Should the Menendez brothers be released from prison?

No, they’re both likely have prolapsed holes, so no thanks.

I like them young and tight.

If they're released, maybe Rosie O'Donnell should take them in and let them babysit or housesit, or just be handymen. I'm sure she'd be comfortable sleeping at night knowing they're in her house.

You can call me lefty bleeding heart as much as you want, but without even the extenuating circumstance of the horrific alleged abuse they suffered, I don't believe in extreme punishments like Life in Prison without parole for anyone other than those highly likely to re-offend (like serial killers or serial rapists.)

But, THEN, you add in the abuse they suffered nearly all of their childhoods, which basically couldn't be admitted as evidence in their second trial, yeah, it's time. They've spent decades in prison. They've earned multiple degrees, led programs to improve life for prisoners and, by their own warden's account, they are model prisoners that he'd feel comfortable as his neighbors. Yeah, it's time.

Hopefully the new evidence supporting their claims of abuse will help their case.

I watched their trial wayback and they smirked a lot so no.

I watched the documentary and the Netflix show. The circumstance really does play a part in that I don't think they will harm others. On that basis I would let them free.

What proof was there of rape by the father?

R6 - There is....

- testimony from multiple people, including cousins who say the Menendez brothers told them Jose was abusing them. One of the cousins even testified that she told Kitty (the mother) who denied it was true.

- there is a letter that the LA D.A. is now reviewing from one of the brothers sent to a cousin when they were all children about Jose's abuse.

- Erik suffered an oral injury when he was 6 or 7 that is consistent with oral rape. There are medical records of this.

- When Lyle was fourteen he wrote an essay in school about someone who was convicted for killing a man who molested a twelve year old. The alleged that fourteen was the age at which Lyle learned that Erik was being abused by Jose.

- A member of the boyband Menudo has alleged that Jose also sexually abused him

- In their early days in jail, both brothers were examined by several renowned doctors and experts in child abuse, all of whom concluded the abuse allegations were true.

Most of this was deemed inadmissible in their second trial, which was a total sham, due to Judge Weisberg and the LA DA's office's near-collusion against the defense. Weisberg was upset about the first trial ending in a hung jury and the LA's DA office was determined not to lose another high profile case after OJ.

None of that means the boys didn't murder their parents or that they shouldn't have received any punishment. But, if this trial were happening today, it's pretty likely the outcome would have been different.

Thanks R7, to be frank, that all sounds like either a stretch, or testimony from people with a vested interest in seeing the boys released.

But if we give them the benefit of the doubt, and it’s true he was sexually molesting them (or had in the past), that still in no way justifies shotgunning their parents. They were not in a situation where they would have been raped if they didn’t kill him. They were both adults and could have moved out or gone to the police.

And apparently they were motivated by a desire to have all their father’s assets to themselves by getting him out of the way. They certainly acted that way when their parents were gone. And they lied about why they had killed their parents. If they were in such dread danger of harm, why would they lie about what they had done?

A sordid family tale all around, but they are sociopaths, and that’s why they shotgunned their parents.

R8, if your dad was a sociopath and raped you and told you you're nothing without me. There is no escape. It's a mental fuck of all fucks. They more than likely will not hurt others. I believe they are in a less terrifying prison situation so that's better than being with sociopaths or gang members. I feel for them and think the whole story coming out is good for society at large. Parents that literally fuck their kids do deserve to die. I think rapists deserve to have their dicks cut off too but hey that's just my ideal world.

There's no reason for a member of Menudo to come out and say they were raped/molested, other than THAT'S THE TRUTH.

And if he did it to that person, there's absolutely no reason why he wouldn't have done that to his easy-access sons.

Mom was certainly not helping out/being maternal/protecting them.

Rapists don't get death sentences but those who commit premeditated murder often do. The parents got a death sentence executed by their sons and their sons avoided the death sentence but were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for premeditated double murder because a jury of their peers believed they committed murder out of greed for money, not because of the sexual abuse. They should stay locked up.

I just want to know why one brother is bald and the other one isn't.

[quote]there is a letter that the LA D.A. is now reviewing from one of the brothers sent to a cousin when they were all children about Jose's abuse.

Someone posted a video on the other thread where their attorney stated the letter was written a few months prior to the murders...so they were adults, not children when Erik wrote it. Maybe the letter was written as a way to shape an alibi.

r8 There could be video of repeated assaults and an attack on their lives moments before the murders, and you'd still say "not enough evidence."

[quote] Mom was certainly not helping out/being maternal/protecting them.

So you're saying that under US law, her cold-blooded murder is therefore justifiable.

It's not. That's not how the law works.

Hell no. They killed their parents in cold blood then went on a spending spree. They just seem guilty as hell to me.

R2. I love Rosie, but I agree with you 100% on this one.

they shot their parents, multiple times.

They died.

They can get out when Kitty and Jose come back to life.

R14, I think you’re projecting here. I explained at r8 the basis for my belief that they are pathological narcissists who shotgunned their parents to take their wealth. If facts were different, my opinion would be too.

For instance if José were in Lyle’s room and overpowering him to rape him, and Eric shot him? That’s obviously justified.

What justification did they have for shotgunning him — and their mother!!! — as the two of them were watching tv? I mean, instead of going to the police with their rape accusations? They had no justification.

Why did they tell their shrink they killed him because he was unfaithful? I mean, if ANYONE would understand the rape story, it would be the shrink, correct?

It’s so interesting that the fake story only entered the picture after Abramson took on their defense. What an incredible coincidence.

