As a victim of SA abuse at the hands of my bio dad who shared me and my little sister w/ MANY friends for years- I stand by and support these two men♥️♥️♥️
Wow I’m so sorry that happened to you, i pray that God removes all of those horrible memories from your mind. No child should ever go through this but unfortunately satan is very real and his biggest offense toward God is harming children who God loves so very much. My heart goes out to you
Sorry if i met your dad I would smash him in the face... I'm so sorry that the very ppl that should protect you and take a Bullet to save you wd do this x😊
I had a coworker many years ago, she told me that her step father sexually abused her from the time she was a little girl. And that her mother knew about it and did nothing to help her. I was sick to my stomach when she told me that. Those type of parents are the Real Monsters!
“People can’t imagine a father doing this with his son.” Indeed. I’d even add that people also can’t imagine what it’s like to be raised in a home that enabled such a thing. This wasn’t just a sexual abuse case, it was a mental abuse case carried by a father that literally everyone that came into contact with was terrified of. The mother enabled it. From experience, not only does the SA mess with your mind, the fact that the Mom allowed it might be the hardest part to get over. It shifts your understanding of reality, love, and trust.
My son is adopted.. I got him at 11 yrs old.. his dad raped him on the regular and his birth mom knew it was happening.. fast forward, he is 30 yrs old now and a productive happy human being. I acknowledged what happened to him, we talked it through for years but I never let him feel sorry for himself, I wasn't going to watch him become one big pity party.. the dad got 25 yrs, but only after SA 3 other members of the same family and the state took the parental rights away from him...
Me too always believed them b/c it’s a pretty embarrassing thing to admit/claim. You can wait for money but not for the abuse to stop. I can’t wait to see them freed!
Ummmm! That menudo guy stayed silent for 30 year’s! He probably needed money , now ! He got paid for this , obviously! Those Mendez brothers partying and spending thousands of dollars in the days after they murdered their parents! Why !? Did the kill their mom !? For the inheritance, duh
It seems like it is not easy to get any fairly Trial today how come. Is it not given more fear if not knowing if it’s the right behind bar or if a murder is out there? Evidence not enough or?!
I know a man in his 50s who has been single and alone all of his life, because of the sexual abuse he suffered from his own father. He is so mentally tortured that he can not move on.
Completely awful. I've had partners who finally confessed to me about their trauma. It was so impossible to have a healthy relationship with them after years of trying because of their trauma. They were so emotionally fraught and volatile and I couldn't deal after a good long try. I do sincerely hope they are doing better and not alone :(. I HATE what their abuser did to their sweet soul.
This is the saddest failure in justice for these victims. They told their story and no one believed them. Now someone somewhat famous comes forward and it’s deemed worthy? Disgusting.
A lot of people believed them at the time, and a lot of people still do. The first trial resulted in a mistrial because the jurors could not agree to convict or to acquit. During the second trial, the judge limited the evidence that the defense could admit, which allowed the state to minimize the allegations of abuse, and they were ultimately successfully convicted. Many people were shocked by this, as their testimonies of abuse were captivating and moving.
Actually that's a bit unfair to say, because their cousin had the letter and unfortunately he passed away in 2003. So his stuff was sort was put away and that's they didn't have the letters before
@@珊小妮33 I watched Menendez+Menudo documentary. No mention that their cousin passed away 2003. Still, He held on to the letter then for 15 years? While the brothers remain in prison. It's flabbergasting that the cousin and Roy from Menudo, the other rape victim, did not come forward sooner. It's been 33 years ! The brothers need justice.
I watched a documentary about the horrific abuse they went through and there were actual witnesses in the house when one of the boys was screaming while being brutally raped by his dad. I don't know where all those witnesses were when the trial was going on. I pray they overturn their sentence, they've been literally tortured long enough.
Their cousin testified in their favor. But this case is deep and complex. It’s crazy to find out all the details of what happened and who was involved. Thank goodness Roy is finally ready to speak up.
I joined Jose Menendez's company, LIVE Home Video, several months after he was murdered. Everyone spoke about how impressive yet intimidating he was, my boss herself telling me how much she hated him and had immediately suspected the boys were involved in the murders as she believed they were abused children. I remember her saying that she was sorry how Jose Menedez died but was nevertheless very happy that he was gone.
To those who are pointing out that the brothers were of legal age to move out of the home: any type of abuse includes a type of mind control where the abuser convinces the victim they would never survive without them. If these brothers were abused from a young age to their legal adulthood, it absolutely makes sense to me why they’d still be in the home with great reluctance to leave. It’s the same concept of saying, “why don’t they just leave?” regarding an abused spouse. I am all for a second trial, or release based on time served.
