The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has announced a review of the Menéndez brothers' case, who have been imprisoned for over 35 years for the 1989 murder of their parents. The brothers, sons of an American woman and a Cuban executive, could see a significant change in their fate as new evidence comes to light.
District Attorney George Gascón is scheduled to reveal on November 29 whether the brothers will be released or if a new sentence is warranted. This case review stems from recent evidence that may benefit Lyle Menéndez (56) and Erik Menéndez (53), who are serving life sentences without parole.
The brothers' defense team has introduced evidence suggesting they were victims of sexual abuse by their father, the wealthy José Menéndez. This claim is bolstered by a 1988 letter from Erik to a cousin, detailing the alleged abuse and the pervasive fear they lived under.
"I've been trying to avoid Dad. It's still happening, Andy, but it's worse for me now. I can't explain it. He's so overweight that I can't stand to see him. I never know when it's going to happen, and it's driving me crazy," Erik wrote. "Every night I stay up thinking he's going to come in. I need to get this out of my mind," he continued in the letter.
Adding weight to the brothers' claims is the testimony of Roy Roselló, a former member of the band Menudo, who alleges that he was also sexually abused by José Menéndez during his tenure as vice president of RCA Records, the label that represented Menudo. This revelation supports the brothers' assertions about their father's abusive behavior towards them.
To date, the district attorney's office has not made a definitive judgment on the credibility of this evidence. However, DA Gascón emphasized their "moral and ethical obligation" to reassess the case, which could potentially lead to a revised sentence or a new trial.
"If this evidence had been available to the court and jury at the time of the trial, perhaps the outcome could have been different," the district attorney acknowledged.
The case has gained renewed attention in the United States, partly due to its dramatization in the Netflix series Monsters, starring Spanish actor Javier Bardem as José Menéndez. This portrayal has reignited public interest and prompted a legal review.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez, who were 21 and 18 years old respectively when they shot their parents, have never denied committing the crime. They claimed lifelong physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and feared their parents would kill them to prevent the disclosure of their father's abuses.
Prosecutors at the time argued there was no evidence of abuse and suggested the murders were motivated by a desire to inherit their parents' $13 million estate.
The brothers' legal team is appealing for the conviction to be overturned, arguing that societal perspectives on child sexual abuse have evolved.
"We believe a new sentence is the appropriate outcome. The brothers have served over 30 years in prison. That is enough," attorney Cliff Gardner told The Associated Press.