“Why didn’t they just leave?” Only someone that has no knowledge of the dynamics of abusive relationships would ever imply that not saying anything sooner is indicative of any deception. In fact, the vast majority of victims and especially male victims, take decades to ever say anything. We now know better than to ask a woman why she didn’t leave her abusive partner. What do you think it does to your brain to be so terrorised by your own parents? The same parents that kept photos of the 6-8 year old boys, which are taken from the neck down and focused on their genitalia. The same parents that all of the brothers teachers and coaches testified to as being very verbally abusive and physically intimidating. Respected psychologists that have dedicated their entire lives to the study of trauma and abuse,that analysed them at lengths, testified and all unanimously said that they believe the brothers were indeed abused and suffered from many traumas and conditions as a result. To be clear, the crime they committed was horrible and it was tragic that they were so terrorised that they could only see a way out by m*rdering their own parents. However for those that saw the court tapes and have seen the testimonies and evidence, there is no doubt of the torture these men went through as young children. By the hands of a man with power and money and influence and respect, that convinced them that they would d*e should they ever tell anyone. If you have not watched the court videos, please know that you cannot possibly have an accurate understanding if the case. Stop allowing the media to tell you what the facts are and what to think.
@@toothlessseer3153 It seems very clear to me that you never suffered any form of trauma and you lucky that you never did... otherwise you wouldn't made this comment
@@toothlessseer3153 You think you did something there, don't you? You have no argument, it's ridiculous. It all comes back to what the original commenter said: trauma. Even the weakest being on earth has a desire to live and will defend themselves from what they consider an imminent attack even if they were to die in the process. End of the story. You are not the perfect creature you think you are.
My childhood was so traumatic...they told me a must have swallowed a watermelon seed. My tummy grew so big and I was afraid. After I gave birth, they gave me a stupid doll to love. I can remember crying for my real baby. My mom died of breast cancer in 1986 and my dad died from a heatattack shortly after. I have to live with this every damn day and I'm 65 now. I won't forgive them. I'm glad Lyle and Erik are getting out of prison.
I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I understand you cannot erase certain things that happened. I pray you have peace for the rest of your life🙏🕊️
It is sad and amazing we are in 2024 and there are still so many people who do not understand the effects of abuse and trauma on the brain especially in children, and have no empathy for survivors of abuse. But it is encouraging to know that there are many who do. Free them.
It's the dispatcher on the 911 call that gets me. "What's the problem...what's the problem?!" And when Lyle says that someone had killed his parents, she said "What? Who?" What a complete tube! 😂🤦♀️
Why is this uncle getting any time? Who cares what one person who was never there thinks when there are dozens of close relatives that did see all the signs? Stop giving that guy airtime
@@vangielacap9978 well the guy is like 100 now. Not sure if money is still his MO but what does it matter either way? Kittys family, particularly her father (and also his dad) was reportedly very unstable. kitty and her brother are clear products of it
It's actually very clear why the mother was killed too. She abused them too, she facilitated the abuse by the father and she kept a gun in her bag saying she couldn't wait to use it. Lyle didn't testify in the second trial because he felt it made no sense anymore because their whole defense was not being allowed.
@@angelinarosaria Erik literally testified that after he found out his mother had known all this time that he had been molested by his father and did nothing to stop it, he didn't know who she was anymore. His father and his mother became one and the same person. It was a shock to him. It's one of the biggest betrayals a mother can do, not protecting her own children from serious harm. However, from the testimonies it's clear that Lyle was the one who had a bigger bone to pick with Kitty than Erik.
Exactly, he did not feel heard. Its exhausting to re-explain yourself again and again, its re-traumatizing, especially when you tell the story to strangers, cold people that maybe never experienced parental abuse so will never really resonate.
Lyle Menendez - "People ask why we killed our parents, maybe people now will understand the truth." Huh? Understand the truth, that it's ok to "off" your parents because of torment and abuse? Did I miss something? Were they held captive and their lives were at risk? Last time I checked, a jury convicted both and they were sentenced to life in prison. That decision is in question now because times have changed? Were their lives in eminent danger? Did they have choices other than executing their parents, like fleeing? They had the financial resources and plenty of opportunities. Family stated recently about certain instances, questionable behavior back then by their father. Some were aware.. Where was their concern years ago when all that took place? Why didn't they step in and help back then? The abuse is confirmed because of the "letter". So it's confirmed. What does that have to do with the brutal execution of their parents? It justifies the crime? Calling the police, fleeing, and escaping (their actions) would be justified, not the horrific crimes, their behavior before and after the fact that are not justified. A jury has spoken 30+ years ago. Now "new evidence", a documentary, and an election is bringing this case to light again? Family news conference to support freeing their relatives? Why all this now? Sounds suspicious to me. The brothers should stay in prison, and serve out their sentences for the execution style murders they committed. Doesn't matter when it was, 20, 30, 40 years ago. Time doesn't change the facts.. Murder is murder.
Yeah, especially all the gruesome details that sound like they are straight out of a horror movie. They did not have any access to the internet or similar, so they couldn't even have gotten it "from somewhere else". You have to experience that stuff in order to describe it that vividly.
They have served their time, in fact 20 years too long, they have been model prisoners and have bettered themselves whilst in prison. Free them so they can live the remainder of their lives with dignity.
Interesting that this segment uses a majority of statements and clips from the prosecutions side. Clearly biased. How about including some clips from when Leslie presents the photos of the boys that the mother kept in an envelope on which she had written “Erik’s 6th birthday” and which contained neck down nude photos of both boys, that had a focus on their genitalia. Or a clip from when the cousin Diane testifies about an 8 year old Lyle that wanted to sleep in her room because he was scared of his dad coming in and touching him. And how Diane told the mother, who angrily dragged Lyle upstairs and never said anything about it. Or a clip from when the brothers’ teacher and neighbour testified that Jose once showed her and other guests a movie in which the first scene has a child being r*ped, and that Jose found it funny? Show testimonies from the experts talking about this. They all evaluated the boys at length and all say the brothers were telling the truth The brothers testimony is compelling indeed but if you’re going to use so many clips of the prosecutions arguments, do the same for the defence!
