Joseph Lyle Menendez (born January 10, 1968) and Erik Galen Menendez (born November 27, 1970) are American brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise ("Kitty") Menéndez.
During the trial, the Menéndez brothers stated that they committed the murders in fear that their father would kill them after they threatened to expose him for years of
sexual
Sex is the biological distinction of an organism between male and female.
Sex or SEX may also refer to:
Biology and behaviour
*Animal sexual behaviour
**Copulation (zoology)
**Human sexual activity
**Non-penetrative sex, or sexual outercourse
** ...
,
emotional, and
physical abuse
Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of domestic violence or wo ...
, while the prosecution argued that they did it to
inherit their father's multimillion-dollar estate. They were first tried separately, with one jury for each brother. Both juries deadlocked, which resulted in a
mistrial
In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, ...
. For the second trial, they were tried together by a single jury, which found them guilty, and as a result, they were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Background
Lyle and Erik's father, José Enrique Menéndez, was born on May 6, 1944, in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. ,
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. At age 16, shortly after the start of the
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution ( es, Revolución Cubana) was carried out after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état which placed Fulgencio Batista as head of state and the failed mass strike in opposition that followed. After failing to contest Batista in co ...
, he moved to the United States. José attended
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois.
Board of trustees
The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of Tr ...
, where he met Mary Louise "Kitty" Andersen (1941–1989). They married in 1963 and moved to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, where José earned an accounting degree from
Queens College.
The couple's first son, Joseph Lyle Menéndez, who goes by his middle name, was born on January 10, 1968, in New York.
Kitty quit her teaching job after Lyle was born, and the family moved to
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, where Erik was born on November 27, 1970, in
Gloucester Township
Gloucester Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 64,634, reflecting an increase of ...
.
In New Jersey, the family lived in
Hopewell Township and both brothers attended
Princeton Day School.
[
In the summer of 1976, Lyle and Erik's cousin Vander Molen, would often stay at the Menendez house in the summer. Lyle told her about how he was being sexually abused by his father and what he did to them. After that Vander Molen told Kitty Menendez and she did not believe what Lyle said. Kitty then took Lyle upstairs and that was the last Vander Molen heard anything about it.
In 1986, José's career as a corporate executive (he had recently joined the company then known as ]International Video Entertainment
Artisan Entertainment (formerly known as U.S.A. Home Video, International Video Entertainment (IVE) and LIVE Entertainment) was an American film studio and home video company. It was considered one of the largest mini-major film studios until ...
) took the family to Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.[ The following year, Erik began attending ]Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School (usually abbreviated as Beverly or as BHHS) is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills, Moreno High School, is a small alternative school located on B ...
, where he earned average grades and displayed a remarkable talent for tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
, ranking 44th in the US for 18-and-under players. Lyle attended Princeton University from which he later was suspended for plagiarism. Before Lyle was suspended, he was on academic and disciplinary probation for poor grades.
Crimes
On the evening of August 20, 1989, José and Kitty were standing in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion when Lyle and Erik entered the den carrying shotguns. José was shot 6 times, including the fatal shot in the back of the head with a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. Kitty was shot 10 times in total. Before the fatal shot to her cheek, she was on the ground, slowly crawling and moaning. Lyle then ran to his car to reload, and then fired the fatal shot to her face.
Immediately after the killings, both brothers remained in the house, expecting police to respond due to the noise of the gunshots. When police did not arrive, the brothers picked up the shotgun shells from the ground and left the house to dispose of the guns and to build an alibi. The brothers returned to the house later that night and Lyle phoned the police, shouting, "Someone killed my parents!" When police arrived, the brothers told them that the killings had occurred while they were out at a movie theater seeing '' Batman'' and attending the "Taste of L.A." festival at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Police failed to seek gunshot residue tests from the brothers, tests that would have indicated whether either had recently discharged a firearm.
In the months after the killings, the brothers began to spend extravagantly on luxury items, businesses, and travel. Lyle bought a Chuck's Spring Street Cafe, a Buffalo wing
A Buffalo wing in American cuisine is an unbreaded chicken wing section ( flat or drumette) that is generally deep-fried and then coated or dipped in a sauce consisting of a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter prior to ser ...
restaurant in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...
, as well as a Rolex
Rolex SA () is a British-founded Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex'' as the brand name of ...
watch and a Porsche Carrera Carrera (''Spanish'' for "race" and "career") is a brand of Porsche automobile. The name commemorates the company's success in the Carrera Panamericana race.