Anyone in their right mind knows that if you murder someone for whatever reason besides self defense, you're found guilty in a court of law, it's life in prison. You don't get off for time served or the circumstances of abuse. It's like putting guns and knives in the hands of victims and its ok if you brutally murder them? It's not ok. You contact authorities, your family members, adult friends, clergy, your Dr, your neighbor, anyone who would listen. The back story to the brothers behavior prior to the murders is telling. They should serve out their sentences for what they were found guilty in the court of law for, the same as anyone else who chose to weapon up and blow away an abuser. Regardless of "the times", it's immoral and illegal to take someone else's life if not defending your own.
I remember this case when i was a kid. The media circus, the natrative they were pushing, making fun of these 2 "spoiled kids." I rewatched about this case a couple years ago and i was surprised to find myself believing the brothers
I was saying the same thing. I was young when this all happened, and from the media, that told us about it. I never got this impression that it was this bad, as an adult. This is disgusting, and they should’ve never went to jail. This father did the unspeakable to his children, and their mom.. just sat back and did nothing. I know all too well how that feels. Although, I didn’t suffer this bad, it was still bad for me. And I just hope they can get out.
I agree. They were punished by the media and courts on top of their horrific abuse growing up. I remember the media making this seem it was about the money.
@@lolalovesme2987 I don’t think it was one sided. I couldn’t make up my mind. It seems he did it the 2nd time but he had already been railroad by law enforcement the 1st time, why wouldn’t they do it again.
Documentaries are opinion pieces crafted to make you feel one way or the other. They are not 100% truthful. It’s one side. They are murderers and belong in prison.
It always seemed that the court and lawyers were more upset about how those boys spent their daddys money than wanting to hear about what their daddy actually did to them.
I remember this case when I was about 15 yo. I remember seeing them testify and watched the tears form in their eyes, describing such a shameful account of their lives, that they were not responsible for, but that their own disturbed father was. I love that they have found joy, in the midst of decades of incarceration. I truly hope the case is retried and justice prevails 😓🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
The fact all the evidence and witnesses that proved the abuse happened was not admitted on the second trial was a total breach of the brothers rights to a fair trial. Shame on that judge and prosecutor. Free them!
Agreed! It's time for the masses to understand the psychological and emotional trauma that is caused by such egregious and long-term sexual abuse of children, particularly by a family member.
@@schoomzer Yes, it literally fractures somone's soul. They killed them in self defense, being threatened with sexual assault is just as criminal as being threatened with death. People askobg if the father "threatened to kill them" as if that was the only action that warranted a life threatening measures need to wake up.
Politicians. They are voted into those robes. Give them a robe….everyone thought they were Gods, back then. They’re nothing more than lawyers who brown nosed enough to be voted.
I remember this case and i remember thinking something is definitely very wrong here and the two brothers seemed genuinely abused. So sad this happened to them... their lives were pretty much stolen away from them twice. Their parents stole the first half of their lives and the justice system stole the second half.
I agree. A year ago I'd read about the new evidence in this case. Before that, I just went with the official narrative that the brothers m urdered for money. I had not heard otherwise. I completely believe the boys were molested and abused. I think they should be released and receive the inheritance from their monster father and enabler mother, too. They should have only served a maximum of 12 years. They've had their entire life stolen from them. If I lived closer I would go visit them in prison. So sad.
@@mweber5459 , That's exactly my thoughts. Absolutely no reason for those grown adults to keep living with "abusive" parents, especially if it was bad enough to brutally murder them. Move the heck out, report it to the police, file a civil lawsuit. Not to mention every story has 2 sides and dead people can't defend themselves against unsubstantiated allegations.
No , it’s horrible what these kids did to their parents!! They were so happy after the murders, the brothers spent a lot of money and were partying !! Why !? Kill mom !?
STILL.... THEY COMMITTED MURDER, THEY MURDERED THEIR MOTHER TOO SO,,, NO ONE SHOULD GET AWAY WITH MURDER. PERIOD THEY HAD OTHER CHOICES THAT THEY COULD HAVE MADE.. THEY NEED TO STAY IN JAIL.
@@unoimright5153how easy to just stand with the abusive elders. And be convinced that their victims should have pretend to grieve the atrocious parents when they had been craving for freedom and safety from the very beginning of their lives. At least, these two young brothers saved other kids from their psychopathic father. You could have been one of these kids. And this man could have ending murdering his family as well. You POV is quite narrow minded : what would have happened if these degenerate parents were still alive, knowing how dangerous the father was ?
