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.

They were heartless enough to kill their parents; and they were dumb enough to blab to the psychiatrist and others so that they got caught and convicted.

I wouldn't feel safe with them on the streets of LA

If they were molested as children, my heart goes out to them, but they were both over 18 at the time their parents died. They remained in their parents life, the abuse wasn't so bad that they put their parents in their past. Life would have been rougher without their parents money but they made a different choice than then lied about killing their parents. The penalty for molestation isn't death, maybe it should be but it isn't.

BTW, if the police had arrested someone else for the murder of Jose Menendez and that person was convicted, neither of those brothers would have come forward and cleared the accused and they would allow an innocent person to serve life in prison.

[quote] I wouldn't feel safe with them on the streets of LA

Oh please. Some rando crazy homeless cunt is much more likely to kill you. In fact, a whole lot of people are more likely to kill you. We know why they killed: money and revenge. They wouldn't get either from you.

I, too, was molested.

[quote] The penalty for molestation isn't death, maybe it should be but it isn't.

Well, I guess sometimes it is the penalty. And sometimes of course it should be.

I'm not convinced this applies to the Menendez Brothers, but either way, 35 years is more than enough, in general, even when it comes to homicide. Only very extreme cases, like serial killing, justify longer sentences. They should be let out at this point. Keeping them in prison is just pointless.

Threads like this remind me how many "tough on crime" Right Wing boomers there are on this site. Hopefully all these angry eldergays have found friends and family that offer them a bit more grace than they'd offer anyone else.

Mom was a nutty cunt, she would rather ignore the "off limits" rule when dad and his sons were in their room with the door closed, but total outraged one of them had a girlfriend.

[quote]They were both adults and could have moved out or gone to the police.

Also, why didnt they just eat cake if they were all out of bread?

Such a lame ass Boomer excuse that kids raised by two abusive, immoral, sociopaths while being raped and indoctrinated from age 6 to young adult hood that they some how would have mature reasoning abilities to just walk away from it. Where exactly would they get this great sense of self worth, adult level reasoning skills and education of right from wrong morality training to make such easy decisions? Mom and Dad?

While we are at it, why don't we blame all woman who stay in abusive relationships when they can just walk away? They are adults, right?

[quote]the system . . . failed those boys

Which is pretty much the definition of "the system".

I think in this case life should mean life.

When the murders happened they were 18 and 21. Old enough to get jobs and cut their parents out of their lives. But instead they planned their murders in advance, fired multiple shotgun rounds at them, lied about the perpretrators, and then went on a massive shopping spree.

It shows a worrying level of detachment that I don't think just goes away from spending time in prison doing degrees.

If they just killed the dad, maybe that would be more of an argument for their early release, because then they'd only be focusing on the abuser. But to kill their mother as well? Just for supposedly doing nothing, even though she was potentially subject to similar abuse or controlling behaviour from Jose? Nah.

[quote]When the murders happened they were 18 and 21. Old enough to get jobs and cut their parents

And once again you missed the point. Show me where they would be mature enough to have the life skills to that while they were brought up, trained to believe their father was the most important person in their life and forbidden them to move out or move away even to go to college. I am sure their abusive, child molesting immoral parents taught them right from wrong. That's literally your premise.

When you raise all your children, in this case two boys, to be murders by the age of 18, pretty much the parting is at fault no?

R50 I mean, I got my first job when I was 16. Admittedly it was only weekend retail work, but I was still able to work a job and get money without having in depth life skills.

Sadly many people are abused and it's awful, but the vast majority of them don't murder their abusers. Like I say, I could understand if one of them hit their father across the head in the heat of the moment when he was about to rape them - that would be true self defence. But planning a murder of both parents in advance with shotguns just isn't excusable.

[quote]R50 Show me where they would be mature enough to have the life skills to that while they were brought up, trained to believe their father was the most important person in their life and forbidden them to move out or move away even to go to college.

They obviously knew right from wrong because they planned an alibi and lied about the murders, which is a cover-up, and at least one of them acted out a convincing role for the 911 operator. And regarding not being allowed to move away:

"Lyle, who was 21 at the time of the murders, purchased a Rolex, a Porsche, lots of clothing, and a restaurant [bold]back in Princeton, where he had been living before the murders[/bold]..."

