murder Archives - The Menendez Murders

The 1993 Menendez Brothers murder trial is finally streaming online, plus I’m interviewed on Court TV’s new podcast

Finally! Twenty-seven years after two juries were seated for the trial of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the rebooted Court TV has posted the ENTIRE six-month-long court proceedings (even the heated evidence hearings) on their website.

Two juries in the first trial – one for each brother – heard 101 witnesses and examined 405 exhibits over 85 days of testimony that ran from July 20 to December 3, 1993. The case ended with two mistrials in January 1994 after neither brother’s jury could agree on a verdict.

Now, you can watch the trial and see everything the juries saw.

Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents 30 years ago today – but it didn’t have to be that way

This is a tragedy that destroyed a family. All four of them had remarkable strengths as well as terrible weaknesses and it did not have to be. If at any time over the course of the lives of the four Menendez family members some effective person could have intervened, everyone would still be alive and well and healing. All four of them needed help. And there never was any help for this family.
— Defense Attorney Leslie Abramson, the day before sentencing

The Menendez Brothers have been in jail for 29 years

On March 8, 1990, Lyle Menendez was arrested in Beverly Hills and charged with killing his parents.

Brother Erik Menendez surrendered several days later.

The Menendez brothers have been in jail for more than half their lives.

Erik Menendez wrote a screenplay: Kid kills parents, inherits $157,000,000 (video)

Yes, Erik Menendez was the co-author of a screenplay about a young man who kills his parents and inherits $157,000,000. The script that was completed — and shopped around Hollywood — before the murders.

No, it was never included as evidence in either of the two trials.

Did the media firestorm influence the verdicts?

On the ‘Building Books’ podcast, my publisher interviews me!

Glenn Yeffeth, the boss at my publisher BenBella Books, interviewed me for the company’s podcast, Building Books, and we talked how most of the mainstream media got the original Menendez story wrong in the 1990s.

My first draft was 250,000 words and BenBella only wanted to publish 100,000 words.

Obviously, some some major editing was in store!

Chapter 44 | A Compelling Witness: “25 Years Ago Today . . .”

On Friday, September 10: “The defense calls Joseph Lyle Menendez,” announced attorney Jill Lansing at five minutes before two o’clock. Lyle, dressed in a navy crew-neck sweater, walked directly to Lansing.

Lansing was blunt:

“Did you love your parents?”

“Yes,” he choked out hoarsely.

“And on August 20, 1989, did you and your brother kill your mom and dad?”

“Yes.”

I’m spreading the truth about ‘The Menendez Murders’ on iHeart Radio

Thanks to the iHeartRadio stations, I was able to share the Menendez brothers’ story in Chicago, Philly, San Diego, Minneapolis, St. Louis and more.

I’m grateful to be spreading the truth – one station at a time.

Here’s my iHeart interview with La Dona Harvey and Ted Garcia of KOGO radio in San Diego, the local station near the prison where the Lyle and Erik are now incarcerated.

CHAPTER ONE: Murder In Beverly Hills/Nightmare On Elm Drive (Exclusive Preview)

On the night of August 20, 1989, the last in the lives of Jose and Kitty Menendez, their elegant residential street in Beverly Hills was so still you could hear a leaf drop.

That in itself was not unusual or suspicious.

People pay a steep price to live in such neighborhoods, and they cherish their peace and quiet.