Brilliantly said. Thank u! God bless all the attorneys that fought so hard for these men. To fight so hard for what’s right, for what u know in your heart is true, and then to be crushed and defeated by politics and corruption. Those boys needed u and u showed up! Something no one ever did for them in their entire lives!
Time marches on, so much has changed about the justice system. Thank God for that. Free those men. They had PTSD. They wouldn't be convicted these days.
Their father did beat the rabbit to death and he risk their lifes so often while the abuse, of course he would try to kill them at the end. The most dangerous time of all victims of abuse is when the try to leave ...every Expert Therrapist know this. and warn the victims to leave the abusers while he is not knowing.
@@flipdiva0007 "maybe you should experience what happened to them so you know exactly what you're talking about instead of judging." maybe you should experience what happened to their parents so you know exactly what you're talking about instead of judging.
Can you imagine the boys going to the Beverly Hills police and reporting their parents. The BH police would have never believed them. Worse yet, trying to file a restraining order against their parents? That never works and the Father would have killed them both because it would have ruined his career 🎉
Judge Stanley Weisberg seems to have a lot to answer for. It is interesting that both juries in the first trial followed the same pattern. It was revealed that the men did not like Leslie Abrahmson - it is the judges job to ensure there is no bias in the jury, and the jury needs to make their decision solely based on the evidence. If a juror explained the reason for the men’s decision to Leslie, surely Judge Weisberg was informed, or he should have picked up the bias himself. An inquiry is needed.
Yeah, Stanley Weisberg needs to be investigated, his actions back then were more than suspicious, bordering on corruption. He literally rigged the 2nd trial in order to get a conviction. That's a legal scandal.
The main thing to me that went wrong is how these brothers were portrayed by not only the media but by the court. Just because they were wealthy, and lived in Beverly Hills they painted them as two spoiled brats that killed their parents for inheritance when behind closed doors it was the complete opposite. And they were seen that way because they spent $700,000 after the murder, but thats what victims do. Some of them cope and use spending as a way to escape and take back control of their lives. It was their way of being free from their parents. There was a hung jury because back then it was split between genders and the women said the Menendez brothers were telling the truth about their molestation while the men believed it couldnt be possible for a male to be raped so they naively claimed the brothers motive was to kill their parents for money. They also weren't allowed to show Erik's letter about his rape to his cousin Andy who has now been dead for 20 years due to suicide. Plus the member from the boyband Menudo that exposed their father for drugging and raping him, never got to testify. I'm willing to believe he chose not to because he didnt want to relive the trauma so I digress. All in all, with the new found evidence that has been shown as of late, these two should get the proper resentencing they deserve. People dont understand the psyche of what it does to victims of molestation as a child. José did more than just rape his sons, he verbally abused them to a point where they felt trapped. He wouldnt let them leave too far from where they lived such as college because he wanted them to continue serving him. Erik would lie to his friends about how he got a black eye and broken/sprang arm he had. Lyle spoke up to a few of his cousins about it so they confronted his mother, Kitty and yet she still did nothing. People judge these brothers for what they did and claim they had a childhood just as bad as them but chose not to kill their abuser but everyone has their breaking point. José was very powerful. He knew local cops, and everyone in his circle were also pedophiles. There was a sex ring the Jackson 5 went through to get where they got as well but yall arent ready for that can of worms either. Look at Sean P.Diddy Combs; he's been raping little boys since the 90s. This is nothing new. The brothers killed their father because they felt like there was no other alternative. He could reach those boys without even touching them. He was wealthy and powerful. You know how many people P. Diddy silenced with money and ordering out hits?!?!?! Let them go. Its time.
Where does your information regarding the Jackson 5 come from ? Genuinely curious, I wanna know more about it because that's the first time I'm hearing about this.
The persecutor lady made me physically sick in the trial with her bully questioning trying to twist everything into her vile accusations which had NO foundation and were disproven. That should have never been allowed. It should be about objective truth, not who sells their gossip the best via manipulation.
What went wrong with the second trial is relevant testimonies werent allowed to be heard. They were not just victims of SA ,but of physical and emotional brutality. What sane person chops the head off the pet dog and puts it in the fridge for the kids to find?! Who whips them with belts heard by family members. The one family member who doesnt believe them disbelieves his own sons evidence that he saw and heard abuse. These days we understand how complex trauma affects the developing brains of children and how it continues into adulthood. The prosecutor in the first trial even said she could only find one person one to say a single thing positive about jose. These were young men who were triggered into acting in self defense. Judge weisberg who changed all the rulings from the first trial to ensure a win in the second trial and the prosecution in both cases should be absolutely disgusted and ashamed !
“How then is it self-defense?” Imperfect self-defense is a legal concept used in some jurisdictions. It occurs when a person kills another person under the genuine belief that they are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, but this belief is unreasonable. Unlike perfect self-defense, which can lead to a complete acquittal, imperfect self-defense does not fully exonerate the defendant but can reduce the severity of the charge, often from murder to manslaughter.
The way how the parents were over killed, they obviously did something to Lyle and Erik. There was so much underlying hatred for the parents. I believe Erik was horrifically sexually abused. However, I do not believe their lives were at a risk. I personally would have, as a jury, convicted them on a manslaughter. The father was evil and the mother was useless because she didn’t want to compromise her status, lifestyle. She obviously “checked out” to cope with her nightmare in a seemingly glamorous home.