They certainly had the option to leave no matter how poor or wealthy. Their relatives would have taken them in, and they had friends and teachers and coaches who could have helped them.

Overwhelmingly indifferent. Though knowing what I know, tyrannical parents who were likely abusing them and they got mad as hell because they couldn't take it anymore, isn't lost on me. I wish them well.

[quote] the system . . . failed those boys

What system? Nobody reported anything to CPS.

The second trial was a joke. The sex abuse was not allowed to be admitted and the prosecutor said that men cannot be raped. It was ridiculous.

They should be let out of prison.

OOH, they committed pre-meditated murder with the primary reason most likely being financial gain. OTOH, I believe the parents were nightmares even without factoring in the possible sexual abuse and created their own demise. They ground out any sense of humanity in their sons with their domineering ways while simultaneously creating spoiled, entitled monsters. Those murders were calculated but they were also crimes of passion in the sense that they were an expression of the sons' anger at how they had been treated their whole life. Being berated and belittled day-in and day-out, I think they might have felt righteous while carrying out the crime. Why would anyone expect them to act with humanity when they never experienced it in their childhood?

Should they get out? I don't know. But the parents had it coming.

R58 their crimes don't fit any definition of a crime if passion; these were premeditaded with elaboate planning.

No way in hell. They're straight up murderers and pathological liars. Now, they've become martyrs or some celeb cause, like they didn't blow their parents away. No.

[quote]I mean, I got my first job when I was 16. Admittedly it was only weekend retail work, but I was still able to work a job and get money without having in depth life skills.

Well good for you, how lucky you are that you were raised by at least one parent who supported that. Now how would that have been if they not only discouraged you, but forbid you from doing it under their roof? And while sexually violating you on a regular basis. And while you mom was gaslighting you when you told her whats going on? You really think those boys got the same life skills you take for granted?

Let them eat cake theory of morality = If they had bad parents, why didnt they just leave.

[quote]No way in hell. They're straight up murderers and pathological liars. Now, they've become martyrs or some celeb cause, like they didn't blow their parents away. No.

And who taught them to be that way??

The truth lies somewhere between these extremes of perception.

I do believe that the father sexually molested Erik, at least. I do believe that Kitty (mom) knew about this and did nothing.

I also believe that these two were motivated by money, in large part, when they killed their parents.

I don't look at them as "boys," even at the time that they killed their parents. They were young adults.

I do think they should have been able to present evidence of molestation during the second trial.

What evidence R63? If they had evidence why wasn't it presented at the first trial?

R60⬆️

r64 the sex abuse was not allowed in the second trial

Why?

[quote] On October 21, Jill Lansing's first expert witness testified. Stuart Hart, an Indiana University professor, testified about his belief that Lyle had been severely mistreated psychologically.

[quote] Weissberg allowed the defense to present testimony from teachers, coaches, friends, family members and child-abuse experts much to the annoyance of the prosecution, who believed that Weissberg allowed too much of the suspect testimony into the trial.

At the first trial, an expert witness testified for Lyle, at least. This is a long article about witnesses at the first trial.

The weird thing is that the same judge, Weisberg, presided over both trials.

Thank you R68. I still don't believe their story. They killed them in cold blood and then lived it up. I believe it was Lyle that tried to get his cousin to help him fabricate a story and somehow got caught. One of their other cousins received a lot of money from the brothers, and he's on their side. I'm reading older news reports and it seems like Eric made up the sex abuse. I hate to say that because sex abuse does happen to a lot of people. The only reason they are getting a new trial is because of Ryan Murphys show about them. I suppose some psychologist will say yes, they were abused, and they'll probably be released. But, their actions during after the murders tell me it was motivated by money.

You're welcome, R70.

I don't think Ryan Murphy is the only reason they're getting a new trial.

I think there are attorneys who put a ton of work into the court filings -- for years. Ryan Murphy came along at the right time, but he was not the one who did research and filed motions / writs of habeas corpus, etc.

