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The brothers underwent highly publicized trials. 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. Lyle testified that he believed his brother because he, too, was allegedly sexually assaulted by Jos at a young age. The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Als u uw keuzes wilt aanpassen, klik dan op 'Privacyinstellingen beheren'. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. This story has been shared 48,995 times. 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. Their adjoining apartments had ample room for parties and movie nights with friends. On August 20, 1989, the brothers brutally shot their parents multiple times in the den of their $5 million dollar family home in Beverly Hills, where they staged the murders to look like a mob hit. Despite being a reputed difficult man and abusive husband and father, Jos Menendez had built a cushy life for himself and his family. Subsequently, it is said that the boys obtained an estimated $700,000 payout from their deceased parents' life insurance policy. In December 1993, jurors began weeks of deliberations but couldnt agree to the charges, resulting in a hung jury. By the time the brothers opened up about this abuse, the public had been hating them and eating up the spoiled-rich-boys narrative for years. Is The Nurse On Netflix Based On A True Story? 1,126, This story has been shared 1,110 times. Close your eyes and conjure the Menendez brothers, and theyre wearing matching sweaters the vivid, unnatural colors of jelly beans. He worked his way up the ladder at a number of businesses. Parents Jos and Kitty Menendez were shot multiple times with a shotgun in the den of their mansion. 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. He wooed and married Kitty, a beauty pageant queen, and then rose from washing dishes to becoming a successful young entertainment executive. Lyle showed promise as an up-and-coming tennis athlete, while Erik had aspirations of getting into politics. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. In 1980, he became head of the companys record division, RCA-Ariola. Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the new Peacock docuseries premiering May 2, explores a provocative new allegation against the brothers late father. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. The trial began in 1993 and was broadcast on a relatively new cable network called Court TV, which was devoted to turning the legal system into a hybrid of entertainment and sporting event. Unable to profess their innocence, Lyle and Erik instead claimed that their fathers reign of terror went far beyond emotional abuse and the pressure of high expectations. Years later, a cousin told ABC News that she believed his story because hed told her similar things when he was a child. The Menendez family moved to the West Coast in the fall of 1986 when Jos whod previously made a career with RCA records accepted a job with a company called Live Entertainment. In between, the Menendez murders became one of the most famous criminal cases of the late 20th century thanks to its potent mix of family drama, Hollywood connections, dramatic testimony and cable TVs ability to blanket the airwaves with coverage. Lyle and Erik Menendez shot and killed their parents Jose Menendez, 45, a wealthy entertainment executive, and Kitty Menendez, 47, at their Beverly Hills mansion on Aug. 20, 1989. It wasnt until April 17, 1996, that a third and final jury found the brothers guilty together. 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. The Menendez brothers are each currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, on August 20, 1989. The brothers were tried together, but two juries were assigned to the case since their testimonies could implicate one another. You can see more of her writing at kaitlinmenza.com. The key, in my book, was Judalon Smyth told us that the shotguns were brought in San Diego, according to Det. 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According to their statements, the brothers left to get their guns, returning a short time later. 1,358, This story has been shared 1,126 times. After the verdict in their final trial and before their sentencing, the brothers sat down with Barbara Walters for one final interview. They were sent to separate prisons until 2018 when they were reunited and allowed to serve their sentences at the same facility. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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 . The boys' father, Jose Menendez immigrated from Cuba when he was 16, and worked his way up in corporate America to become an extremely wealthy business man, and eventually the CEO of LIVE Entertainment. . Youre a normal kid who killed your parents, Walters said. The stress of it all was giving Erik an ulcer. Nearly three decades after Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of brutally killing their parents Jose and Kitty, the notorious case that glued a nation to its TV sets is back in the spotlight. , and early investigations focused on that possibility. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! U kunt uw keuzes te allen tijde wijzigen door te klikken op de links 'Privacydashboard' op onze sites en in onze apps. Much of Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed involves Roy speaking candidly and tearfully about his arduous ordeal, the multiple suicide attempts it instigated, and his hunger for justice. It was so brutal that police thought the killings were a mob hit, and early investigations focused on that possibility. 