Oh I remember Leslie Abramson. What an incredible person she is. She should be awarded something Just for a good person, she was, and how good lawyer she was too. She gave it her all! As far as I concerned, Leslie won and she deserves national recognition. Love to Leslie Abrahamson ❤
“Would we apply the same value to a lower profile case?” Well, first of all, a low profile case would have been acquitted based on the evidence of the first case. The fact that this is a high profile case is the whole reason the first case resulted in a hung jury. A “lower profile “case would not have been taken this far. By the time the second case was tried,the other 2 high profile cases were acquitted of their charges. Those being the OJ Simpson case and the Rodney King Jr. case. It was the timing of when the second case went to trial. Because the LA DA’s office got bad media reports from the acquittals of the previous 2 high profile cases. It was ONLY because the DA and Judge of LA county colluded and decided that they were not going to let another high profile case get an acquittal. Therefore it was all or nothing and the jury could only choose first degree murder which carried death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. There was no lesser charge of manslaughter. So of course the jury was not going to choose “not guilty “ because they had admitted that they had killed their parents. Personally, I think they should have taken a plea deal on the second trial. But the Menendez brothers deserve to be free!! It was imperfect self-defense and society now society is more acceptable to the fact that men can be raped! No to mention that there is a new California Law that states that anyone age 26 or under cannot get a sentence higher than 50 years and will be eligible for parole after 25.
They will still be prisoners mentally & emotionally. They will need lots of support if there are freed. Lyle tried to protect his brother you can see it in his face all the trauma. Erik being the younger brother you can see the trauma & he is very child like. Poor guy has to put lemon on his food still to forget. They deserve to be set free now & protected.
That brother of Kitty who is against them being released is SICK!!! He said oh they were mad because he was taking them out of the will. Sir, why would a father take his sons out of his will????? Why? Because Jose was afraid they were getting ready to talk and tell. They were young adults and he was throwing them away after having used them up for years.
Please if you haven't been through something like that keep quiet i knew what they went through i was there it happened to me and i have still nightmares and it happened 35 years ago
What’s different about now and then is that we realize that as an 18 and 21 year old who have been abused for 12 years.. those things make a difference as to state of mind and what punishment fits the crime. I’m not saying they should pay no consequence, but 35 of the most meaningful years of their lives locked away is justice considering their circumstances. It’s not a get out of jail free card, but it means times up on the penalty , because they deserve a punishment, but now they’ve paid and rehabilitated, other things do come into play like that they were abused and what the state of mind was. Could’ve even been insanity honestly.
Actually it was 12 years of molestion to Eric. The other abuse started a lot younger. There were photos of the father making his 2 year old hang on a bar at a gym. He was trying to make them strong and shape them in his image. They didn't even properly care for the brothers early on. These brothers are lucky neither one of them died from negligence. Feeding and clothing your kids isn't enough for a toddler needs supervision. Jose's sister testified they put them in dangerous situations regularly as toddlers.
Most people don't have an experiential or theoretical understanding of the character style possessed by Jose. If you threaten that type of person in a way that will devastate their self-concept, that person will come at you with every last breath in their lungs. They don't live in reality, they exist in a sadistic, delusional fantasy that keeps them away from total psychosis, hence why they're so invested in it. Lyle's threat was the biggest mistake made; it clenched their fate. Adolf and Eva were absolutely going to get rid of those two boys.
“We are reviewing the new information and we don’t know if the incidents took place” New information?!!! The information has always been there, but the idiot judge threw out all testimony of sexual abuse stating “It’s not like they are women “, insinuating that me aren’t sexually abused and they like all forms of sex.” Ok, idiots! Just look at the Court TV footage of the Menendez brother’s trial from 35 years ago and you will agree that they indeed were sexually molested and had/have a strong case for imperfect self-defense. Watch their testimonies from the first trial where they talk about countless times they were not only sexually abused and molested, but also verbally and physically abused. Watch as they break down on the stand to the point where it’s hard for them to speak through all of the crying and tears. The only reason these brothers got a full first degree murder charge and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of a lesser sentence of involuntary manslaughter was due to the fact that just weeks before this trial, OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder. Just prior to that, the 3 cops who were acquitted of assault and battery in the Rodney King Jr. case. The DA’s office decided that they couldn’t acquit anyone for murder again right after all of the negative media coverage of the LADA department from the previous 2 high profile cases. Therefore, the DA and the judge colluded on the case and the jury could only choose between 1st degree murder or not guilty. It was either full punishment or no punishment. Therefore they chose 1st degree murder.
God bless their Aunt for coming forward. I hope they get released. I don’t think they truly care. They’ve been happier in Prison than they ever were before. Sad that if they do get released it’ll be during the Trump Presidency. That’s going to be a nightmare for all of us.
They had a horrible upbringing with both parents emotionally and physically abusing them. Their father especially abused them horribly. He abused his wife Kitty and was having an affair. Kitty was an alcoholic and emotionally and even physically abused her sons. They could not tell their family because if it got back to their parents, it would be much worse for them. The father was a CEO and RCA executive. He had connections on his side including local police. So the sons did not feel they could go to the local police. Their parents were supposed to love and protect and care about them. But instead they were abused in multiple ways. It is time to set them free and let them get on with their lives and be happy in their marriages and not be held behind bars any longer.
Thank you for calling out on that juror. He just doesn't seem to understand that he can weigh in on the verdict knowing now how limited they were with what was allowed to be presented by the defendants. Sadly he's too proud and can not seem to accept that the second trail was more in favour of a 1st degree murder outcome. Maybe he's just can't accept that fact that they were wrong with their verdict.
If these boys are made to endure yet another trial , it proves our justice system is corrupt. Go spend your money prosecuting somebody who actually deserves it. God bless Lyle and Eric…. And God help those who refuse to understand the abuse they went through.
I hope this judge is still alive and will read my comment..... To the judge and prosecutor: Y'all are incapable of empathy, you have a different idea of justice than I do... You are the worst of the worst... These brothers did not receive a fair trial, under you and the prosecutor.... Karma will win..... The brothers knew they did wrong, they should've gotten man slaughter., it was proven over and over that Kitty and Jose were terrible abusers, and SA, .... If they had lived, and I know that the brothers did not know this,.. and charges brought against them, Kitty and Jose would be facing life without parole...
