Once again propelled by the Netflix series, the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez unleashed passions in the 80s. Sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the murder of their parents, the two brothers are back in court to claim potential release.
At the end of August 1989, Lyle, aged 21, and Erik, aged 18, violently murdered their parents in their Beverly Hills villa. Millionaire businessman José Menendez and his wife Mary Louise ‘Kitty’ were riddled with bullets. Called by the crying siblings, who admit nothing at the time, the police are faced with a veritable bloodbath. Organised crime was the main suspect, supported by the two brothers, who had been spending their money on big parties and ostentatious luxury items ever since. But several months later, the investigation takes a new turn when recordings of confessions revealed to their psychotherapist come into the hands of the police. The story went viral and divided the general public.
Money or abuse?
Although the Menendez brothers initially denied the facts, the audio cassettes were damning. Lyle and Erik were accused of murdering their parents. The death penalty is being considered. The entire trial was broadcast on television. A first that contributed to the excitement of the story.
The two brothers justify the double murder on the grounds that their father, portrayed as a cruel, narcissistic and domineering paedophile, had physically abused them since the age of six. The details of the sexual assaults, repeated rapes and psychological violence are terrifying. The portrait of their mother is just as damning. The stern, unstable matriarch, addicted to alcohol and drugs, was allegedly aware of the abuse but did nothing to protect her children. The children allegedly acted out when the father threatened to kill them if they revealed the family secret.
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Featured photo : The Menendez family in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story © Netflix
