Menendez

[yellowperil]

I don't believe it. They wanted money in a hurry I think. Nasty.

Where's their Porsche now ? Just my opinion /

[Ayles]

You don't think it's worth a second look due to more evolved views and understandings of sexual abuse?

[dad911]

I don't think a DA should be allowed to take on the role of judge and jury.

Wouldn't there typically be a retrial, or a judge would review the case?

But hey, Hollywood spoke (Kim Kardashian) and Gascon responded.

Does this open Los Angeles up to an unlawfully incarcerated lawsuit?

You don't suppose the fact that he is up for re-election has anything to do with it as his term is up this year.......

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Ayles

You don't think it's worth a second look due to more evolved views and understandings of sexual abuse?

That is the DA's line of reasoning and of course, sexual assault and related subjects are all the rage in legal circles these days. Myself, I've never believed their defense but that's just me. Criminal trials have sort of been an avocation of mine since childhood, my dad was a defense lawyer and I grew up going to his trials. I subsequently developed an interest in journalism and have read about nearly every serious crime case in CA. for the last 40+ years I've lived here.

Just to be clear, Jose Menendez was a steaming pile of schit, that's not really in dispute. A line that sticks with me from the time of the trial was one of his associates saying that, "he would **** a closed umbrella." Still, it's extremely unusual for men to sexually abuse their biological children. Not saying that it's never happened but it's rare. If it was a step-parent? All bets are off. And the sons were in their 20s and big and strong plus they were so close that they functioned as a unit...if one of them split his head open with a bat, I'd find their defense more believable. If some horrible, ongoing sexual abuse was happening, why did they still live at home with their parents, other than the fact that they were still breast-feeding, so to speak?

It's not hard to move out and get your own apartment, I did it at 18 and countless friends did it as well. Not because anyone's parents were so awful but for the freedom and independence! The Menendez brothers were actually spoiled rotten and as entitled as Beverly Hills forever children get. The father bought one of the sons a new Alfa Romeo Spider as a graduation present and the son said, "why did you buy me this POS? I told you that I wanted a Porsche!"

It's an incredibly shocking crime and human beings never cease to amaze me with their evil but I personally don't buy their defense.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by dad911

I don't think a DA should be allowed to take on the role of judge and jury.

Wouldn't there typically be a retrial, or a judge would review the case?

But hey, Hollywood spoke (Kim Kardashian) and Gascon responded.

Does this open Los Angeles up to an unlawfully incarcerated lawsuit?

You don't suppose the fact that he is up for re-election has anything to do with it as his term is up this year.......

They would not really have a case wrt being "unlawfully incarcerated." That's for innocent people who were wrongly convicted. Their convictions would stand but they would simply be re-sentenced to 25 years to life instead of life w/o parole and with 35 years served, they would be eligible for parole.

By all accounts, they have been model prisoners and I don't think that thee is fear of them committing further crimes if released. They have matured and evolved as people. I'm OK with them being paroled, I just have never personally bought their defense arguments.

[speeder]

Also, Gascon could solve homelessness and reduce rent by half in LA and not get re-elected at this point. He's done.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by speeder

, .........."why did you buy me this POS? I told you that I wanted a Porsche!" ................

Understandable.

[A930Rocket]

If they get out, what are they going to do? Is there family waiting to take them in? Where would they work?

[URY914]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

If they get out, what are they going to do? Is there family waiting to take them in? Where would they work?

What does that have to do with their sentencing being reviewed?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

If they get out, what are they going to do? Is there family waiting to take them in? Where would they work?

According to what I've heard just listening to the news radio, they definitely have family remaining that supports them. Who that would be, I couldn't tell you. At least one of them, if not both, are married and have wives waiting. As for work, who knows? Write a book or two? Maybe there is still $$ laying around and they are close to retirement age, so SS and Medicare, etc...

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by URY914

What does that have to do with their sentencing being reviewed?

Nothing.

[jcwade]

Originally Posted by speeder

I don't think that there is fear of them committing further crimes if released.

That's true. Their parents are dead.

[911boost]

What I couldn’t believe was that they went outside to get more shotgun shells to finish off their mom. Denis would know more about that, but if true that’s horrible.

[URY914]

This can't be forgiven.....

On the evening of August 20, 1989, José and Kitty were watching television in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion when Lyle and Erik entered the den, carrying loaded shotguns.[28] José was shot six times, including a fatal shot to the back of his head.[29] Kitty was shot ten times in total.[30] Before the fatal shot to her cheek, she was on the ground, crawling away.[25][31] Lyle ran to the car where Erik handed him ammunition to reload before firing the fatal shot to her face.[32][33]

[rfuerst911sc]

There is no doubt this was a brutal crime . If there is new evidence of sexual abuse by the father I am OK with that being reviewed . But in my mind it doesn't change the verdict or sentencing. Yes sexual abuse should never be tolerated it should be prosecuted. In this case the old saying two wrongs don't make a right comes to mind . Killing the parents in this case could only be justified if either/both parents were attacking the brothers . That was not the case .

These brothers had non violent options . They could have gone to the police . Or a church . Or therapist . Could have called sexual abuse hotline .They had $$$ and were not stupid there were plenty of options to get help including leaving that home . They chose none of those . Instead they chose violence . That was a poor choice .