They threatened these boys from a young age.... They were sick (Jose and Kitty)... Abuse doesn't come to light until it's too late... Fear, embarrassment, and no support by your so called protectors... Stop it from being known to others...
I was here in Los Angeles at the time. The law and the public thought they had every advantage and were guilty. Lately, the social media hucksters are simply rewriting history.
I Wonder if kitty's Brother knows if kitty was a part of it?also does he know that his Brother in law R#### Roy from - Menudo Band ,does he know that Or is he in deep denial 🤔 The Brothers Should've bn Freed Many yrs ago---- FREE THE BROTHERS AT ONCE!!!!
He’s in denial. And unfortunately he will never change his mind. Milton is just one brother…their other brother Brian didn’t believe it either. Unfortunately he passed away. The only one of Kitty’s siblings in auntie Joan. This tragedy has separated, torn, and divided everyone apart.
@@fefejones81apparently this old man abused his kids and wife. He enjoyesd the inheritance of his sister. That time he was told that he wont get the will unless the brothers found guilty
@@vangielacap9978 Joan said that the Andersen family were ALLL interested in money. Kitty, before she met Jose was told by her parents that she better marry for money. Jose was broke when he came to the USA but the Menendez family were very wealthy and smart people in Cuba until the Castro takeover - they lost everything. I can tell the menendez family is very smart bc AnnaMaria; Jose’s niece when she was giving her speech gave it with eloquence and intelligence. Erik and Lyle are very smart - they just unfortunately dealt with severe PTSD that set them back.
When you didn't allow ALL EVIDENCE, them how can it be a fair trial??!!., I wish to God, that there was UA-cam back then... The brothers would've never suffered this awful fate , they did wrong., but so did the courts, prosecutor, and their parents.... And Kitty and Jose would be facing the death penalty if they were in Florida for their role in the abuse.. . Facts
If they weren’t railroaded and screwed over in the 2nd trail why was their only 2 options for the jury guilty or walk free and not man slaughter. This guy is a joke talking towards the end
You mean the juror who literally had nothing of value to add and told us all of how a jury system works? (I’m being sarcastic) I totally agree with you saying he is a joke, it was such a waste of time and kind of scary a man like that is on a jury.
The second trial was a legal scandal, something like that should have never been allowed to happen. You can't just exclude significant evidence from being presented to the jury. That's turning the whole justice system ad absurdum.
Murder is punishable…. it’s against the law …they used a shot gun . Not one time multiple and reloaded after the first shot you are no longer defending yourself..it’s murder
There was NOT a new judge for the second trial. Stanley Weisberg was the judge for both trials. He was largely biased in favor of the prosecution, which is why the second trial went the way it did.
Erik and Lyle have been prisoners from the moment they were born! Praying for their Freedom 🙏 #freethemenendezbrothers
Yes!!
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🙏🙏
“Why didn’t they just leave?”
Only someone that has no knowledge of the dynamics of abusive relationships would ever imply that not saying anything sooner is indicative of any deception. In fact, the vast majority of victims and especially male victims, take decades to ever say anything.
We now know better than to ask a woman why she didn’t leave her abusive partner. What do you think it does to your brain to be so terrorised by your own parents? The same parents that kept photos of the 6-8 year old boys, which are taken from the neck down and focused on their genitalia. The same parents that all of the brothers teachers and coaches testified to as being very verbally abusive and physically intimidating.
Respected psychologists that have dedicated their entire lives to the study of trauma and abuse,that analysed them at lengths, testified and all unanimously said that they believe the brothers were indeed abused and suffered from many traumas and conditions as a result.
To be clear, the crime they committed was horrible and it was tragic that they were so terrorised that they could only see a way out by m*rdering their own parents. However for those that saw the court tapes and have seen the testimonies and evidence, there is no doubt of the torture these men went through as young children. By the hands of a man with power and money and influence and respect, that convinced them that they would d*e should they ever tell anyone.
If you have not watched the court videos, please know that you cannot possibly have an accurate understanding if the case. Stop allowing the media to tell you what the facts are and what to think.
They were 'too weak to leave'
But 'strong enough' to buy shotguns days before and murder their parents when watching TV?
@@toothlessseer3153 It seems very clear to me that you never suffered any form of trauma and you lucky that you never did... otherwise you wouldn't made this comment
@@toothlessseer3153 A lifetime sentence was too harsh.
@@toothlessseer3153 You think you did something there, don't you? You have no argument, it's ridiculous. It all comes back to what the original commenter said: trauma. Even the weakest being on earth has a desire to live and will defend themselves from what they consider an imminent attack even if they were to die in the process. End of the story.
You are not the perfect creature you think you are.
There dad was big in the music industry .
My childhood was so traumatic...they told me a must have swallowed a watermelon seed. My tummy grew so big and I was afraid. After I gave birth, they gave me a stupid doll to love. I can remember crying for my real baby. My mom died of breast cancer in 1986 and my dad died from a heatattack shortly after. I have to live with this every damn day and I'm 65 now. I won't forgive them. I'm glad Lyle and Erik are getting out of prison.
Im sorry to know that. I will pray that u find the peace you need
😢😱😭🙏🏼
Bless you 💕
Wow, so sorry!
I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I understand you cannot erase certain things that happened. I pray you have peace for the rest of your life🙏🕊️
I wish today’s society will not fail them for a second times 💔
It is sad and amazing we are in 2024 and there are still so many people who do not understand the effects of abuse and trauma on the brain especially in children, and have no empathy for survivors of abuse. But it is encouraging to know that there are many who do. Free them.
Yeah, seems like humanity is progessing at a snail's speed emotionally, but at least it's progressing.
So sad the world is so unfair...
Free them. The never had a fair trial.
They were victims who killed their abusers. They have suffered enough , set them free ! 🙏🙏
Leslie was the Best, God Bless her for trying So Hard...Too Bad the Courts were Too Incompetent Back then....FREE THE BROTHERS!!!!
Praying for their freedom.