@@Souxie123The Mendez Bros, story has changed many times , but you believe them !? Lmfao ! Narrow minded and gullible ! The jury didn’t buy it but but but you just know that these two convicted murderer’s are telling the truth !! You haven’t even seen the evidence against these brothers, you haven’t watched the trials but but but you just know that the Mendez Bros wouldn’t lie ! These Bros. spent 700,000 in the months after they murdered their parents! Because, they were so sad and traumatized! Get out of here, FACTS OVER FEELINGS
Las victimas siempre fueron esos pobres muchachos reaccionaron asi artos de vivir tantas barbaridades por parte de esos padres cochinos monstruos ojala se aga justicia y para Roy tambien esos violadores tienen que pagar
@@studiosinger It also does not even make sense, because if the dad is abusing you, what reason is there for killing the mom? Oh they say she must have known, but in what world does her knowing mean they get a pass for murdering her? It is clear why they killed the mom, because if the dad dies she gets all the money, but if she dies too, then they get the money. They killed for money, and nothing else. People are just dumb to believe they were abused. Also, if he had been telling his cousin about the abuse, then how come the cousin never said anything about it? Then they mysteriously find an old letter, that I think we all know is not an old letter. Ink has changed in the past 30 years, and I bet if they test the ink it has chemicals init that did not exist in ink 30 years ago. No doubt in my mind if they win a new trial, the thing that will ruin their case is the ink in that letter. Yes the state will test the ink if they have to try the case again, and then their case falls apart.
@@studiosinger Do you remember how old they were when the murders happened, the kids. I was wondering why they didn't move out. I don't know the whole story I was young when this happened.
This is absolutely one of the saddest case I've ever heard. If a stranger had committed just a fraction of what their father did to them...both men would have been not just acquitted but probably never even been prosecuted. Why is it ok to defend yourself from a stranger but not from a family member!!! Those boys were tortured from their father from the time they were children thru young adulthood...and then sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment! Set these men free!!
I don't think they killed him out of anger. They killed him because they were terrified of him! They killed him in self defense. This letter proves it!!
@@yourkeysre being locked up in a closet sounds awful but not quite the same as being raped by your father hundreds of times while your mother allowed it...rape fractures people's souls to a different degree.
Absolutely. And they were misread. Ok so they spent money after the murders. They were young, immature and finally liberated from abusers. They were dealing with ptsd and not making great decisions. They high-fived each other in court, again, it boiled down to being relieved that hell was over with and they were able to tell their story.
I hope their parents who committed these horrible abuses are burning in hell!!!! How could any mother allow anyone to abuse, especially sexual abusing her boys, 😠
@@dianazhora7357 Exactly and you know what, they were spoiled brats too and of course they liked the money. But Lyle would have had a bright future ahead of him, probably in politics and as a business owner. No doubt about that. He had zero motive involving money. The only motive left was this. I feel that they basically put Kitty out of her misery. Since they were their parents and they had no choice but to love them instinctively, they will regret their choice every day. Especially Erik, since their mother hated him less. And who would have believed them back then? Besides that it would have been economic suicide to ruin their fathers career, the shame was too big. It would be the same if Barron Trump would go to the police saying he was raped by Donald Trump. People would think it must be a weird anger issues of a spoiled brat.
When you see what they are trying to normalize in our society today, it makes me wonder if they knew they were innocent the whole time. They wanted to make what happened to them normal and make defending themselves the crime. Is that not what's happening today in society? They've been perpetuating and indoctrinating society in a very deceptive way for eons! Just more proof of it right here. 3 decades later and we clearly see that Jeffery Epstein, Royalty, politicians, heads of state and celebrities have gotten away with the same disgusting, vile, horrific crimes! Their attorney is full of 💩 if he believes things would have gone better for them in a court of law today! Seems to me they needed a better lawyer!!
Always believe children first! Some desperate women will do anything to keep a man, including sacrificing their children. It’s disgusting but takes a lot of courage for a child to speak out. Kids NEED support!
Let's be morbidly realistic. Them boys saved a lot of other young boys from being abused by their dad. He would have never stopped his pedo ways, even if they left.
The letter was not admitted in the first trial which makes a case for a new trial. They can authenticate the age of the ink and handwriting. There is also a band member of Menudo who stepped forward and let it be known he was raped by their father.
