The Menendez brothers, found guilty of killing their parents José Menendez and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez back in ’96, might see freedom after 30+ years behind bars. As they wait for the Los Angeles DA’s decision, their family’s stepping up to bat for them. On October 16, relatives spoke out about the boys’ alleged sexual abuse by their dad.
“The truth is, Lyle and Erik were veiled by the very people who should have protected them, by their parents, by the system, by society at large,” Kitty’s sister Joan Anderson VanderMolen shared at the press conference. “When they stood trial, the whole world wasn’t ready to believe that the boys could be raped, or that young men could be victims of sexual violence. Today, we know better. We know that abuse has long lasting effects, and victims of trauma sometimes act in ways that are very difficult to understand.”
“If it were tried today, the evidence of their father’s abuse would not only be admitted in court, it would provide essential context for why they acted as they did,” she added. “No jury today would issue such a harsh sentence without taking their trauma into account.”
The brothers had previously testified that fear and self-defense drove them to commit the crimes, following years of abuse – physical, emotional, and sexual. New evidence has caught LA District Attorney George Gascón‘s eye as he considers re-sentencing. This includes a letter Erik allegedly wrote to his cousin Andy Cano a year before the killings, detailing the abuse.
“I’ve been trying to avoid dad. Its still happening Andy but its worse for me now,” the 1995 letter stated. “I never know when its going to happen and its driving me crazy. Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.”
José’s niece Anamaria Baralt urged folks to see Erik and Lyle as victims too.
“Lyle and Eric would continue to be victimized. They would be victims of a system that wouldn’t hear them, and they would be victims of a culture that was not ready to listen,” she expressed at the news conference. “They would be mocked. They would be called cold blooded killers, left to rot in jail and denied any hope of redemption.”
This case makes you think, doesn’t it? It’s not just black and white. There’s a whole lot of gray, and it’s heartbreaking to consider what these brothers might have gone through. As pop culture fans, we often see sensationalized versions of true crime stories. But this one? It’s a stark reminder that real people, real pain, and real trauma lie behind the headlines.
Embed from Getty Images“It’s time to see the unfairness they’ve faced and give them the fresh start they deserve,” she pointed out. “I’m here asking the DA’s office to look at the whole picture, the truth that was hidden for so long. Lyle and Eric should have a chance to heal, and our family should have a chance to heal with them.”
The brothers shared their side of the story in Netflix’s The Menendez Brothers documentary about the 1989 killing of their parents. Erik explained why he felt they couldn’t just leave their family’s home.
“Why I didn’t run away was a big part of the trial, with the DA always saying, ‘Well you had the chance to leave,'” the 53-year-old said in the documentary. “I was raised to believe I could never get away. The idea was beaten into me—programmed into my brain that I could never escape.”
Even though their relationship with their parents was tough and painful, Erik also talked about the regrets he’s had since the crime.
Embed from Getty Images“Some people think I didn’t love my father or mother,” Erik shared. “That’s not true at all. I miss my mom so much. I wish I could go back and talk to her, hug her and tell her I love her. I wanted her to love me and be happy with me, happy that I was her son. I just want to feel that connection and joy.”
Lyle, 56, and Erik—both in Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego—have stuck together through it all, even when facing hard memories. Years after the first trial, Erik talked about how he felt when his brother said sorry for molesting him as a kid after their dad had raped him from ages 6 to 8.
“That hit me hard,” he said in the documentary. “He’d never apologized to me before.”
This story really makes you think, doesn’t it? As pop culture fans, we often see these true crime stories from a distance. But hearing the brothers’ words reminds us there’s real pain behind the headlines. It’s not just about guilt or innocence—it’s about understanding trauma and its effects.
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