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It's the dispatcher on the 911 call that gets me. "What's the problem...what's the problem?!" And when Lyle says that someone had killed his parents, she said "What? Who?" What a complete tube! 😂🤦♀️
Justice, Freedom and prayers!!!
Set them free!!!!!
i believe them and set them free
Me too! 😢🙁
Why is this uncle getting any time? Who cares what one person who was never there thinks when there are dozens of close relatives that did see all the signs? Stop giving that guy airtime
He was the one was told that he wont get the inheritance unless the brothers were guilty.
@@vangielacap9978 well the guy is like 100 now. Not sure if money is still his MO but what does it matter either way? Kittys family, particularly her father (and also his dad) was reportedly very unstable. kitty and her brother are clear products of it
Corrupt judge and DA
Why no one talks about that ??!! Media ignore the judge corruption within this case !
It's actually very clear why the mother was killed too. She abused them too, she facilitated the abuse by the father and she kept a gun in her bag saying she couldn't wait to use it.
Lyle didn't testify in the second trial because he felt it made no sense anymore because their whole defense was not being allowed.
No it was because she would be a witness. Eric never got molested by her so why shoot her with a heavy shotgun, just because she is mean?
According to a couple of murderers / proven liars. No real evidence was ever presented to corroborate their self serving assertions.
@@angelinarosaria Erik literally testified that after he found out his mother had known all this time that he had been molested by his father and did nothing to stop it, he didn't know who she was anymore. His father and his mother became one and the same person. It was a shock to him. It's one of the biggest betrayals a mother can do, not protecting her own children from serious harm. However, from the testimonies it's clear that Lyle was the one who had a bigger bone to pick with Kitty than Erik.
@@angelinarosariayou obviously haven't been seriously abused. Count your blessings you have no idea what it entails.
Exactly, he did not feel heard. Its exhausting to re-explain yourself again and again, its re-traumatizing, especially when you tell the story to strangers, cold people that maybe never experienced parental abuse so will never really resonate.
Justice for the Menendez Brothers.
The judge that presided should be investigated.
Read the other comments on this page......I agree with you but sadly many people still hate them.
Judge can only do what the jury says. He could have overrode the decision, but that would upset the system.
Is the jury from the first trial still even alive
Lyle Menendez - "People ask why we killed our parents, maybe people now will understand the truth."
Huh?
Understand the truth, that it's ok to "off" your parents because of torment and abuse? Did I miss something? Were they held captive and their lives were at risk?
Last time I checked, a jury convicted both and they were sentenced to life in prison. That decision is in question now because times have changed?
Were their lives in eminent danger? Did they have choices other than executing their parents, like fleeing? They had the financial resources and plenty of opportunities.
Family stated recently about certain instances, questionable behavior back then by their father. Some were aware..
Where was their concern years ago when all that took place? Why didn't they step in and help back then?
The abuse is confirmed because of the "letter".
So it's confirmed.
What does that have to do with the brutal execution of their parents? It justifies the crime?
Calling the police, fleeing, and escaping (their actions) would be justified, not the horrific crimes, their behavior before and after the fact that are not justified.
A jury has spoken 30+ years ago.
Now "new evidence", a documentary, and an election is bringing this case to light again?
Family news conference to support freeing their relatives? Why all this now?
Sounds suspicious to me.
The brothers should stay in prison, and serve out their sentences for the execution style murders they committed. Doesn't matter when it was, 20, 30, 40 years ago.
Time doesn't change the facts.. Murder is murder.
@@megandavis9062 It was the 90's.... did you think this happened in the 50s? Hahaha
Injustice has been enough. To believe they invented everything is out of mind.
Read the comment below.....sadly so many people still think these men are guilty.
@@karenmbbaxterthey murdered their parents, but that was because they didn't have any solution to be freed from their parents.
Yeah, especially all the gruesome details that sound like they are straight out of a horror movie. They did not have any access to the internet or similar, so they couldn't even have gotten it "from somewhere else". You have to experience that stuff in order to describe it that vividly.
@@A.M-b8t agree, i've believed them since before
They have served their time, in fact 20 years too long, they have been model prisoners and have bettered themselves whilst in prison. Free them so they can live the remainder of their lives with dignity.
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Please set them free!!!! GOD BLESS THEM 🙌
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Let them go already. Praying for their much needed release 🙏
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Free the brothers. I believe them. Its been long enough.
Interesting that this segment uses a majority of statements and clips from the prosecutions side. Clearly biased.
How about including some clips from when Leslie presents the photos of the boys that the mother kept in an envelope on which she had written “Erik’s 6th birthday” and which contained neck down nude photos of both boys, that had a focus on their genitalia.
Or a clip from when the cousin Diane testifies about an 8 year old Lyle that wanted to sleep in her room because he was scared of his dad coming in and touching him. And how Diane told the mother, who angrily dragged Lyle upstairs and never said anything about it.
Or a clip from when the brothers’ teacher and neighbour testified that Jose once showed her and other guests a movie in which the first scene has a child being r*ped, and that Jose found it funny?
Show testimonies from the experts talking about this. They all evaluated the boys at length and all say the brothers were telling the truth
The brothers testimony is compelling indeed but if you’re going to use so many clips of the prosecutions arguments, do the same for the defence!
Exactly! Why does that never happen? Why is media not covering it accurately?
Brilliantly said. Thank u! God bless all the attorneys that fought so hard for these men. To fight so hard for what’s right, for what u know in your heart is true, and then to be crushed and defeated by politics and corruption. Those boys needed u and u showed up! Something no one ever did for them in their entire lives!
The mother was an abuser too and accomplice.
Milton Anderson wasn’t there. How dare he defend these horrible parents!
Maybe he is same like Kitty
Someone said he may have been dependent on Jose for money. When they killed Jose the money went away. So he is bitter
@@veec5588 good answer, that also can be true
@@HxH_h34szApparently he abused his wife and kids. You know what they say about birds of a feather.
@@Muirmaidenreally?!
