome, had the defendants been female. Smyth claimed her former boyfriend, a psychologist named Dr. Jerome Oziel whod professionally seen the brothers over the previous burglary charges disclosed that Lyle and Erik made in-session confessions to killing their parents. Where Was 'John Mulaney: Baby J' on Netflix Filmed? A post on the account in April 2021 read: "If Kitty and Jose acted differently, if they loved, cared for, and protected their sons the way they should have, their sons would've never felt the need to protect themselves.". But he was so completely overbearing, it had the opposite effect. They testified that they feared for their livesafter being subjected to years of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of their father. He would work his children to the bone in athletics, especially tennis, and everything else, reported Biography. Netflix announced the true crime series will be focusing on the violent case of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents. All Rights Reserved. She added: My mom is a person that says like, You know, they killed their parents, and thats wrong.'. Leads ran dry, until months later, in March 1990, when a woman named Judalon Smyth went to detectives. They would high five each other because they pulled it off.. A judge ruled portions of the tapes of the brothers therapy sessions admissible as evidence, which their attorneys appealed. Here's When It Returns With New Episodes, Drew Barrymore Halts Segment After "Severely Old" Mac and Cheese Noodle Flies off Her Desk: "It's Rock Hard". Lyle, left, and Erik Menendez leave the courtroom in Santa Monica, Calif., Aug. 6, 1990, after a judge ruled that conversations between the two brothers and their psychologist after their parents . Those in the know said Jos was also concerned because his sons helped commit several burglaries in the Los Angeles area, taking about $100,000 in jewelry and cash the previous year. 1,768, This story has been shared 1,717 times. I am 100 percent sure that they fabricated their defense, she said. Homicide detectives wondered if money could have been the motive after learning Lyle and Erik stood to inherit $650,000 in the event of their fathers death, as well as the multi-million-dollar mansion. The case was assigned to former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Pamela Bozanich, whod worked in the organized crime sector. "They shot and killed my parents," he sobbed. The brothers, featured on ABC's 20/20 in April of 2021, have a new generation of defenders - on Instagram and TikTok. Their late mother's brother, Brian Andersen, dismissed the idea that their mother did anything wrong, telling ABC News, "The idea that Erik and Lyle were abused by my sister Kitty is absolute. I still believe that the Menendez brothers did what they did out of fear because they felt that they were gonna be killed, said Delahunt. Lyles hysterical whine of Someone killed our parents! in his 911 call would later be lampooned in a Jim Carrey movie. The brothers were tried together, but two juries were assigned to the case since their testimonies could implicate one another. Nearly seven years, three trials and many thousands of hours of TV coverage later, their sons, .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Lyle and Erik Menendez, were found guilty of their murders and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Thats when they discovered the murder.. This is not the only true crime story Netflix is tackling. Both Lyle and Erik gave convincing and emotional testimony that they were subjected to physical abuse at the hands of their father. This comes as explosive news to journalist and author Robert Rand and his colleague Nery Ynclan, who have spent years working to exonerate the Menendez brothers because theyre convinced that the siblings were wrongly convicted of first-degree murder rather than manslaughter, which would have saddled them with a lighter prison sentence. Instead, people still interested in the Menendez Brothers fate had to wait for written news accounts of the events. The sensationalized trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez during the 1990s continues to be a source of fascination and debate, especially in light of social media and the #MeToo movement. Erik said theyd done it to put their mother out of her misery, while Lyle made it clear that they were both in on the crime. After the juries deadlocked in their first trials, Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty of first-degree murder in 1996 for the gruesome shooting deaths of Jos and . The publics understanding of childhood trauma and the scars it leaves is significantly greater than it was in the 90s. The Abuse of Erik and Lyle Menendez was carried out by their parents, Jose and Kitty. There have been multiple TV movies, miniseries and documentaries about the murders, and its been spoofed throughout the years, as well. Many continue to urge politicians and prosecutors to take a new look at the Menendez brothers case. Lyle and Erik continue serving life sentences, regularly leading therapy groups behind bars. He worked as an executive for RCA Records at one point, and later got a job with the film company LIVE Entertainment. It was those sessions that would lead to their eventual arrest. Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of the 1989 murders of their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez at their Beverly Hills mansion. It's their theatricality that has made the Menendez men so infamous, their flare for courtroom drama and off-putting outfits, and the. For the next three years, a legal battle was fought over the admissibility of Dr. Oziels tapes. He moved his family to California, eventually settling into a Beverly Hills mansion, But Jose also had to negotiate with some less savory business associates,. Als u niet wilt dat wij en onze partners cookies en persoonsgegevens voor deze aanvullende doeleinden gebruiken, klik dan op 'Alles weigeren'. Bozanich appeared in a 2015 episode of Murder Made Me Famous on the Reelz Channel and maintained that 20 years later, she was still completely convinced that the brothers had made up the sexual abuse. Left: A scene from the Lifetime movie, which aired in June. The abuse had many negative effects on the boys, most importantly it made them hyper-vigilant and fearful and anxious nearly all the time. Born in Cuba to well-to-do business people and star athletes, Jose was 16 when his parents sent him to the U.S. in the late 1950s. Kill Jos, kill Kitty.. Part of the reason for that sidelining, it appears, is that Roy doesnt fully remember what took place. The stress of it all was giving Erik an ulcer. In the months that followed the slayings, neither Menendez brother acted like young men who had recently found both of their parents dead in a brutal, bloody murder scene. At the time, crime was this black-and-white thing, said Marcus. Maybe they were trying to look younger, or more wholesome, or otherwise less capable of murdering their parents. , and early investigations focused on that possibility. Previously, the Menendez brothers were jailed at separate prisons. After their arrest in 1990 and a second trial in 1996, the Menendez brothers became notorious media sensations. In compelling testimony lasting over a month, they emotionally described years of sexual abuse by Jose and Kitty Menendez. But ultimately, Bloom had an alibi, and detectives were back to ground zero. Unlike other endlessly popular true-crime storiesJonBenet Ramsey, O.J. Those stupid sweaters. Jos spent the early 80s as the head of RCA Records and had a hand in the signing of bands such as Duran Duran and The Eurythmics. Blog Menendez Brothers Say They 'Don't Deserve' To Be In Prison The therapist reached out to Erik soon after the murders and began meeting with the younger Menendez brother, and soon enough, Erik confessed to killing his parents. Jordan Whynn, who is 24, watched the trial on YouTube while in coronavirus lockdown and launched an Instagram account called @MenendezSupporter. He was a sexual predator, Roy says about Jos at the outset of Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, thereby supporting Lyle and Eriks story about the cruelty they suffered at their dads hands. He worked his way up the ladder at a number of businesses. Ryan Murphys record-breaking anthology series Monster is coming back to Netflix with yet another gruesome season. He was in charge of building up the labels Latin music line. Erik was playing tennis in Israel at the time but came home voluntarily, and was arrested on March 11. He smiled and looked up at her slowly. I want to be senator and be with the people of Cuba, said Erik. This story has been shared 48,995 times. 998, This story has been shared 972 times. On August 20, 1989, a seemingly hysterical Lyle Menendez, then 21, called 911. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. They got what they deserved for a vicious crime where two people got murdered.. 2,229, This story has been shared 1,964 times. The judge declared mistrials. The second installment of the anthology series from Murphy and Ian Brennan will focus on Lyle and Erik Menendez . Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the new, Roy Rossell, 53, an ex-member of the 1980s boy band Menudo, claims in the Peacock special that Jose Menendez sexually assaulted him when he was 14. The Menendezes had moved to Los Angeles just a few years before the murders so that Jos could take a job in the movie business. We took a first vote: Six women, manslaughter, six men, first-degree, said Delahunt. Erik, who was in Israel at the time, flew to Miami and then L.A., where he turned himself into police. Even now, 30 years since the murders first took place, the brothers crime continues to fascinate and perplex. Simpson, Caylee Anthony, the Zodiac Killer, and the Black Dahliathere is no mystery around the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez. Their father was a child molester. Lyle testified that he believed his brother because he, too, was allegedly sexually assaulted by Jos at a young age. He moved his family to California, eventually settling into a Beverly Hills mansion once owned by Elton John and Prince. Lyle and Erik Menendez remain incarcerated at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Thats when they discovered their parents decimated bodies and dialed 911, they said in their interviews. The effort fell short; both Lyle and Erik were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996. Menudo Star Says Jos Menendez Assaulted Him. Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life in prison for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 30 years ago. Edmonds contended. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. The night of the murders, the brothers told police theyd gone out that night to see a movie but had to make a pitstop to retrieve Eriks ID. On Aug. 20, 1989, 21-year-old Lyle Menendez and his 18-year-old brother Erik stormed into their Beverly Hills mansion. Nonetheless, he thrived in the competitive landscape, raking in millions a year. The Menendez Brothers' Parents Were Always a Source of Contention Lyle dipped a toe into the last by trying, unsuccessfully, to be named the promoter of a rock concert. It was an enormous, shocking break in the casebut then it stalled, for years. Close your eyes and conjure the Menendez brothers, and theyre wearing matching sweaters the vivid, unnatural colors of jelly beans. A Tourists Guide to Love Filming Locations: Where Was the Rachael Leigh Cook Movie Filmed? After the murder and arrest, the Menendez trial news made headlines in all TV stations, radios, newspapers and magazines.. I feel hes in me, pushing me.. He signed famous groups like the Eurythmics, Duran Duran and Menudo, Vanity Fair reported. What Happened to Bonnie Hood at Camp Nelson? Stream It Or Skip It: There There on Hulu, A Talky Compendium of Short Scenes with a Clever Visual Trick, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Nurse' On Netflix, A Danish Drama About A New Nurse That Suspects That A Colleague Is Killing Patients, Stream It Or Skip It: 'One More Time' On Netflix, A Swedish Time Travel Comedy About Getting To Re-Live Your Best Day, PSA to David Bowie Fans, 'Moonage Daydream' Is Now Streaming on HBO, Joy Behar and Stanley Tucci Bond Over Italian Stereotypes on 'The View': "Innately Evil", Stream It Or Skip It: 'Secrets of the Elephants' on Disney+, a Typically Gorgeous and Informative Documentary Series, James Brolin Spooked by Son Josh's Nude Photo on 'The View': "Oh My God! "I Wish Life Had Turned Out Differently for Them": Childhood Friend of Menendez Brother Speaks Out. That defense earned them separate mistrials in 1993 but didn't succeed in their subsequent 1996 retrial, which concluded with convictions and life . Kitty was 44. The Nurse, a Danish thriller that recently released on the platform, tells the harrowing story of killer nurse Christina Hansen. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. In them, he discusses the abuse that prefaced his joining Menudowhose roster was constantly turned over, since members couldnt be older than 16and which continued afterward in brutal fashion. The comment has accumulated 33 likes in three days. Both boys were indicted on December 7, 1992 and tried separately for murder. Despite Rand bringing this to the attention of Lyle, Erik, and their attorney Cliff Gardnerand he and Ynclan making excited and optimistic pronouncements about what itll mean for the Menendez boys fateits not clear that this is enough to move the legal needle. The brothers were found guilty in spite of their defense . Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed (May 2) boasts a bombshell in store for viewers who may have (naturally) assumed that the Menendez saga was over. With a flurry of shotgun rounds, the brothers violently killed their parents, Jos and Kitty, doing enough damage to their bodies to render them nearly unrecognizable. "Those kids watched their mother become a doormat for their father," Lamm told Vanity Fair. The police said the crime was motivated by greed, since they were set to inherit their parents $14-million estate. Nonbinary 'Yellowjackets' Star Liv Hewson Is Sitting out of Emmy Season Over Gendered Categories, 'Yellowjackets' Season 2 Episode 5 Recap: Digging the Antler Queen, Drew Barrymore Admits She's "Not Sure" She's "Drawn to the Manscaper" on 'The Drew Barrymore Show': "I Love Funk", Drew Barrymore Opens up About Up Close and Personal Interview Style: "I Feel This Magnetic Pull", Why Isn't 'The Drew Barrymore Show' on Today? Relatives testimony supported the brothers claims, including an uncle who said he watched Jos use a closed fist to punch a then 5-year-old Lyle in the face. Changing the day will navigate the page to that given day in history. Despite being a reputed difficult man and abusive husband and father, Jos Menendez had built a cushy life for himself and his family. '", Ana Navarro Jokes About Sara Haines' White House Correspondents' Dinner Antics on 'The View': "Maybe There Will Be a Restraining Order", Sunny Hostin Opens Up About Receiving Hurtful Emails on The View: Im Not Liked By Half The Country, Sunny Hostin Shades Meghan McCain for Scathing Column About 'The View': "Our Show Is a Wonderful Place". 972, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? On August 19, their parents chartered a yacht and took them shark fishing. The brothers were initially tried separately, but both juries were deadlocked. Lyle was a star tennis player who attended Princeton and seemed destined for a career in business like the father he openly worshipped; Erik turned out to be even better at tennis, helped along by his fathers obsessive intervention, and wound up as a nationally ranked player in his age bracket. Los Angeles District Attorney The bloodied crime scene following Jose and Kitty Menendez's murder. Lyle and Erik Menendez murdered their parents on August 20, 1989. In 1980, he became head of the companys record division, RCA-Ariola. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Why did Lyle and Erik Menendez kill their parents? | The Sun Over three decades later, some TikTok users believe that they were actually the victims. Today, a new generation thinks they didn't get a fair trial. The investigation eventually turned to Lyle and Erik. In the special . The brother is serving life in prison for killing their parents on August 20, 1989. They tossed the guns and changed into clean, unbloodied clothes, before driving back to their house and pretending to discover the scene all over again. Lyle Menendez breaks down in tears on September 10, 1993 as he recalls incidents of sexual abuse by his father during court testimony. At the retrial, which began in October 1995, the judge was much more restrictive in allowing the defense attorneys to focus on the alleged sexual abuse. Jos reportedly made a deal with the district attorney to get Erik who was still a minor a slap on the wrist in exchange for pleading guilty, while both brothers were required to enter counseling. Both have gotten married while behind barsLyle twice. At the time of the murders, Lyle was 21 years old, and Erik was 18 years old. Stream It Or Skip It: Kiss, Kiss! on Netflix, a Polish Rom-Com With an Oogy Womanizer Protagonist. Their slain father Jose had been born in Cuba and fled during the revolution. According to their statements, the brothers left to get their guns, returning a short time later. The whole process took nearly seven years. Instead, their sartorial choices only chiseled out their own caricature: the spoiled rich boys who thought they could get away with anything. The Menendez brothers were the only children of entertainment businessman Jose Menendez and his wife Mary Louise, otherwise known as Kitty. The show drew some controversy, namely from the families of the victims depicted in the series. "Im always like, Yeah, it is wrong. Im not supporting the fact that they killed their parents, and I never will. Jose turned the struggling International Video Entertainment Inc. (IVE), a video distributor into profitability,according to People. In 1996, when twentysomething brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez were on trial for the murder of their Beverly Hills parents, Jse and Kitty, their legal team argued that they had committed the . In 1996, Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted of the murder of their parents, Jos and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menndez. The mere appearance of host John Malkovich wearing the royal blue sweater on the stand was enough shorthand for a studio audience to begin laughing. Oddly enough, Judalon Smyth testified for the defense this time, insisting Dr. Oziel had manipulated the brothers into confessing. While completing his degree in accounting at Queens College, Jose washed dishes at the Manhattan restaurant 21. Jose was shot six times in the back of the head, while Kitty was shot ten times. . He was focused, specific about what he wanted from business, very much in control. 1,717, This story has been shared 1,679 times. The brothers were taken in for questioning but were outwardly distraught. Thomas Edmonds told Blood & Money, airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen. The 55-year-old criminal and his 52-year-old brother were just 21 and 19, respectively, when they brutally murdered their parents, Jose and Mary Louise Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion on . Why It Took Three Juries to Convict the Menendez Brothers Erik Menendez holds a get well card he received from a fan. On March 20, 1996, Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Its their theatricality that has made the Menendez men so infamous, their flare for courtroom drama and off-putting outfits, and the brazen nature of their behavior between the murder and their arrests. The couple wed in 1963 and moved to New York. Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 of murdering their mother, Mary Louise, a former beauty queen who went by Kitty, and their father, Jose, a music executive, despite defense arguments. Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed thus plays like the tip of a potential iceberg that has yet to be fully assessed. Meanwhile, Lyle returned to Princeton, but not to attend classes. Lyle and Erik anticipated the noise would prompt law enforcement to show up at their home, but when they hadnt, they hatched their plan to ditch their weapons and call 911. [The Menendez trial] probably had the effect, maybe good, maybe bad, of demonstrating that, even if you didnt have a celebrity, if the circumstances were dramatic enough, people will be captivated, Steve Brill, the founder of Court TV, told Rolling Stone in 2017. The story was impossible to corroborate because the alleged villain was dead. It was hard not to notice the money trail that led from the crime scene a $5 million estate that Elton John and Michael Jackson had each once called home to the brothers, who spent as much as. Their adjoining apartments had ample room for parties and movie nights with friends. That defense earned them separate mistrials in 1993 but didn't succeed in their subsequent 1996 retrial, which concluded with convictions and . Oziel confided in his mistress, Judalon Smyth, who would ultimately play a big part in the case. Who Is Suspected Pentagon Leaker Jack Teixeira? Lyle and Erik Menendez shoot their parents, Jose and Kitty, to death in the den of the familys Beverly Hills, California, home. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Jose was 35 when he became executive vice president at Hertz, a subsidiary of Radio Corporation of America, more commonly known as RCA.
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