The following vehicles have been called ''Carrera'':
* Porsche 356
* Porsche 904
* Por ...
. Erik hired a full-time tennis coach and competed in a series of tournaments in Israel. The brothers eventually left the Beverly Hills mansion unoccupied, choosing to live in adjoining condominiums in nearby Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey (Spanish language, Spanish for "Marina of the King") is an unincorporated area, unincorporated seaside community in Los Angeles County, California, with an eponymous harbor that is a major boating and water recreation destination ...
. They also dined expensively, and went on overseas trips to the Caribbean and London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. They collectively spent approximately $700,000 before their arrests. (Family members later disputed a connection between their spending and the murder of their parents, claiming that there were no changes in their spending habits after the killings.)
During the early stages of the investigation, police tried to narrow their search to suspects who had motives to kill José and Kitty. They also investigated potential mob
Mob or MOB may refer to:
Behavioral phenomena
* Crowd
* Smart mob, a temporary self-structuring social organization, coordinated through telecommunication
Crime and law enforcement
* American Mafia, also known as the Mob
* Irish Mob, a US crimin ...
leads. As their investigation continued, police began to suspect that the brothers were the most likely perpetrators because of the obvious financial motive and their exorbitant spending after the killings. In an attempt to get a confession from Erik, police arranged for his friend Craig Cignarelli to wear a wire
Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm
A wire is a flexible strand of metal.
Wire is c ...
during a lunch with Erik at a local beachfront restaurant, but when Cignarelli asked Erik whether he had killed his parents, Erik denied it. Erik eventually confessed to his psychologist Jerome Oziel, who then told his mistress, Judalon Smyth. Smyth later broke up with Oziel and told the police about the brothers' involvement. Lyle was arrested on March 8, 1990, and Erik turned himself in three days later after returning to Los Angeles from Israel. Both were held without bail and kept separate from each other.
In August 1990, Judge James Albrecht ruled that tapes of the conversations between Erik and Oziel were admissible evidence since Oziel stated that Lyle allegedly threatened him and violated doctor–patient privilege. Albrecht's ruling was appealed, after which the proceedings were delayed for two years. The Supreme Court of California ruled in August 1992 that most of the tapes were admissible with the exception of the tape on which Erik was recorded discussing the murders. After that decision, a Los Angeles County grand jury issued indictments in December 1992, charging the brothers with the murders of their parents.
Trials
The Menéndez case became a national sensation when Court TV broadcast the trial in 1993. Represented by their defense lawyer, Leslie Abramson, the brothers stated that they killed their parents out of fear for their lives after a lifetime of abuse at the hands of their parents, especially sexual abuse
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...
at the hands of their father, who was described as a cruel perfectionist and pedophile
Pedophilia ( alternatively spelt paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty a ...
. Meanwhile, their mother was described as an enabling, selfish, mentally unstable alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...
and drug addict
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use oft ...
who encouraged her husband's behavior and was also violent towards the brothers.
The allegations against the couple were supported by two family members during their testimonies. The brothers' cousin, Andy Cano, said that as a child, he was told by Erik about the sexual abuse, which they both described as "penis massages." Diane Vander Molen, another cousin of the brothers, stated that she once told Kitty about José's molestation
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...
of Lyle, although Kitty told her that it was false.
A photograph was presented as physical evidence by the defense, showing Lyle and Erik's genitalia allegedly taken by their father when they were children. The prosecution argued, however, that the killings were done for financial gain. The financial gain theory was disputed by the defense team claiming that the brothers did not think they were getting any inheritance. Lyle's prosecutor, Pam Bozanich, argued that "men could not be rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...
d because they lack the necessary equipment to be raped."
Erik testified that a couple weeks before the night of the killings, that he told his brother about the sexual abuse he was experiencing, which then led to several confrontations within the family. They also testified that their father threatened to kill them if they did not keep the abuse a secret. They claimed that the last confrontation happened inside the house den on August 20, 1989, a few minutes before Kitty and José were killed. The brothers then stated that their father closed the den's door at that time, which was unusual. Paranoid and afraid that they would be killed by their own parents, Lyle and Erik went outside of the house to load their shotguns. Erik stated, "As I went into the room, I just started firing."