@@dinolemma She never protected them. What they did was wrong; I don’t condone it, but they have been in prison for 30 years. They are not a danger to society.
Even if this is true and the father was raping them, you still can't murder someone who is not an immediate threat and then there was no reason to murder the mother too. Those guys are murders and deserve to spend the rest of their life in prison.
My best friend was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was a teenager and her mom knew. Her mom did nothing about it so she went and live with her dad. Her father never believed her either. In her dad's home she suffered mental abuse by her stepmother. The only ones that believed her where us, her two best friends. We could not help her although we tried, she was depressed and suicidal. (I know that now, we didn't notice then because she was always the life of the party always making other people laugh) She eventually married a guy who was abusive too and at some point had to run away with her infant son. Eventually she killed herself leaving two young boys. It descusses me that people like that exist and the sooner they leave the better. They are all still here while she's gone. These boys have suffered enough if indeed there is proof of abuse give them a chance.🙏
So sorry your poor dear friend and her now motherless children. I hope you are her voice for her for justice and her other friends and tell the police. Just heart breaking ! While you couldnt help her then you certainly can now xxx
i was very young when i remember this in the news. I watched the whole 2 trials and i fell im my heart it wasnt about the money. Thats what everyone was saying when i was young. People need to see all not what they see in headlines and not seeing the whole picture
This was so incredibly sad. A very very long time to lose, yet thank God for those rare opportunities where we can correct our mistakes. Even still, many do not take male sexual abuse & rape as seriously as it should be
The letter doesn't prove anything if the murder was premeditated. A murderer can just write a letter to someone else saying anything. That someone is beating them, molesting them, etc.
Kitty was one in many "moms" who hide their husband's SA of their children, which in itself makes them part take of the act as well. Criminals are not just murderers
I think the Menendez Brothers should have been charged with Manslaughter, not what they got served with. The judge cheated the Menendez brothers. They were in complete fear of their lives.
May GOD help these men who did what they did to protect themselves. Nobody was their to protect them not even their mother…OMG. Many families hide 🫣 and protect abusive family members for whatever twisted sense of loyalty. SHAME ON THEM . 🤦🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙏🏽😢
I can't believe that parents would treat their children as the Menendez, mother and father would treat their children in the manner in which treated, if the parents really and truly loves their children. I believe Lyle and Eric told the truth about the abuse they endured.
These poor traumatized boys. I believed them then and still do now. Traumatized and still being punished by society sitting in prison for being innocent victims. As an abuse victim myself, I think a lot of abusive parents need to count their lucky stars that they didn't meet the same fate
I don’t believe these guys were raped. They killed their parents cold blooded and cash out on their parents money. They bought themselves sport cars, they went out on a spending spree.I even remember them laughing during the trial. I hope they stay in prison for the rest of their lives.
So, are they implying that sexual abuse excuses cold-bloodily gunning down two unarmed people in their home, watching TV? And why would a man's claim of sexual abuse be immediately believed, when women's claims are not?
It would have been so much easier to believe the brothers back then if they hadn't gone on a spending spree and lived it up like crazy immediately after their parents were murdered. Now I realize that they could do what they wanted to do without fear for the first time in their lives then - euphoric with relief that the abuse was over. To me, they seemed like entitled brats who didn't want to wait for their inheritance.
These "kids" are older than their father was at the time of the murder 😢 also we didn't speak of such things at that time, much of this kind of thing was still stuck in the heads of these victims/survivors. This kind of thing doesn't come out until years decades later & sometimes never at all😭
Jose had power in the music industry. There's no way they'd let his sons off the hook and open a can of worms in the music industry. The worst was the media, whom played this as a game constantly showing the eldest smirking and playing it as cockiness. Their attorney didn't help as those were the days of LA Law and she dressed and played into being made a TV persona and not a proper lawyer. This was all a shambles and the case needs to be reopen.
I seem to be the sole commenter that doesn’t buy into it. The letter could have been staged. Those two losers were out spending their parents money right after the deaths. They blew their mother’s face off. The lying brothers with their spoiled smirks. Giggling in the courtroom. Leslie having them wear little boy cardigans. The only victims, to me, are Kitty and Jose.
There are some other commenters who have your point of view. I do also. I will never forget that these two brothers found out that their parents were excluding them from their will. Their disbelief and anger made them kill their parents. Period. But a really good defense attorney will always bring out the baloney sandwiches. And the fools love eating them.
People writing, there is no excuse for killing parents who sexually abused you, are people who don't actually kniw what abuse is. It's easy to judge when you haven't experienced abuse in your life. Just imagine being in their shoes. What would you do?!!