Right or wrong society ( judge/jury ) determined they were guilty and their debt to society is life in prison without parole . I seriously doubt there is new evidence that proves they should be released . We will just have to wait and see .

[DavidI]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

There is no doubt this was a brutal crime . If there is new evidence of sexual abuse by the father I am OK with that being reviewed . But in my mind it doesn't change the verdict or sentencing. Yes sexual abuse should never be tolerated it should be prosecuted. In this case the old saying two wrongs don't make a right comes to mind . Killing the parents in this case could only be justified if either/both parents were attacking the brothers . That was not the case .

These brothers had non violent options . They could have gone to the police . Or a church . Or therapist . Could have called sexual abuse hotline .They had $$$ and were not stupid there were plenty of options to get help including leaving that home . They chose none of those . Instead they chose violence . That was a poor choice .

Right or wrong society ( judge/jury ) determined they were guilty and their debt to society is life in prison without parole . I seriously doubt there is new evidence that proves they should be released . We will just have to wait and see .

I agree 100%. These monsters murdered their parents in cold blood. They came up with a plan to purchase shotguns with cash so they could not be tracked, attempted to create an alibi with the movie theater, then ruthlessly murdered their parents as the parents ate ice cream watching television in their own home. This is undeniable.

After the crime, both denied it and blamed it on mafia hitmen or some drug-related bad guy. They denied it until the evidence came in and the police focused on the brothers. They continued to deny involvement after splurging with luxury objects.

Both deserve the sentence they were given and should be happy that their money bought them their lives and they did not receive the death penalty.

[rfuerst911sc]

I do want to be clear , the father and mother were also monsters IF the sexual abuse was real . No father or anyone should sexually abuse their child . And no mother or guardian should EVER cover it up . If the accusations are/were true both should have been sent to prison . This family was very rich and very dysfunctional . Sadly there are many similar families out there .

[masraum]

I get it, premeditated murder. It seems they've been model prisoners.

Earlier this month, more than two dozen members of the Menendez family issued a public plea for Erik and Lyle to be released 35 years after killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Those family members alleged the boys endured horrific sexual abuse at the hands of their father and are not a threat to society.

Kitty Menendez's sister, Joan Anderson VanderMolen, argued “the whole world wasn’t ready to believe that the boys could be raped, or that young men could be victims of sexual violence".

She said that now “we know better" and "a jury today would never deliver such a harsh sentence".

If children experience abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual or a mix of any/all of those) from a parent (or anyone), they are going to have issues. If a child has been abused for years starting when they were young and until they were older, then a premeditated murder of the abuser is not the same as the premeditated murder of someone else for another reason.

Hell, if an adult experiences that from another adult, they are going to have issues (likely a lot of anger). Lets say you're in prison with big leroy as a cell mate and you end up being his wife by no choice of your own. Then I would see a carefully planned premeditated murder as a form of self defense. And when you perform that murder, there's very likely to be a bit of anger that accompanies the murder.

That would not be the same as "my neighbor pissed me off so I planned out his death" kind of thing or "if I divorced him/her, she'd have gotten half my stuff, so murder was a financial move on my part" or any number of other reasons why folks kill other folks.

If a parent caught someone abusing their young child, most folks would be completely supportive of the parent killing that person in the moment. The difference between that and a premeditated murder in a similar situation isn't hugely different.

[speeder]

I know people, (ok, one person), who totally believe the son's defense and think that the crime was justified. I could not possibly disagree more, I don't believe the defense, (molestation), at all and even if true, it doesn't explain away another brutal crime. It just makes no sense to my brain that the father would be sexually abusing his two sons. But to be fair, I don't understand the mind of a child molester at all.

It's cut and dry to me...they were spoiled POS sons who did not love their parents and wanted their money, now. It always seemed to me like the most inept, poorly planned crime of the century. How on earth did they think that they would skate free and no detective would figure it out? It took police about a week to put a case together and they probably knew what happened when they arrived at the house.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by masraum

I get it, premeditated murder. It seems they've been model prisoners.



If children experience abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual or a mix of any/all of those) from a parent (or anyone), they are going to have issues. If a child has been abused for years starting when they were young and until they were older, then a premeditated murder of the abuser is not the same as the premeditated murder of someone else for another reason.

Hell, if an adult experiences that from another adult, they are going to have issues (likely a lot of anger). Lets say you're in prison with big leroy as a cell mate and you end up being his wife by no choice of your own. Then I would see a carefully planned premeditated murder as a form of self defense. And when you perform that murder, there's very likely to be a bit of anger that accompanies the murder.

That would not be the same as "my neighbor pissed me off so I planned out his death" kind of thing or "if I divorced him/her, she'd have gotten half my stuff, so murder was a financial move on my part" or any number of other reasons why folks kill other folks.

If a parent caught someone abusing their young child, most folks would be completely supportive of the parent killing that person in the moment. The difference between that and a premeditated murder in a similar situation isn't hugely different.

You make valid points but I had not considered them in this case. I just don't believe them. I'm completely open to be proven wrong but not sure how that would occur at this point.