The trial ended with two deadlocked juries, and as a result, Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti announced immediately that the brothers would be retried. The second trial was somewhat less publicized, in part because Judge Stanley Weisberg did not allow cameras in the courtroom. During the second trial, Weisberg, upholding a legal decision by the Supreme Court in an unrelated case, limited testimony about the sexual abuse claims and did not allow the jury to vote on manslaughter charges instead of murder charges.
Both brothers were eventually convicted on two counts of first-degree murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
and of conspiracy to commit murder
Conspiracy to murder is a statutory offence defined by the intent to commit murder.
England and Wales
The offence of conspiracy to murder was created in statutory law by section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and retained as ...
; in the penalty phase of the trial, they were sentenced to life in prison
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...
without the possibility of parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
. The jury said that the abuse defense was not a factor in its deliberations, but decided not to impose the death penalty because both brothers had no criminal record or history of violence prior to the killings. However, unlike the juries in the previous trials, the jury in the penalty phase rejected the defense's theory that the brothers killed their parents out of fear and believed that they committed the killings in order to inherit their father's wealth.
During the penalty phase of the trial, Abramson (the brothers' defense lawyer), apparently told a defense witness named William Vicary to edit his own notes, but the district attorney's office decided not to launch a criminal investigation on Abramson. Both brothers also filed motions for a mistrial, claiming that they suffered irreversible damage in the penalty phase as a result of possible misconduct and ineffective representation by Abramson. On July 2, 1996, Weisberg sentenced the brothers to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and also sentenced them to consecutive sentences for the killings and the charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Incarceration
As in their pretrial detention, the California Department of Corrections separated the brothers and sent them to different prisons. Since they were considered to be maximum-security Maximum security prisons and supermax prisons are grades of high security level used by prison systems in various countries, which pose a higher level of security" \n\n\nsecurity.txt is a proposed standard for websites' security information that is ...
inmates, they were segregated from other prisoners. They remained in separate prisons until February 2018, when Lyle was moved from Mule Creek State Prison
Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) is a California State Prison for men. It was opened in June 1987, and covers located in Ione, California. The prison has a staff of 1,242 and an annual operating budget of $157 million.
As of July 31, 2022, MCS ...
in northern California to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County
San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the f ...
; where they were housed in separate units. Erik also spent some time at Pleasant Valley Prison in Coalinga, California
Coalinga ( or ) is a city in Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, in central California about 80 miles (128 km) southeast of Salinas.
It was formerly known as ''Coaling Station A'', ''Coalingo'', and ''Coalinga Station''.
The ...
.
On April 4, 2018, Lyle was moved into the same housing unit as Erik, reuniting them for the first time since they began serving their sentences nearly 22 years earlier. The brothers burst into tears and hugged each other at their first meeting in the housing unit. The unit where they are housed is reserved for inmates who agree to participate in education and rehabilitation programs without creating disruptions.
Appeals
On February 27, 1998, the California Court of Appeal
The California Courts of Appeal are the state intermediate appellate courts in the U.S. state of California. The state is geographically divided along county lines into six appellate districts. upheld the brothers' murder convictions, and on May 28, 1998, the Supreme Court of California declined to review the case, thus allowing the decision of the appellate court to stand. Both brothers filed ''habeas corpus
''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
'' petitions with the Supreme Court of California, which were denied in 1999. Having exhausted their appeal remedies in state court, they filed separate ''habeas corpus'' petitions in the United States District Court
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district co ...
. On March 4, 2003, a magistrate judge recommended the denial of the petitions, and the district court adopted the recommendation. They then decided to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts:
* District ...
. On September 7, 2005, a three-judge panel denied both their ''habeas corpus'' petitions, although Judge Alex Kozinski stated that the trial judge changed many of his rulings during the two trials.
Marriages and interviews in prison
On July 2, 1996, Lyle married Anna Eriksson at a ceremony attended by Abramson and his aunt Marta Menéndez, and presided over by Judge Nancy Brown; they divorced on April 1, 2001 after Eriksson discovered that Lyle was allegedly cheating on her with another woman. In November 2003, Lyle married Rebecca Sneed at a ceremony in a visiting area of Mule Creek State Prison; they had known each other for around ten years before their engagement.
On June 12, 1999, Erik married Tammi Ruth Saccoman at Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison (FSP) is a California State Prison in Folsom, California, U.S., approximately northeast of the state capital of Sacramento. It is one of 34 adult institutions operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehab ...
in a prison waiting room. Tammi later stated: "Our wedding cake was a Twinkie. We improvised. It was a wonderful ceremony until I had to leave. That was a very lonely night." In an October 2005 interview with ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
, she described her relationship with Erik as "something that I've dreamed about for a long time. And it's just something very special that I never thought that I would ever have."