That lone uncle who doesn’t believe them is also an abuser. The family cut him off for a reason.
Let the brothers go 🙏
Time marches on, so much has changed about the justice system. Thank God for that. Free those men. They had PTSD. They wouldn't be convicted these days.
Lies
Their father did beat the rabbit to death and he risk their lifes so often while the abuse, of course he would try to kill them at the end. The most dangerous time of all victims of abuse is when the try to leave ...every Expert Therrapist know this. and warn the victims to leave the abusers while he is not knowing.
"Their father did beat the rabbit to death"
Yup that make him guilty
*OF KILLING A RABBIT*
@@toothlessseer3153maybe you should experience what happened to them so you know exactly what you're talking about instead of judging.
@@flipdiva0007 "maybe you should experience what happened to them so you know exactly what you're talking about instead of judging."
maybe you should experience what happened to their parents so you know exactly what you're talking about instead of judging.
Set them free !!! #freeMenendezbrothers
I am rooting for both of them to have finally have peace and freedom. ❤
🙏🙏
Can you imagine the boys going to the Beverly Hills police and reporting their parents. The BH police would have never believed them.
Worse yet, trying to file a restraining order against their parents? That never works and the Father would have killed them both because it would have ruined his career 🎉
Judge Stanley Weisberg seems to have a lot to answer for. It is interesting that both juries in the first trial followed the same pattern. It was revealed that the men did not like Leslie Abrahmson - it is the judges job to ensure there is no bias in the jury, and the jury needs to make their decision solely based on the evidence. If a juror explained the reason for the men’s decision to Leslie, surely Judge Weisberg was informed, or he should have picked up the bias himself. An inquiry is needed.
Yeah, Stanley Weisberg needs to be investigated, his actions back then were more than suspicious, bordering on corruption. He literally rigged the 2nd trial in order to get a conviction. That's a legal scandal.
The main thing to me that went wrong is how these brothers were portrayed by not only the media but by the court. Just because they were wealthy, and lived in Beverly Hills they painted them as two spoiled brats that killed their parents for inheritance when behind closed doors it was the complete opposite. And they were seen that way because they spent $700,000 after the murder, but thats what victims do. Some of them cope and use spending as a way to escape and take back control of their lives. It was their way of being free from their parents.
There was a hung jury because back then it was split between genders and the women said the Menendez brothers were telling the truth about their molestation while the men believed it couldnt be possible for a male to be raped so they naively claimed the brothers motive was to kill their parents for money.
They also weren't allowed to show Erik's letter about his rape to his cousin Andy who has now been dead for 20 years due to suicide. Plus the member from the boyband Menudo that exposed their father for drugging and raping him, never got to testify. I'm willing to believe he chose not to because he didnt want to relive the trauma so I digress. All in all, with the new found evidence that has been shown as of late, these two should get the proper resentencing they deserve.
People dont understand the psyche of what it does to victims of molestation as a child. José did more than just rape his sons, he verbally abused them to a point where they felt trapped. He wouldnt let them leave too far from where they lived such as college because he wanted them to continue serving him. Erik would lie to his friends about how he got a black eye and broken/sprang arm he had. Lyle spoke up to a few of his cousins about it so they confronted his mother, Kitty and yet she still did nothing. People judge these brothers for what they did and claim they had a childhood just as bad as them but chose not to kill their abuser but everyone has their breaking point. José was very powerful. He knew local cops, and everyone in his circle were also pedophiles. There was a sex ring the Jackson 5 went through to get where they got as well but yall arent ready for that can of worms either. Look at Sean P.Diddy Combs; he's been raping little boys since the 90s. This is nothing new. The brothers killed their father because they felt like there was no other alternative. He could reach those boys without even touching them. He was wealthy and powerful. You know how many people P. Diddy silenced with money and ordering out hits?!?!?!
Let them go. Its time.
Where does your information regarding the Jackson 5 come from ? Genuinely curious, I wanna know more about it because that's the first time I'm hearing about this.
Can anyone imagine a victim of abuse being cross-examined about said abuse in such a callous way today?
They have served enough time for what they did. What José and Kitty did was inexcusable.
The persecutor lady made me physically sick in the trial with her bully questioning trying to twist everything into her vile accusations which had NO foundation and were disproven. That should have never been allowed. It should be about objective truth, not who sells their gossip the best via manipulation.
What went wrong with the second trial is relevant testimonies werent allowed to be heard. They were not just victims of SA ,but of physical and emotional brutality. What sane person chops the head off the pet dog and puts it in the fridge for the kids to find?! Who whips them with belts heard by family members. The one family member who doesnt believe them disbelieves his own sons evidence that he saw and heard abuse. These days we understand how complex trauma affects the developing brains of children and how it continues into adulthood. The prosecutor in the first trial even said she could only find one person one to say a single thing positive about jose. These were young men who were triggered into acting in self defense. Judge weisberg who changed all the rulings from the first trial to ensure a win in the second trial and the prosecution in both cases should be absolutely disgusted and ashamed !
Why is there anyone now exposing the judge ???? He get away with a decision that is totally inadmissible !!!
I believe them!😢...They suffered a lot.Free Them 🙏
Free them now
Milton Should be making peace with God instead of going against his nephews. He doesnt have long
Apparently he also abused his wife and kids
None of us know how long we have
Free them!!!
People don’t like to be wrong
That judge should be in prison
“How then is it self-defense?” Imperfect self-defense is a legal concept used in some jurisdictions. It occurs when a person kills another person under the genuine belief that they are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, but this belief is unreasonable. Unlike perfect self-defense, which can lead to a complete acquittal, imperfect self-defense does not fully exonerate the defendant but can reduce the severity of the charge, often from murder to manslaughter.
The first time i hated the prosecutors….
These poor dudes never had a life! As kids, they lived molested. As adults, prison. Let them out so they can live free for once!
😢🙏🙏
Self defense because he believed his dad would kill him. He has a victim mentality. It makes sense as Jose's victim that he would think that way
The judge was the problem in thier trial and all of the evidence wasn't presented.