1,516, This story has been shared 1,358 times. Who Is Suspected Pentagon Leaker Jack Teixeira? What Happened to Bonnie Hood at Camp Nelson? The prosecution contended the brothers' motive was greed, pointing to their spending spree in the months following their parents' murders. Then the brothers, who were 21 and 18 at the time, drove to a movie theater and bought tickets for Batman. It seemed like Jos was so competitive, he was doing everything he could to try to make him better, their former swim team coach told the Los Angeles Times in 1990. The brothers didnt spend all of their six months of freedom shopping and dreaming out loud, though. As with more than a few recent docuseries, its so eager to be first with its headline-grabbing imputations that it jumps the gun, leaving viewers to speculate about a sensational future that might come to pass should further substantiation eventually materialize. I had been told that right after his murder, people were pretty pleased that he was no longer on the earth.. I was devastated, said family friend John Burnett. Kaitlin Menza is a freelance features writer. "But its the background story thats so much more important to me., 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, The brothers were convicted of killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, Erik (left) and Lyle are serving life in prison, Defense lawyer Leslie Abramson looks over a model depicting entrance wounds in the case, Lyle (left) and Erik sit in a Beverly Hills courtroom. And then of course theres the question: Was greed at the heart of this crimeare Lyle and Eric the most extreme spoiled brats in Beverly Hills? Prosecutor David Conn during his closing argument in the penalty phase of the trial. Thats when they discovered the murder.. 1,717, This story has been shared 1,679 times. Jose was shot six times in the back of the head, while Kitty was shot ten times. "It was similar to a situation where you have pro-life and pro-choice people and put them in an argument together.". Jos was worth $14 million at the time of his death, and within six months, the brothers spent an estimated $700,000 of his fortune. Former Member of '80s Boy Band Menudo Says He Was Drugged and Raped by Father of Menendez Brothers Supporters hope the allegations Roy Rossell made in an upcoming Peacock docuseries will get the . The therapist reached out to Erik soon after the murders . Jose was 35 when he became executive vice president at Hertz, a subsidiary of Radio Corporation of America, more commonly known as RCA. In one horrific anecdote, Roy recalls getting caught trying to see a girl and being locked in a bathroom, nude, for the entire night, only to be viciously raped and beaten upon his release from captivity. Their lawyer, Leslie Abramson, who became a star during the trial, argued that the two were acting in self-defense after growing up in such a violent and traumatizing home. They were shot multiple times at close range with a shotgun and rendered unrecognizable. "He had an incredible dedication to business. It was the first business under the umbrella of a company Lyle called Menendez Investment Enterprises. 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. He worked as an executive for RCA Records at one point, and later got a job with the film company LIVE Entertainment. Weve had lots of trials like that since, but that was really the one that proved that people would be interested in watching big trials.. The initial cases ended in mistrial because of a convincing (and surprising, when it was introduced) argument from the defense: Attorney Leslie Abramson and her team contended that both Lyle and Erik had been molested by their father since childhood. PeacockLyle 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. On Aug. 20, 1989, 21-year-old Lyle Menendez and his 18-year-old brother Erik stormed into their Beverly Hills mansion. On August 20, 1989, the brothers brutally shot their parents multiple times in the den of their $5 million dollar family home in Beverly Hills, where they staged the murders to look like a mob hit. It was so brutal that police thought the killings were a mob hit, and early investigations focused on business rivals and a porn executive who had a bone to pick with Jos. Over the course of those those six months, they reportedly spent $1 million on parties, travel, and shopping. Many continue to urge politicians and prosecutors to take a new look at the Menendez brothers case. 1,768, This story has been shared 1,717 times. They were charged with the first-degree murders of their parents. On August 19, their parents chartered a yacht and took them shark fishing. Both have gotten married while behind barsLyle twice. killed. DAHMER Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, starring Evan Peters as the titular serial killer, detailed the cannibalistic murder spree Dahmer conducted undetected for over a decade. Early on, investigators ran on the theory that Jos might have rubbed elbows with the mob in the course of his work. Well. He hired two friends at Princeton to help oversee and advise on his investments, as they later testified, and foresaw a portfolio of restaurants, real estate, and (like their father) the entertainment industry. The brothers, featured on ABC's 20/20 in April of 2021, have a new generation of defenders - on Instagram and TikTok. A judge ruled portions of the tapes of the brothers therapy sessions admissible as evidence, which their attorneys appealed. Though he portrayed himself as a doting father and husband, behind closed doors Jose was reportedly strict and cruel. Suspicions were raised when Lyle and Erik used the life insurance money to make head-turning purchases, including a Porsche Carrera, Rolex watches, and a $60,000-per-year tennis coach for Lyles continued lessons. They insisted that they had shot their parents in self-defense because they believed that Jose would kill them rather than have the abuse be exposed. Thirty years ago this week, a shocking crime unfolded in a Beverly Hills mansion. In 1980, he became head of the companys record division, RCA-Ariola. 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. The brothers during one of the court hearings Theres only so many gun stores in San Diego.. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Tom Jones' On PBS, A Romance-Focused Adaptation Of Henry Fielding's Novel, Stream It or Skip It: 'Spring Breakthrough' on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Proves We Need More Keesha Sharp, Stream It or Skip It: 'Hearts in the Game' on Hallmark Just Might Be the Network's Movie of the Year. Lyle was arrested soon after. Or is there something so evil at the core of this family that the brothers actions might have been justified? It was those sessions that would lead to their eventual arrest. He was in charge of building up the labels Latin music line. The Menendez brothers second trial began at the Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys one and a half years later in August 1995. Lyle and Erik Menendez shoot their parents, Jose and Kitty, to death in the den of the familys Beverly Hills, California, home. So who is Jose Menendez? The effort fell short; both Lyle and Erik were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996. were convicted of brutally killing their parents. Still, such notions are undermined by the sense that Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is deliberately avoiding a comprehensive reexamination of the case. They were shot multiple times at close range with a shotgun and rendered unrecognizable. The upcoming Netflix doc could possibly reveal some new insights from the brothers over 30 years later. This time, testimony about Jos Menendezs alleged abuse was severely limited. Some said Jos planned to take Lyle and Erik out of the will for fears theyd blow their inheritance on their new girlfriends. The police said the crime was motivated by greed, since they were set to inherit their parents $14-million estate. But the woman ended up going to the police with her information and, in March 1990, Lyle, 22, and Erik, 19, were arrested. 