In 2005, Tammi self-published a book, ''They Said We'd Never Make It – My Life with Erik Menéndez'', but she said on CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
's ''Larry King Live
''Larry King Live'' was an American television talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was the channel's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly.
Mainly aired from CNN's Los Angeles ...
'' that Erik also "did a lot of editing on the book." In an interview with ''People'' magazine, she stated:
Tammi also stated that she and her daughter drive the every weekend to visit Erik, and that her daughter refers to him as her "Earth Dad". Despite his life sentence, Erik stated: "Tammi is what gets me through. I can't think about the sentence. When I do, I do it with a great sadness and a primal fear. I break into a cold sweat. It's so frightening I just haven't come to terms with it."
In 2010, A&E released ''Mrs. Menéndez'', a documentary about Tammi. In late 2017, A&E aired a five-part documentary titled ''The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All'', in which Erik describes via telephone the murders and the aftermath. The series also shows never-before-seen photos and new interviews with prosecutors, law enforcement, close family and friends, and medical experts.
In popular culture
Documentaries
* In 2000, "Menendez Brothers – Blood Brothers", an episode from the documentary series by Court TV (now TruTV
TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows.
The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that fo ...
) ''Mugshots'', was aired at ''FilmRise
FilmRise is a New York City–based film and television studio and streaming network, which has become one of the largest independent providers of content to ad-supported streaming (AVOD) platforms, in addition to providing the largest free direc ...
''.
* In 2015, '' Barbara Walters Presents: American Scandals'' featured the Menendez brothers in an episode, "Menendez Brothers: The Bad Sons".
* In 2016, the Menendez brothers were featured in the true-crime documentary ''Snapped
''Snapped'' is an American true crime television series produced by Jupiter Entertainment. The series depicts high profile or bizarre cases of women accused of murder. Each episode outlines the motivation for murder, whether it be revenge agai ...
''.
* In 2017, the Menendez brothers were featured in a documentary, ''Truth and Lies: The Menéndez Brothers – American Sons, American Murderers'' on ABC.
* In 2017, HLN launched the new series ''How it Really Happened – with Hill Harper'', with an episode featuring the Menendez brothers story. The episode, "The Menéndez Brothers: Murder in Beverly Hills", ends with a telephone interview of Lyle from jail with Chris Cuomo
Christopher Cuomo ( ; born August 9, 1970) is a television journalist anchor at NewsNation, based in New York City. He has previously been the ABC News chief law and justice correspondent and the co-anchor for ABC's ''20/20'', news anchor for ...
.
* In 2020, BuzzFeed Unsolved
''BuzzFeed Unsolved'' (also known as simply ''Unsolved'') was a documentary entertainment web series created by Ryan Bergara for BuzzFeed that ran from February 4, 2016, to November 19, 2021. It first appeared on the YouTube channel ''BuzzFeed ...
features the Menendez brothers in a one-episode special, "How They Were Caught: The Menendez Brothers".
* In 2021, the Menendez brothers were the subject of ABC's '' 20/20'' special, ''Inside the Menendez Movement''. The special features the popularity of the brothers in the video-sharing social media app TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version o ...
, and their growing number of supporters from young adults outside and inside of the United States.
Films and series
Films
* In 1994, the Menendez brothers were featured in the television film '' Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills'' on CBS. Lyle was portrayed by Damian Chapa, and Erik was portrayed by Travis Fine
Travis Lane Fine (born June 26, 1968) is an American actor, writer, director and producer, perhaps best known for his film '' Any Day Now'', and for his roles in ''Girl, Interrupted'' and ''The Young Riders''.
Personal life
Fine was born in Atla ...
.
* In 1994, the television film ''Honor thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders'' features Lyle and Erik Menendez portrayed by Billy Warlock and David Berón, respectively.
* In 1994, the Menendez brothers were loosely depicted in the crime film ''Natural Born Killers
''Natural Born Killers'' is a 1994 American crime film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tommy Lee Jones, and Tom Sizemore. The film tells the story of two victims of traumatic childho ...
''.
* In 2017, the Menendez brothers were featured in the Lifetime television film '' Menendez: Blood Brothers'' (2017). Lyle was portrayed by Nico Tortorella
Nico Tortorella (born July 30, 1988) is an American actor and model, known for roles in filmsincluding ''Scream 4'', the Fox crime drama series ''The Following'' (2013–2015), and the TV Land comedy-drama series '' Younger'' (2015–2021). Fro ...