Free the brother's.
The way how the parents were over killed, they obviously did something to Lyle and Erik. There was so much underlying hatred for the parents. I believe Erik was horrifically sexually abused. However, I do not believe their lives were at a risk. I personally would have, as a jury, convicted them on a manslaughter. The father was evil and the mother was useless because she didn’t want to compromise her status, lifestyle. She obviously “checked out” to cope with her nightmare in a seemingly glamorous home.
Free them free the brothers 😢❤
Oh I remember Leslie Abramson. What an incredible person she is. She should be awarded something Just for a good person, she was, and how good lawyer she was too. She gave it her all! As far as I concerned, Leslie won and she deserves national recognition. Love to Leslie Abrahamson ❤
“Would we apply the same value to a lower profile case?” Well, first of all, a low profile case would have been acquitted based on the evidence of the first case. The fact that this is a high profile case is the whole reason the first case resulted in a hung jury. A “lower profile “case would not have been taken this far. By the time the second case was tried,the other 2 high profile cases were acquitted of their charges. Those being the OJ Simpson case and the Rodney King Jr. case. It was the timing of when the second case went to trial. Because the LA DA’s office got bad media reports from the acquittals of the previous 2 high profile cases. It was ONLY because the DA and Judge of LA county colluded and decided that they were not going to let another high profile case get an acquittal. Therefore it was all or nothing and the jury could only choose first degree murder which carried death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. There was no lesser charge of manslaughter. So of course the jury was not going to choose “not guilty “ because they had admitted that they had killed their parents. Personally, I think they should have taken a plea deal on the second trial.
But the Menendez brothers deserve to be free!! It was imperfect self-defense and society now society is more acceptable to the fact that men can be raped! No to mention that there is a new California Law that states that anyone age 26 or under cannot get a sentence higher than 50 years and will be eligible for parole after 25.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. That last question pissed me right off but i'm not so eloquent
They don’t need to be on there for life. They have done their time!!!!!
Trial court judges in California are elected periodically. They do not have lifetime appointments.
An illegal understandable murder. The parents drove them over the edge 😢
They will still be prisoners mentally & emotionally. They will need lots of support if there are freed. Lyle tried to protect his brother you can see it in his face all the trauma. Erik being the younger brother you can see the trauma & he is very child like. Poor guy has to put lemon on his food still to forget. They deserve to be set free now & protected.
END OF JAIL FOR MENENDEZ BROTHERS
The dad was unaware he was messing with the wrong kids 🤦🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
To be fair, he was pretty much pushing them into what they'd become with his "parenting".
The way I see it. Two sick parents raised 2 sick kids
@@MadScience-u5f Sounds about right
Free them
Kittys brother needs to be in prison
Why did they put that juror at the end on? It was so cringe, and if he didn’t want to give his opinion, he didn’t have to come on.
They suffered because of Oj , someone should be arrested for this , let them out
Mony not every thing
That brother of Kitty who is against them being released is SICK!!! He said oh they were mad because he was taking them out of the will. Sir, why would a father take his sons out of his will????? Why? Because Jose was afraid they were getting ready to talk and tell. They were young adults and he was throwing them away after having used them up for years.
Free Erik and Lyle🙏
🙏🙏
Second trial was so wrong,
Please if you haven't been through something like that keep quiet i knew what they went through i was there it happened to me and i have still nightmares and it happened 35 years ago
A lot was left out of first case.
Time to free them. They've served their time.
The judge was a stupid, biased, and unfair judge...ugh
What’s different about now and then is that we realize that as an 18 and 21 year old who have been abused for 12 years.. those things make a difference as to state of mind and what punishment fits the crime. I’m not saying they should pay no consequence, but 35 of the most meaningful years of their lives locked away is justice considering their circumstances. It’s not a get out of jail free card, but it means times up on the penalty , because they deserve a punishment, but now they’ve paid and rehabilitated, other things do come into play like that they were abused and what the state of mind was. Could’ve even been insanity honestly.
Actually it was 12 years of molestion to Eric.
The other abuse started a lot younger. There were photos of the father making his 2 year old hang on a bar at a gym. He was trying to make them strong and shape them in his image.
They didn't even properly care for the brothers early on. These brothers are lucky neither one of them died from negligence. Feeding and clothing your kids isn't enough for a toddler needs supervision. Jose's sister testified they put them in dangerous situations regularly as toddlers.
It was pointless to have had that juror he provided no answers
Most people don't have an experiential or theoretical understanding of the character style possessed by Jose. If you threaten that type of person in a way that will devastate their self-concept, that person will come at you with every last breath in their lungs. They don't live in reality, they exist in a sadistic, delusional fantasy that keeps them away from total psychosis, hence why they're so invested in it. Lyle's threat was the biggest mistake made; it clenched their fate. Adolf and Eva were absolutely going to get rid of those two boys.
The juror being interviewed was a waste of time. He wouldn’t answer any question.
Exactly!!! I don’t see why he came on if he didn’t want to add anything of value.
Kind of makes sense he was one of the guilty verdict. 🙄
“We are reviewing the new information and we don’t know if the incidents took place”
New information?!!! The information has always been there, but the idiot judge threw out all testimony of sexual abuse stating “It’s not like they are women “, insinuating that me aren’t sexually abused and they like all forms of sex.”
Ok, idiots! Just look at the Court TV footage of the Menendez brother’s trial from 35 years ago and you will agree that they indeed were sexually molested and had/have a strong case for imperfect self-defense. Watch their testimonies from the first trial where they talk about countless times they were not only sexually abused and molested, but also verbally and physically abused. Watch as they break down on the stand to the point where it’s hard for them to speak through all of the crying and tears. The only reason these brothers got a full first degree murder charge and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of a lesser sentence of involuntary manslaughter was due to the fact that just weeks before this trial, OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder. Just prior to that, the 3 cops who were acquitted of assault and battery in the Rodney King Jr. case. The DA’s office decided that they couldn’t acquit anyone for murder again right after all of the negative media coverage of the LADA department from the previous 2 high profile cases. Therefore, the DA and the judge colluded on the case and the jury could only choose between 1st degree murder or not guilty. It was either full punishment or no punishment. Therefore they chose 1st degree murder.
