Should the Menendez Brothers Be Released? You Decide…

It’s been a story that has intrigued the country for the past 35 years, and even more so with social media shining a light on the horrific traumas these individuals have gone through. The individuals I’m referring to are the Menendez Brothers. Two brothers who shot and killed their parents on August 20th, 1989, but their reasoning for killing their parents stems from traumas they experienced at the hands of the two people they were supposed to trust the most. The world has seen and heard of the trial and were able to hear firsthand accounts of the horrific traumas that their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, had put them through.

Thanks to the recent Netflix drama Monsters: The Menendez Brothers and the Netflix documentary The Menendez Brothers, there has been an outpouring of support for the brothers. But why, after 35 years, are they still incarcerated, while others like Gypsy Rose and Nikki Addimando, who also murdered their abusers, have been released? This question has deepened the conversation about how society views male abuse survivors, especially when those men are Latino.

One of the most high-profile advocates currently fighting for their release is none other than Kim Kardashian. Known for her involvement in criminal justice reform, Kardashian has been using her platform to highlight the inconsistencies in how cases of abuse-related killings are treated. Her support has reignited interest in the Menendez brothers’ case and has shined a spotlight on the double standards in how the justice system treats survivors of abuse, particularly when those survivors are men. While Kardashian’s involvement is controversial to some, it speaks to the widespread belief that the Menendez brothers are being unfairly held, despite the evidence of their traumatic upbringing.

The brothers have maintained for 35 years that their father, José Menendez, subjected them to prolonged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, with Kitty Menendez reportedly complicit in covering it up or neglecting the boys. These claims were a central focus of their defense during their trial, and while they were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder, many people believe their trauma wasn’t fully taken into account, even with written letters to their cousin detailing the abuse sent months prior to the murders. The letters were seen as not admissible in court, many of which viewed as not fair.

Adding another layer of complexity to the case, new allegations have surfaced. In 2023, a former member of the popular 1980s boy band Menudo, Roy Rosselló, made public accusations that José Menendez had sexually abused him as a teenager. This revelation, brought to light in the Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, has raised new questions about the extent of José Menendez’s abuse and whether this should be considered in the Menendez brothers’ appeals. The documentary suggests that the brothers were not the only ones who suffered at the hands of their father, potentially providing further evidence that the abuse claims should have been taken more seriously during their trial.

Despite these developments, Lyle and Erik Menendez remain behind bars, serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. Their case continues to polarize the public, with some seeing them as cold-blooded killers and others as survivors of unimaginable abuse who were pushed to a breaking point. The debate over whether they should be freed continues, and high-profile figures like Kardashian are working hard to ensure their story doesn’t fade into obscurity.

At its core, the Menendez brothers’ case challenges how society views male victims of abuse and whether justice has truly been served. As more people rally behind their cause, the possibility of their release, once considered unlikely, is now gaining momentum. With new evidence and growing public support, the Menendez brothers’ story is far from over, and now with a new court date set for the end of November the world will be looking closely as to what will happen with these two brothers.