CA - Court upholds Menendez brothers' convictions

[LinasK]

I to am a SA survivor. And I didn't murder my abuser either. It was a family member and the way it was dealt with was to banish this person from our family. I believe it was the way things of this nature was handled years ago. It did nothing to help me. And so as a child I some how blocked it out of my memory until way later in my life. And then I started my family and had my children. That's when the monster of remembering reared it's ugly head. I lived in fear that it could happen to my children for no reason other than it happened to me. I eventually sought out therapy and it was a long road to get to a place of some kind of peace of mind. But the rage I felt was and to some degree still feel at times to this day is so overwhelmingly horrific. This was a one time incident.
I can't imagine a child suffering on going SA for most of their young life. It was rage!
It was what those parents did to those boys that produced the end result. And no I don't condone murder, but I do think they have spent enough time in he!! and in jail.
And not allowing any of this to be part of their trial was a miscarriage of justice.

Me three. Family member and one-time and still traumatized by it, but never murdered anyone.

 

[suspicious]

Then why go to the house?

This kids were not raised to be independent.

 

[MrsWatson]

This kids were not raised to be independent.

These "kids" were 18 and 21. Although that age is a kid to me, they were still legal adults. Able to vote, join the military, marry, sign legal contracts. And I do know the brain does not reach maturity until about 25, but that does not mean someone under 25 is not considered an adult in the eyes of the law.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Baralt recalled something that Lyle said to her in a 2006 letter.

“He said, ‘I need you to understand that I recognize my actions are your own personal tragedy and I know I can never take it back, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it better,’” Baralt said

Menendez family criticizes LA district attorney for opposing brothers' new trial

Cousins of Erik and Lyle Menendez spoke out to criticize the Los Angeles district attorney's recent decision to oppose a new trial for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who have spent nearly 30 years in prison for the 1989 killing of their parents.

www.newsday.com

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

The family's virtual press conference.

 

[Noirdame79]

These "kids" were 18 and 21. Although that age is a kid to me, they were still legal adults. Able to vote, join the military, marry, sign legal contracts. And I do know the brain does not reach maturity until about 25, but that does not mean someone under 25 is not considered an adult in the eyes of the law.

The brain isn't fully developed until age 25.

 

[MrsWatson]

The brain isn't fully developed until age 25.

These "kids" were 18 and 21. Although that age is a kid to me, they were still legal adults. Able to vote, join the military, marry, sign legal contracts. And I do know the brain does not reach maturity until about 25, but that does not mean someone under 25 is not considered an adult in the eyes of the law.

BBM

 

[Noirdame79]

BBM

People who come from abusive families, especially incestuous families, do not develop normally. Their development is compromised. Dr. Ann Burgess (yes, the Dr. Ann Burgess) did an excellent job of explaining this in the first trial. In addition to being an FBI criminal profiler and a psychiatric nurse who specializes in treating CSA victims, she is also a crime scene analyst. She examined the crime scene and determined that it was a unplanned killing.

Being an an adult under the law does not necessarily mean that one is an adult mentally, psychologically or emotionally. Both brothers were determined to be emotionally younger than their chronological ages - 8 and 10 years old respectively.

 

[Noirdame79]

There is no way to know if the police would have belived them or not, since they never tried. And I find it highly unlikely that neither one of these young men had a friend who's couch they could have crashed on while they were getting on their feet financially? A cheap motel? The YMCA? We won't know, since they never tried.

As far as people who have been SA'd in childhood, I was. I did not go on to murder my abuser.

One of the police detectives, the late Les Zoeller, stated when he was interviewed for the 2017 docuseries, "Erik Tells All" that he and his fellow officers did not believe the sexual abuse when it was brought up at the first trial because Jose was married and having affairs with women. So I can safely say that Lyle and Erik would not have been believed if they tried to go to the police. Jose's wealth and status would have made things harder for them on top of it.

<modsnip - personalizing>

 

[Noirdame79]

Me three. Family member and one-time and still traumatized by it, but never murdered anyone.

Again, not every situation is the same. Every perpetrator is different, and every victim is different.

 

[LinasK]

People who come from abusive families, especially incestuous families, do not develop normally. Their development is compromised. Dr. Ann Burgess (yes, the Dr. Ann Burgess) did an excellent job of explaining this in the first trial. In addition to being an FBI criminal profiler and a psychiatric nurse who specializes in treating CSA victims, she is also a crime scene analyst. She examined the crime scene and determined that it was a unplanned killing.

Being an an adult under the law does not necessarily mean that one is an adult mentally, psychologically or emotionally. Both brothers were determined to be emotionally younger than their chronological ages - 8 and 10 years old respectively.

Even if that's true, even an 8 year old knows wrong from right and that killing is wrong. They still deserve to be behind bars.

 

[Noirdame79]

Even if that's true, even an 8 year old knows wrong from right and that killing is wrong. They still deserve to be behind bars.

And they have been, since 1990. This was a manslaughter case, and should have been prosecuted as such.

 

[LinasK]

And they have been, since 1990. This was a manslaughter case, and should have been prosecuted as such.

I disagree. Going and buying guns is premeditation, first-degree murder, not manslaughter. Manslaughter is usually a horrible accident. IMO they haven't done enough time. They should be in there for life.

 

[Catmommy]

Truth in sentencing. Uphold the decisions of the courts.

 

[Noirdame79]

Truth in sentencing. Uphold the decisions of the courts.

The sentencing should not be upheld because the trial was rigged and the jurors were not allowed to hear all the evidence. Some later said that had they been aware of the family history before deliberating, they would not have voted for first-degree murder.

 

[LinasK]

The sentencing should not be upheld because the trial was rigged and the jurors were not allowed to hear all the evidence. Some later said that had they been aware of the family history before deliberating, they would not have voted for first-degree murder.

How was it "rigged"? Why did it take so many years to bring it up on appeal then? That's a mitigating factor, not one used in conviction.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Lyle and Erik Menendez's upcoming court hearing postponed amid brothers' ongoing bid for freedom

A previously scheduled court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez that was initially set for March 20 and 21 has been postponed.

abc7.com

A previously scheduled court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez that was initially set for later this month has been postponed.

The two-day hearing had been expected to be held on March 20 and 21. A new date was not immediately announced.

 

[Swarley]

Lyle and Erik Menendez's upcoming court hearing postponed amid brothers' ongoing bid for freedom

A previously scheduled court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez that was initially set for March 20 and 21 has been postponed.

abc7.com

A previously scheduled court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez that was initially set for later this month has been postponed.

The two-day hearing had been expected to be held on March 20 and 21. A new date was not immediately announced.

That’s strange. 03/20/2025 and 03/21/2025 are still listed under “Future Proceedings” on the docket on the LA Court website. I suppose it’s possible the docket hasn’t been updated yet. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[LinasK]

That’s strange. 03/20/2025 and 03/21/2025 are still listed under “Future Proceedings” on the docket on the LA Court website. I suppose it’s possible the docket hasn’t been updated yet. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Check back on Monday and let us know. It's been my experience that dockets aren't updated on weekends.

 

[Swarley]

Check back on Monday and let us know. It's been my experience that dockets aren't updated on weekends.

It should be noted that the LA Court website disclaimer says that information obtained from the site does not constitute the official record of the court. I’d assumed that news that came out Tuesday would have found its way to the (unofficial) court record by Friday, but apparently things don’t work that way. Just have to keep waiting.