Liars then and liars now. They could have left but wanted the bucks.

r71 thank god you have no influence over this.

[quote] I'm reading older news reports and it seems like Eric made up the sex abuse. I hate to say that because sex abuse does happen to a lot of people. The only reason they are getting a new trial is because of Ryan Murphys show about them. I suppose some psychologist will say yes, they

They were abused. End of story

[QUOTE]What evidence R63? If they had evidence why wasn't it presented at the first trial?

R64 - this was all detailed upthread in R7. It helps to read the full thread before commenting, but I get it, I'm guilty of sometimes posting before reading through as well!

Top LA prosecutor backs Menendez brothers being released on parole

If that Manson girl/old woman can be set free I say let the brothers go too.

Leslie Van Houten served over 50 years before getting paroled.

I absolutely believe in their innocence since the shower scene in “Monsters” where the actor playing one of them has a big cock and wore no prosthesis and this is Datalounge. Plus, the hints of incest.

Wrongful conviction? I think so!

Yes R71, I understand that Ryan Murphy isn't the only reason. After we posted yesterday I realized the Prosecuting Attorney took up their case again. He's running for reelection and from what I've read he's not popular. But, I stand by what I said before. They killed them and then went on a spending spree. On the thread about them people have documented what they did right after, like 2 days later going to collect their father life insurance. Their actions and premeditated behavior just don't add up.

R76 I think they'll almost certainly be released as I doubt the LA DA would have taken this step if he didn't think they'd get parole.

Even Kitty's niece wants to see them released. I suppose that's good evidence that she was awful if even her own niece wants her aunt's murderers to be set free. In fact, as far I can tell, all the Menendez family want to see Lyle and Erik out of prison.

But that said, I wonder if it's a bit of a defence mechanism. If I were in their situation I would definitely want to believe my cousins had suffered horrible abuse, because the idea of them killing family members for no good reason would be unthinkable.

What happened to the guy who said they were never getting out? Is he OK?

what makes anyone think that they wouldn't re-offend?

are family members who aren't supporting their release safe?

what if they see another way to grab money if it meant killing people off?

Because they were not random serial killers r83. Not the same as Manson family girls for example. And even they got let out.

The only reason the killed their parents was to stop the verbal, psychological and sexual abuse they experienced almost their whole life.

Kim Kardashian says Menendez brothers have been ‘granted a second chance at life’

Too bad Jose and Kitty won't have a second chance nor have a chance to defend themselves against their sons' accusations of abuse.

Rosie’s walk, hair and bombastic personality will remind them of Jose if they move in with her and they’ll blow her head off.

[quote]too bad Jose and Kitty won't have a second chance nor have a chance to defend themselves

Actually Jose did have his day in court, during the first trial, they could not find a single relative, colleague friend or employee that had anything good to say about him. No one would take the stand for the prosecution to counter the claims. That says a lot.

Business associates and other people who had dealings with Jose Menendez were scrambling for alibis after he was killed because they were all afraid of being thought of as suspects in his death.

I doubt that R88, the sons had already admitted to the murder and were on trial. Unless you are talking about how unpopular he was before they arrested the brothers.

R85 Kardashian is an idiot and Cooper Koch's adoration of her is cringeworthy to the extreme. She's a rich airhead who has staff to do everything for her, yet she's getting held up as a hardworking defender of human rights.

R90 Isn't she a lawyer now though? Can't be that stupid if she managed to go to law school and become a lawyer.

R90, She's not. She has been in law school, passed the baby bar first year exam after trying (back in 2021) three times and planned to take the bar in 2025. Beyond that, I actually don't think she's stupid. I'm happy she still seems to be at it and trying at least with this. It doesn't seem to be something she picked up and then dropped. This might be a personal goal she cares about.

Even Phyllis Nefler cared about those Wilderness Girls when it came down to it.

R89, they absolutely admitted to the murders. What the real trial clips on YouTube. What the trial was about was what level of murder charge they would get based on the circumstances, 1st degree, 2nd degree murder, manslaughter etc. The DA was asking for the death sentence in that first trial, their attorneys were asking for something less. But the jury split down the middle and could not agree so it was a hung jury.