As I said, I think you’re projecting. You accuse me of thinking they’re guilty no matter what, but because they were handsome, you think they’re innocent no matter what.

^^^ fake story = rape story

[Quote] They more than likely will not hurt others.

Please. Do us a favor. They killed their mother so she would not ID them as the shooters. They are psychos.

I do not believe in life sentences except for exceptional cases. Yes, they did murder their parents in cold blood. After 35 years , they have paid for their crimes and should be released. An eye for an eye is not justice.

OP Menendez should be released but you should be locked up Russie as you are obviously the greater Psychotic.

1.The Menendez Brothers: a poll

2. Who is this DL poster who is obsessed with the Menendez brothers?

3.Javier Bardem & Chloe Sevigny deserve Emmy’s for their performances in “Monsters: The Menendez Brothers” They deserve Emmy’s for their brilliant supporting performance

4.Did anyone else find it sad when they separated the Menendez brothers?

5.The Menendez Brothers case now UNDER REVIEW for the first time in 28 years!

6.Netflix Menendez Bros doc--WHET Robert Rand's face?

7.Rosie O’Donnell Reveals Plan for When Friend Lyle Menendez Is Released

8.Ryan Murphy says his show ‘Monsters’ is the best thing to happen to the Menéndez Brothers

9 Cooper Koch Hugged the Real Menendez Bros.

10 Why did the Menendez brothers play “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” by Milli Vanilli at their parents funeral?

Only 4 days worth OP? Russie getting slower and more confused.

Sociopaths to their core. They may not kill again but if released they will leave a long line of victims in their wake.

This was premeditated murder pure and simple. They had no problem using shotguns to shoot their mother at close range in the face or to shoot their dad in the back of the head. They were so emotionally and psychologically traumatized by their father's abuse instead of curling up in a ball and confessing to their heinous crime they lied to the police then went on a spending spree. Let them rot in prison. Life without parole. What part of this is so hard to understand?

[Quote] Please. Do us a favor. They killed their mother so she would not ID them as the shooters. They are psychos.

they also killed her because she would have gotten most of her husband's assets upon his death

R23 "sociopaths to the core"

Birds of a feather OP.

In a death penalty state, they'd be getting Old Sparky fired up for these two. Instead, they may walk free.

Time and time again I have been left with this question: why murder the mother? I always come to this idea: Kitty was just as guilty allowing her children to be raped as the father. After all for her part it was child negligence. So she is an abuser as well. Unless you have lived in an abusive home you can't know the hate one can build up toward the parent who fails to protect you, or even defends the abuser. Kitty is not an innocent. I am sick people treating her like her crime was any less than her husband's. All that said I think they should rot in jail because no matter what they killed in cold blood without a real threat to themselves. I agree that if it was so bad why not leave? The leverage they would have over their parents would have been come after us and we will expose you for abusers. But neither one thought of that. That's why I doubt if they were lovers. Lovers think of escaping. They only thought of killing and spending. They aren't very bright men or killers. You can't feel for them because Hollywood made a pretty story about them.

yeah, 35 years is more than enough. In general, for anything more than 20 years you should have a reasonable chance that they will kill again. So yes, serial killers can never be let out. Hit men, people who seem to have a lot of vendettas going on, sure. but in general, murder should be punished with a 20-year sentence at most. That is more than enough deterrent for anybody but the most insane or the people who have made killing some kind of career or goal in life.

Nope. Never getting out.

They could have moved out. They could have contacted authorities. They could have stayed with friend or relatives. They stayed for the lifestyle and inheritance.

well, the lifestyle and inheritance have evaporated at this point, so, yeah, they have been punished for their crime.

And as for Rosie, does anyone think she'd be in actual danger if she took them in? I don't. They seem to have had definite goals in mind when they killed their parents, but those goals wouldn't apply to Rosie.

I wouldn't put them in the will, however. That's just asking for trouble.

How do we know they went go out and murder again? There's just too many questions.

because of motive r33. I don't see them as people who kill because they like killing. This was obviously a motivated killing, well two killings, but not arbitrary. Even if you don't believe they were abused, and I'm a little iffy about that, and the motive was just to get the inheritance, that still is pretty specific and not some general, love killing motive. Like most murderers, the victim wasn't just "anybody" they happened to come across, and I don't see a reason to suspect they would just be seeking out their next victim.

Their parents must be proud!

Joan Vandermolen, the brothers' maternal aunt, older sister of the late Kitty, has been unwavering in her support of the boys over the past 35+ years. She seems to suggest she had some degree of awareness of the abuse (if, perhaps, not the extent of the abuse) when they were still boys. I know she's 92, but I think Vanity Fair goes a little easy on her... why didn't SHE try to stop the abuse / report Jose back then? I'm not excusing murder (and nearly thirty five years of prison is just punishment), but the system -- from their extended family, to educators and doctors -- failed those boys.

Their family held a press conference today. Interesting that every living member of their family seems to support them except for their Uncle Milton. Milton's sister, Joan Vandermolen, his sister and the brothers' elderly aunt, previously said she cut off contact with Milton because of what she saw as his misguided attempt to keep them imprisoned for life.

They’ve been in prison for so long good day, could they even function in the world. I dread all the interviews they would give for money if they got out. There is a lot of other prisoners that killed their abusive parents that still are in there. They blew their parents to pieces. Sorry they are where they belong. I was abused by my stepfather, but you didn’t see me blowing him away with a shotgun.