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It was their goal to inherit their parents' fortune that drove them to murder their parents. "They shot and killed my parents," he sobbed. 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. Lyle enrolled in Princeton University but was suspended for a year for plagiarism, portending a troubled next few years. Each brother has gotten married in prison to women on the outside. 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. The two handsome young men wore to court what one might wear to cocktail hour at the country club, as if they were chilly after a tennis match. This younger generation is learning about the Menendez case. He landed at the independent film company, , which produced the Rambo big-screen franchise. They were sentenced to life without parole. When on tour, Roy always slept in Diazs bedroom, and if he stepped out of line, he was physically attacked. READ MORE: Why the Menendez Brothers Killed Their Parentsa Look Inside Their Murder Case. My brother wants to become President of the U.S. by their father, leading them to commit the murders on August 20, 1989 at the family home in Beverly Hills. Ex-Menudo Singer Makes Shock Claim About Menendez Brothers Dad. 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. ", Stream It Or Skip It: 'Moonage Daydream' on HBO Max, a David Bowie Biography That's More Sensual Experience than Documentary, Personality Crisis: One Night Only Finds Punk Pioneer David Johansen Recounting His Many Lives, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Legacy of J Dilla' on FX/Hulu, Exploring The Life, Beats, And Career Of The Late Hip-Hop Hero, Stream It Or Skip It: Little Richard: I Am Everything on VOD, A Biodoc As Vibrant As Its Subject, The Peter Pan & Wendy Sea Shanty Is An Ear Worm That Will Haunt Your Dreams, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Peter Pan and Wendy' on Disney+, Director David Lowery's Lightly Visionary Disney Rehash, Where Was Peter Pan and Wendy Filmed? On August 20, 1989, aged just 21 and 18 respectively, Lyle and Erik Menendez shot dead their parents, Jose and Mary "Kitty" Menendez in their living room. Both Lyle and Erik gave convincing and emotional testimony that they were subjected to physical abuse at the hands of their father. It was the smoke of the guns, and it was basically just chaos.. In 1988, after getting caught in a string of burglaries, Erik was required by the court to meet with a therapist named Dr. Jerome Oziel. Today, clips and videos of the trial have been shared. The firearms matched the weapons used to kill Jos and Kitty, prompting the district attorney to file charges. 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, the Los Angeles Times reported. Lyle gave graphic testimony. In a particularly dark October 1993 sketch, Saturday Night Live imitated their smoothly flat voices and the way their faces would crumple into crocodile tears. 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. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Unlike other endlessly popular true-crime storiesJonBenet Ramsey, O.J. Lyle and Erik Menendez aka the murderous Menendez brothers continue to sit in prison with life sentences for killing their wealthy parents inside their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. Jose set high goals for himself and his sons. The judge declared mistrials. She lives in New York. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: August 20. TikTok Users Dive Into The Menendez Brothers Case Lyle and Erik Menendez were both sentenced to life behind bars for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jos and Mary. Opinions nationwide were divided over whether they deserved to live and die behind bars. "I Wish Life Had Turned Out Differently for Them": Childhood Friend of Menendez Brother Speaks Out. Jos was born in Cuba, emigrated to the United States after the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s, living in the attic of a cousins home until he earned a college scholarship for swimming. During the trials, they claimed their father routinely administered physical and. Get them out of prison, she told The Times. 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. Why did Lyle and Erik Menendez kill their parents? Thomas Edmonds told Blood & Money, airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen. He decided to forgo attending UCLA and instead hired a tennis coach for $60,000 a year in the hopes of going pro. Netflix and Ryan Murphy have found their next Monster or rather, a pair of them. Where are the Menendez brothers today? Spectators were taken aback when, during opening arguments, Lyles defense attorney, Jill Lansing, told jurors, Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents.. Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed thus plays like the tip of a potential iceberg that has yet to be fully assessed. They went home to get Eriks false identification he had so they could go to a bar, retired Beverly Hills Detective Sgt. Born into lives of wealth and privilege as the sons and only children of Hollywood executive Jos Menendez, 45, and his wife, Kitty, 47, the brothers claimed they had returned home from the. Lyle was 21 at the . Right: The Menendez Murders, a Law & Order mini-series, will depict the infamous court case. He signed famous groups like the Eurythmics, Duran Duran and Menudo, Vanity Fair reported. This is not the only true crime story Netflix is tackling. He hired a team of bodyguards to accompany him on his shopping excursions, and later testified to their spoils, which included $40,000 worth of clothes and a $60,000 Porsche. With California investigators on the East Coast, they began interviewing the Menendez familys New Jersey-based relatives.