, and Erik was portrayed by Myko Olivier.
Television series
* In 1990, the ''Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
'' Season 1 episode "The Serpent's Tooth
''The Serpent's Tooth'' is a novel by Singaporean writer Catherine Lim, first published in 1982 by Times Edition Pte Ltd. The title of the novel is taken from a quote from Shakespeare's ''King Lear'': "Sharper than a serpent’s tooth/ It is to hav ...
" is loosely based on the Menendez Brothers case.
* In 2008, "Gavin Volure", a season 3 episode of the TV series ''30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', takes ...
'', features Tracy Jordan making multiple references to the Menendez brothers as he fears that his own children will similarly attempt to kill him for his wealth, an act he termed as "Menendez-ing".
* In 2010, the Menendez brothers were referenced by Bobby Singer
Robert Steven Singer is a fictional character in The CW Television Network's horror-drama television series ''Supernatural'' portrayed by Jim Beaver. Named after the show's executive producer, Bobby first appears in the first season finale "Dev ...
in season 6, episode 12 of the CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
series ''Supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
''.
* In 2016, the Menendez brothers were mentioned several times in the FX drama '' The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story'' (2016). Based on the true story of O. J. Simpson's highly televised trial, the series was set at the same time as the Menendez brothers' trials. There are several characters who have worked in the brothers' and O. J. Simpson's respective cases, such as Robert Shapiro, Lance Ito
Lance Allan Ito (born August 2, 1950) is a retired American judge best known for presiding over the criminal trial for the O. J. Simpson murder case, held in the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 1995.
Early life and career
Ito was born ...
, and Gil Garcetti. Shapiro (portrayed by John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes ''Carrie'' (19 ...
) mentioned Erik in Episode 2 stating, "In fact, I arranged the surrender of Erik Menendez from Israel." This statement is based on the actual speech by Shapiro during Simpson's infamous Bronco chase, in an attempt to have him surrender to the police.
* In 2017, NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
aired '' Law & Order: True Crime – The Menéndez Murders.'' An 8-episode special from the Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
franchise, the series depicts the detailed killings, investigation, arrests, and trials of the Menendez brothers. Compared to its predecessors, the series portrays the brothers more sympathetically, focusing on the defense led by lawyer Leslie Abramson, and the physical and sexual abuse allegations. Lyle was portrayed by actor Miles Gaston Villanueva, who received a Best Actor nomination at the 33rd Imagen Awards
The Imagen Awards are administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to "encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in film, Latinos in the entertainment industry." To be considered for an Imagen Award, a medi ...
, while Erik was portrayed by actor and singer Gus Halper. Its premiere at the Paley Center for Media
The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York City, New York with a branch office in Los Angeles, ...
was attended by Lyle's family and friends, who praised the series' depiction of the brothers. In an interview with ''Megyn Kelly Today
''Megyn Kelly Today'' is an American daytime talk show that was broadcast by NBC. Premiering on September 25, 2017, it replaced ''Today's Take'' as the third hour of NBC's national morning show ''Today''. The program was hosted by Megyn Kelly, ...
'' after the first episode premiere, Lyle revealed that the series was "painful to watch", but the depiction of him by Villanueva is "surprisingly accurate" despite the producers and the actor not being able to communicate with him. At the 2018 Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
, the series made its entry with a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, with Edie Falco
Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Carmela Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), and Nurse Jackie Peyton on the Showtime series ''Nurse Jackie'' (2009–2015). She also ...
nominated for her portrayal of Abramson.
Parody and dark comedy
* In 1993, ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'' aired a comedy sketch featuring guest host John Malkovich
John Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Aw ...
where the Menendez brothers blame the murder of their parents on their identical twin brothers. In 2015, the Menendez brothers are referenced again in the sketch song "First Got Horny 2 U" from a Season 41 episode hosted by Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell; February 10, 1974) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for playing Effie Trinket in ''The Hunger Games'' film series (2012–2015) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the ''Pitch Perfe ...
.
* In 1996, the media hype surrounding the first trial was parodied in the dark comedy film ''The Cable Guy
''The Cable Guy'' is a 1996 American black comedy film directed by Ben Stiller, written by Lou Holtz Jr. and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. It was released in the United States on June 14, 1996. The film co-stars Leslie Mann, Jack Bl ...