Anyone who defends the court system has no idea of how unjust the judicial system can be. Judges aren’t gods. They are human with their own biases.
Murder is Murder
God bless their Aunt for coming forward. I hope they get released. I don’t think they truly care. They’ve been happier in Prison than they ever were before. Sad that if they do get released it’ll be during the Trump Presidency. That’s going to be a nightmare for all of us.
They had a horrible upbringing with both parents emotionally and physically abusing them. Their father especially abused them horribly. He abused his wife Kitty and was having an affair. Kitty was an alcoholic and emotionally and even physically abused her sons. They could not tell their family because if it got back to their parents, it would be much worse for them. The father was a CEO and RCA executive. He had connections on his side including local police. So the sons did not feel they could go to the local police. Their parents were supposed to love and protect and care about them. But instead they were abused in multiple ways. It is time to set them free and let them get on with their lives and be happy in their marriages and not be held behind bars any longer.
Thank you for calling out on that juror. He just doesn't seem to understand that he can weigh in on the verdict knowing now how limited they were with what was allowed to be presented by the defendants. Sadly he's too proud and can not seem to accept that the second trail was more in favour of a 1st degree murder outcome. Maybe he's just can't accept that fact that they were wrong with their verdict.
Ego is one hell of a thing.
If these boys are made to endure yet another trial , it proves our justice system is corrupt. Go spend your money prosecuting somebody who actually deserves it. God bless Lyle and Eric…. And God help those who refuse to understand the abuse they went through.
They aren't boys and weren't boys when they murdered their parents. They were two young men still living off their family.
Pobrecitos .. estos hermanos 😢 Dios ayúdalos, a salir libres y sanar 🙏🙏
Free the Menedez brothers! 😢
I hope this judge is still alive and will read my comment.....
To the judge and prosecutor:
Y'all are incapable of empathy, you have a different idea of justice than I do... You are the worst of the worst... These brothers did not receive a fair trial, under you and the prosecutor.... Karma will win.....
The brothers knew they did wrong, they should've gotten man slaughter., it was proven over and over that Kitty and Jose were terrible abusers, and SA, .... If they had lived, and I know that the brothers did not know this,.. and charges brought against them, Kitty and Jose would be facing life without parole...
They threatened these boys from a young age.... They were sick (Jose and Kitty)... Abuse doesn't come to light until it's too late... Fear, embarrassment, and no support by your so called protectors... Stop it from being known to others...
Whether we like it or not the second trial wasnt fair at all in the eyes of the law and the majority of the public.
I was here in Los Angeles at the time. The law and the public thought they had every advantage and were guilty. Lately, the social media hucksters are simply rewriting history.
Cannot look at Pam
I’m here for Leslie ❤
I Wonder if kitty's Brother knows if kitty was a part of it?also does he know that his Brother in law R#### Roy from - Menudo Band ,does he know that Or is he in deep denial 🤔 The Brothers Should've bn Freed Many yrs ago---- FREE THE BROTHERS AT ONCE!!!!
He’s in denial. And unfortunately he will never change his mind. Milton is just one brother…their other brother Brian didn’t believe it either. Unfortunately he passed away. The only one of Kitty’s siblings in auntie Joan. This tragedy has separated, torn, and divided everyone apart.
Came to say THIS!
He's also an abuser.
@@fefejones81apparently this old man abused his kids and wife. He enjoyesd the inheritance of his sister. That time he was told that he wont get the will unless the brothers found guilty
@@vangielacap9978
Joan said that the Andersen family were ALLL interested in money. Kitty, before she met Jose was told by her parents that she better marry for money. Jose was broke when he came to the USA but the Menendez family were very wealthy and smart people in Cuba until the Castro takeover - they lost everything. I can tell the menendez family is very smart bc AnnaMaria; Jose’s niece when she was giving her speech gave it with eloquence and intelligence. Erik and Lyle are very smart - they just unfortunately dealt with severe PTSD that set them back.
When you didn't allow ALL EVIDENCE, them how can it be a fair trial??!!., I wish to God, that there was UA-cam back then... The brothers would've never suffered this awful fate , they did wrong., but so did the courts, prosecutor, and their parents.... And Kitty and Jose would be facing the death penalty if they were in Florida for their role in the abuse.. . Facts
MONSTERS: JOSE and KITTY MENENDEZ STORY.
They weren’t allowed to address the SA and it wasn’t a fair trial the second time around. Such BS!
IF HE WERE LYING HE WOULDNT BE EMBARRAES AND HES EMBARASED
Their father being so messed up causes their mother to get messes up too maybe.
If they weren’t railroaded and screwed over in the 2nd trail why was their only 2 options for the jury guilty or walk free and not man slaughter. This guy is a joke talking towards the end
You mean the juror who literally had nothing of value to add and told us all of how a jury system works? (I’m being sarcastic) I totally agree with you saying he is a joke, it was such a waste of time and kind of scary a man like that is on a jury.
The second trial was a legal scandal, something like that should have never been allowed to happen. You can't just exclude significant evidence from being presented to the jury. That's turning the whole justice system ad absurdum.
Very smart guys. They harm their mother too, not just their father. Because they wanted all that money for themselves.
Wow what an asshole you were to that juror. He was so gracious and completely shut you down. Shame on you for shaming him for doing his job.
💔
Murder is punishable…. it’s against the law …they used a shot gun . Not one time multiple and reloaded after the first shot you are no longer defending yourself..it’s murder
Free SPM! 🙏
There was NOT a new judge for the second trial. Stanley Weisberg was the judge for both trials. He was largely biased in favor of the prosecution, which is why the second trial went the way it did.
Word.