They are right where they belong. Eric is such a liar, conniver and his parents are the victims but they’re not here to defend themselves because this two spoiled young men shot them to pieces and they are 6 feet under in the back of a cemetery in N.J. They had the best legal defense and were found guilty. Now are we going to let them out ? Do you want them for your neighbor? I work in maximum security prisons as a psychiatric nurse and never met a guilty prisoner. They all have excuses for what they did……..
If I committed and act which landed me in jail or prison I could only hope someone would care about me enough to continue researching my case, such as the people did in this situation. 😢 What a blessing.
you need to listen to more of these stories because i promise you they would have been killed themselves by the dad. unless you have been through this please do not judge
The mother abused the older boy as well. Watch his testimony. Multiple relatives have also testified that she used to increase the volume of the TV while the monster, they call their father, abused them.
When I was four years old, a ten year old neighbor boy sexually assaulted me. My mother told me not to do it anymore. The boy continued to assault me for the next three years. I didn't say anything because I didn't want my mother's disapproval. 1954 - 1957.
I work with SA trafficking victims. This case makes me sick because these brothers planned the murder, celebrated after the deaths, and they may be SA victims, but they had alternatives. This is a murder case. There's no self-defense when they busted in a home and shot people to death and those people didn't get their day on court.
Since their father was an executive he never would’ve been arrested or been in court for what he did. It would’ve been swept under the rug like every other celebrity/ executive for decades, if it ever came out at all.
@Amy Homicide is not ok. They could have sued the sh!t out of those parents. Abuse is wrong, and so is murder. This could have been a high-profile case that put the perp behind Bars.
I wonder if people are going to start saying why the Menudo band member never came out when the sexual abuse happened to him? Just like they tell women why they dont say anything years later.
These 2 men should be released they never should have been convicted in the 1st place. It is hard to imagine that a parent could do that to a child but It happens.2 of my best girlfriends growing up who I spend a lot of time with the mother is boyfriend was sexually abusing them for years and the mother ignored it This all came out when I was in my early 20's & I along w/ everyone was shocked!
Did your friends murder their abuser? No, they got away from him and moved on with their lives. The brothers’ abuse was horrific, but they chose to murder their parents instead of leaving. They were old enough to leave and they had each other. Murder wasn’t the answer.
These two grown men could've left their parent's home at anytime. They murdered them. They're guilty. Self defense would be if this happened during or just prior to an attack
@@stephaniecrow7387 Well Stephanie Cow they had to experience being abused not only mentally but sexually too since they were CHILDREN don’t you realize that their mind was molded into believing that their sick of a farther was going kill them if they spoke out. They’ve been in prison for over 30 years while others have done much worse serving very few years.
Does anyone remember when Erick was done on a Tennis Game or Tournament, and Erick did not meet the Father's expectations? They were staying in a Hotel, with another Couple (supposedly family members), the Father told The Parties and Wife, that He woukd meet them later for Dinner. THE Monster Father went in to Ericks Room and Raped Him, to make him pay for not meeting his expectations, and Erick had to go without Dinner. That in itself shattered me by only Listening to it. There was a Witness to testify to that. This Conviction was a Total Disgrace. So much for The Laws.!!!
Anyone know why the cousin did not speak up on the Menedez letter before he passed away? I really don't think that the brothers' cousin would have forgotten about such an explosive letter.
A lot of killers have reasons why they went left. That does not make the murders acceptable and does not make them innocent. We’re they in imminent danger when their parents were watching tv? Premeditated! Popular demand does not mean they should be let out. Self defense my ass!
They were victims and in today society they would have been free by now. I'm sorry you live in a sad world. But do some research on how abuse affects the developing brain.
I don't understand how the Menendez bros. got life when other people have committed multiple felonies and they have possiblity of parole when they finally kill someone
These were men when they murdered there parents so why were they still living at home if they were being abused? Why did they not get jobs and leave and get a place of there own? Why were they still living off there parents?
Ideally that would have been a choice, but when you’re rped & violently beaten by your father since you were a child, your mother knows but enables it, your cousins/aunts & uncles know/your parent’s friends know and your father is rich & powerful & threatens to find you kill you since you were a small child and all the people who know don’t seem to think it’s wrong, you might not feel like there’s any hope of being free, of anyone believing you or even caring… because no one did. They were raised to be sex toys and torture toys for their father since childhood & everyone around them knew but acted as if it was simply normal life. It would affect how you think.
