In a powerful display of family solidarity, the relatives of Lyle and Erik Menendez have come together to demand the release of the two brothers, who were convicted over 30 years ago of killing their parents in their Beverly Hills home.
The Menendez case has captivated public attention for decades, with the brothers’ claims of enduring years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their father José fueling a heated debate around the circumstances that led to the 1989 murders. Now, with new evidence and a shift in societal attitudes, the family holds out hope for the ultimate justice.
On Wednesday, more than two dozen members of the Menendez clan convened outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse, the site of the brothers’ 1996 life sentence without parole. Anamaria Baralt, the niece of José Menendez, struck a defiant tone, declaring, “If Lyle and Erik’s case were heard today, with the understanding we now have about abuse and PTSD, there is no doubt in my mind that their sentencing would have been very different.”
Joan VanderMolen, the sister of the brothers’ mother, Kitty, echoed Baralt’s sentiment. Fighting back tears, VanderMolen acknowledged the tragedy of the murders but insisted that “the desperate response of two boys trying to survive the unspeakable cruelty of their father” should be understood in a new light.
“They were just children. She spoke, her voice trembling with emotion, “Children who should have received protection instead endured the most horrific forms of brutality.”
The family’s impassioned pleas come as Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón weighs the brothers’ fate. In a surprising move earlier this month, Gascón announced that his office would be re-examining the Menendez convictions in light of new evidence that has surfaced over the years.
Erik Menendez purportedly wrote a letter in 1988, a year before the murders, detailing the ongoing abuse he endured from his father. “I never know when it’s going to happen, and it’s driving me crazy,” he wrote to a cousin. “Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.”
The family has also cited the sworn testimony of Roy Rosselló, a former member of the 1980s boy band Menudo, who claimed that José Menendez drugged and sexually assaulted him when he was a teenager. This corroborates the brothers’ claims that their father was a serial abuser.
Mark Geragos, the Menendez brothers’ attorney, has filed a habeas petition, arguing that this new evidence should grant his clients relief from their sentences. Geragos contends that if the jury in the original 1996 trial had heard this information, the outcome may have been vastly different.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Geragos stated, “We vilified them as murderers rather than seeing them as victims of a brutal predator.” “It’s time to give them the opportunity to live the rest of their lives free from the shadow of their past.”
Since the Menendez brothers’ first prosecution, the district attorney’s office has acknowledged a significant evolution in societal attitudes towards sexual abuse, particularly against young men. “Today, our office acknowledges that sexual violence is a pervasive issue affecting countless individuals—of all gender identities—and we are committed to supporting all victims as they navigate the profound impacts of such trauma,” the office said in a statement.
For the Menendez family, this shift in perspective represents a glimmer of hope after over three decades of anguish. Brian Andersen Jr., Kitty Menendez’s nephew, summed up the family’s sentiment, saying, “They tried to protect themselves the only way they knew how. Instead of being seen as victims, they were vilified.”
The Menendez family is cautiously optimistic that justice will finally prevail as the district attorney’s office continues to review the new evidence. Now united in their calls for the brothers’ release, both sides of the family are preparing for a dramatic conclusion to one of the most infamous criminal cases in modern American history.
José Menendez’s sister Terry Baralt said, “35 years is such a long time,” in a statement her daughter Anamaria read. “My prayer is that I live long enough to see my nephews again and hug them once more.”
For the Menendez family, the hope of reuniting with their loved ones after over three decades is a powerful motivator in their fight for a second chance. The world watches with bated breath, eager to see if the justice system will finally grant the brothers the opportunity to move forward with their lives.