''.
* In 2009, the TV Show ''The Venture Bros.
''The Venture Bros.'' is an American adult animation, adult animated action comedy TV series created by Chris McCulloch (also known as "Jackson Publick") for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. Following a pilot episode on ...
'' featured two former boy detectives named Lance and Dale Hale who are heavily implied to have killed their father with a shotgun.
* In 2010, the TV Show ''30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', takes ...
'' S06E16 featured a brief joke where a character has a tattoo with the text "Free Lyle Menendez".
* In 2016, the Menendez brothers were subjects of the weekly comedic 'true-crime' podcast '' The Last Podcast on the Left''.
Others
* The Menendez brothers are seen in the background of the 1990–1991 NBA Hoops' Mark Jackson basketball card in which the New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
point guard is seen making a bounce pass and they appear to be sitting courtside behind Jackson. In December 2018, eBay
eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...
began terminating any auctions in which they are mentioned in the listing. The New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
played 28 games during the period when the Menendez brothers went on a spending spree after the murders of their parents. Some eBay
eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...
sellers have continued to sell the card and have also altered the images accompanying the listing so that the Menendez brothers are neither mentioned in the listing nor seen in photos of the card accompanying the listing.
See also
* List of homicides in California
This is a list of notable homicides in California. This list includes notable homicides committed in the U.S. state of California that have a Wikipedia article on the killing, the killer, or the victim. It is divided into four subject areas as fo ...
* Parricide
Parricide refers to the deliberate killing of one’s own father and mother, spouse (husband or wife), children, and/or close relative. However, the term is sometimes used more generally to refer to the intentional killing of a near relative. It ...
* Stacey Lannert
References
Further reading
* Davis, Don (1994) ''Bad Blood: The Shocking True Story Behind the Menéndez Killings'' St. Martin, New York,
* Menéndez, Lyle; Novelli, Norma; Walker, Mike; and Spreckels, Judith (1995) ''The Private Diary of Lyle Menéndez: In His Own Words!'' Dove Books, Beverly Hills, California,
* Menéndez, Tammi (2005) ''They Said We'd Never Make It: My Life With Erik Menéndez'' NewGalen Publishing, Santa Clarita, California,
* Soble, Ronald L. and Johnson, John (1994) ''Blood Brothers: The Inside Story of the Menéndez Murders'' Onyx, New York,
* Thornton, Hazel; Wrightsman, Lawrence S.; Posey, Amy J. and Scheflin, Alan W. (1995) ''Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menéndez Juror'' Temple University Press, Philadelphia; new "20 Years Later" edition updated with new material, Graymalkin Media (2017)
* Rand, Robert (2018) ''The Menendez Murders: The Shocking Untold Story of the Menendez Family and the Killings that Stunned the Nation'' BenBella Books
External links
Nightmare on Elm Drive
by Dominick Dunne
Dominick John Dunne (October 29, 1925 – August 26, 2009) was an American writer, investigative journalist, and producer. He began his career in film and television as a producer of the pioneering gay film ''The Boys in the Band (1970 film), ...
. '' Vanity Fair'', October 1990
Three Faces of Evil
by Dominick Dunne
Dominick John Dunne (October 29, 1925 – August 26, 2009) was an American writer, investigative journalist, and producer. He began his career in film and television as a producer of the pioneering gay film ''The Boys in the Band (1970 film), ...
. '' Vanity Fair'', June 1996
Wife of Erik Menéndez talks about relationship
at MSNBC TV, December 22, 2005
Tammi Menéndez on Loving Erik
at ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
Menéndez Brothers
at Court TV (now TruTV
TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows.
The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that fo ...
)
Menéndez Brothers
at Crime Library
Crime Library was a website documenting major crimes, criminals, trials, forensics, and criminal profiling from books. It was founded in 1998 and was most recently owned by truTV, a cable TV network that is part of Time Warner's Turner Broadcas ...
Mug shots of the brothers
on The Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. The intent is to bring to the public light information that is somewhat obscure or unreported by more mainstream media sources. Most o ...
archived trial transcripts
from Court TV
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menéndez, Lyle and Erik
1960s births
Living people
1989 murders in the United States
20th-century American criminals
American male criminals
American people convicted of murder
American prisoners and detainees
Crime in California
Criminal duos
Criminals from California
Male murderers
Parricides
Patricides
Matricides
People convicted of murder by California
Prisoners and detainees of California
Sibling duos