Menendez Brothers’ family calls for resentencing after 30 years in prison, citing abuse

The family of Lyle and Erik Menendez called for the brothers to be resentenced after spending over 30 years in prison on Wednesday, arguing that they had been victims of severe sexual abuse by their parents before the brothers fatally shot them in their luxurious Beverly Hills home in 1989.

The Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1996 following a long and highly publicized trial that drew nationwide attention and turned them into widely recognized figures after the brutal murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez.

More than 20 family members gathered at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, claiming the brothers were victims of "unspeakable cruelty" by their father, music executive Jose Menendez. They argued that this abuse had been overlooked during the 1993 trial because society at the time had not fully accepted the idea that men could be victims of sexual abuse.

“If they were the Menendez sisters, they would not be in custody. We have evolved, and it’s time for them to be released,” Jose Menendez’s niece, Anna Maria Baralt, told reporters.

"Like many others, I’ve struggled to process the loss and the pain of that day. Over time, I realized there were two other victims — my cousins — who continued to be victimized by a system that didn’t hear their voices and by a society that wasn’t ready to listen,” she added.

“They were mocked, called cold-blooded killers, and left to rot in jail without hope of redemption.”

Baralt emphasized that the brothers have been living "lives of light" and improving themselves during their time behind bars, advocating for them to be given a second chance at life.

“I hope our 34-year nightmare will end, and we can reunite as a family. I’m here to urge the DA’s office to consider the full picture, which has remained hidden for so long. Lyle and Erik deserve the opportunity to heal, and our family deserves the chance to heal alongside them,” Baralt said.

Kitty Menendez’s sister, Joan Vandermolen, 93, nervously approached the microphones, becoming visibly emotional as she spoke.

“As their aunt, I had no idea of the extent of the abuse they suffered at the hands of my brother-in-law. None of us did. But looking back, I can now see the fear their father instilled in them,” she told the crowd.

“The truth is, Lyle and Erik were let down by the very people who should have protected them — their parents, the legal system, and society. At the time of their trial, the world wasn’t ready to accept that boys could be raped or that young men could be victims of sexual abuse."

“Today, we have a better understanding,” she continued.

“No jury today would deliver such a harsh sentence without considering the trauma they endured. Lyle and Erik have paid a heavy price, abandoned by a system that failed to recognize their suffering. Despite everything, they have grown, changed, and become better men.”