Let’s be honest, we’ve probably not thought of the Menendez brothers in over thirty years as they wiled away hour long minutes in a same sex full security prison, mostly without each other. Most of us probably forgot as OJ Simpson took to the stand and captivated the world with his expensive legal protection and far fetched get out of jail free theories. As OJ walked free, Lyle and Kyle could only rely on Pro Bono work from someone they’d obviously impressed, yet this wasn’t the ideal solution to get them out of this legal mess.
A hung jury in the first instance should surely count for something, maybe it counted for them still being alive today and not strapped to an electric chair or remembered as a penultimate gas chamber victim. Either way, they needed better, stronger, pumped up representation the second time round, as apathy had grown with us ever fickle public people and so double the efforts were needed, not half but then beggars can’t be choosers they can only be losers.
I cried for the first time since losing my mum when watching the dramatised events. Not because of the well written story, as it was crafted in a compelling way that was confusing and con fuddling leaving us all wondering who the writer actually believed. I cried when they split, when the brothers were separated, this tore through my heart and made me want to punch the screen. Those people in power who make these decisions on other’s lives like this on a moral high ground whim. It’s barbaric, insane, it needs looking at again and again.
In case you’re still insure, I, member of the viewing public, find the defendants, not guilty.
When I’ve relayed this to friends they’ve asked questions, popped plot holes in my theories and come at me with evidence to the contrary, yet I stand my ground. These are the questions friends ask when I staunchly stand my ground on the Menendez brother’s innocence.
If Lyle Menendez is Not Guilty, Why Did He Say All That Stuff Over the Phone?
This, to me, as an abuse survivor is obvious, and will be to any endurer of abuse too. Lyle was attracted to Norma, she penetrated his defences, he wanted to impress her. You do not impress a girl (especially in the early nineties) by telling them you had sexual relations with your father and brother, consensual or not. You do not want the person you’re falling in love with to picture you in those scenarios, so you put on a front, you act confident, in control, narcissistic even, anything is better than being the scared little child who is battered and bruises emotionally and physically, the broken infant, the unstable adult, anything. This is what Lyle was doing, it’s what we all do. It’s make believe but it keeps us sane, especially in times of boredom when your own head has the capability of destroying you from within.
Why Did Lyle Go On About How He Convinced the Jury With His Acting Skills?
A victim (I hate that word, but there we have it) does not want their nearest and dearest to see their vulnerabilities so why on earth would they want strangers who are there literally to judge their every word, every nuance, every nose itch, to penetrate that barrier too? From the very beginning both brothers would have had it drilled into them how important is was to identify with the jury, to gain sympathy, to make eye contact, to do a million different things that are completely natural in normal conversations between adults, but they would need to remember every single one. Here’s the kicker too. If they don’t remember all the pieces of this complex puzzle, if they brush their hair from their eyes while looking sideways at the wrong junction, or they scratch their nose on the wrong adjective, they don’t just receive a failed grade, they are sentenced to death. Now try to imagine that. If your next conversation with your neighbour doesn’t leave your neighbour feeling fully satisfied, at ease, relaxed, confident and convinced you are an angel, you face the death penalty. Now turn that one neighbour into 12. Can you make them all feel like that? If you felt you’d passed the test and achieved the impossible, while escaping death, not just for you but for the person you love most in the world too, how would you feel? Jubilant, boastful, happy, confident, relieved, celebratory, maybe a little bragging? Maybe some talk on how you won one over when you didn’t think you would? This is exactly how it would go, this is exactly how it did pan out yet Lyle is persecuted for being human.
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Why Didn’t the Brother’s Tell Dr Oziel About the Abuse When Confessing the Murder or Before?
We know why they didn’t discuss the abuse beforehand, their mother and father received transcripts of every session. They were told that in no circumstances should they reveal their family secrets. Dr Oziel was not the most trustworthy therapist and was often blind by money and bright lights, meaning he’d most likely be on the parents side should anything of that nature come to light.
At the time of the confession the brothers had no idea they’d need to make a defence. They weren’t thinking about the future. Dr Oziel was still untrustworthy but more than this, they were still hoping to keep the secret of the abuse safe. Neither wanted anyone to know about what had happened with their father, their mother. Remember, it’s 1989, this is era when gay people were vilified, spat on in the streets, blamed for HIV and AIDS, the world had not developed empathy towards homosexuality, the world still accepted that parents beat their children mercilessly, two alpha male brothers did not want their dirty secrets revealed to this unforgiving era, ever. However, as it became clear that they’d need a reason or be shown to the gas chamber, as discussions between attorneys became more detailed, more intimate, details emerged. Once out of the bag it couldn’t be put back and so the Menendez brothers had to bravely share this with every judgemental juror and a courtroom full of strangers in a time when they’d be considered not as victims, but as dirty, disgusting, damaged individuals that deserved nothing more than a little pity.
Why Did the Menendez Brothers Go On a Spending Spree After Murdering their Parents?
In this article, I talk of how I believe the Menendez brothers to be innocent of first degree murder, I do not, however, say they are innocent of being spoiled little rich kids. Back then all they knew was money and they probably had little regard for the value of it. They were materialistic, they loved the finer things in life, money equalled happiness. Money equalled grief elimination, or so they thought. All I saw, in the series anyhow, was two brothers using everything at their disposal to forget what they’d done, to move on with their lives, to convince themselves they’d made the right choice, to show each other that life really was better without mum and dad in it. They were young, they were not without their faults, they were infallible, they were human, they were suffering grief, PTSD, trauma and year’s of brain washing and conditioning. They should not be judged at all on their actions following the death of their parents, whether they had a hand in it or not. Since being in jail both have come full circle, helping others, using their name to make things happen for those less fortunate. Giving a voice to other abuse victims. They have grown up.
If you are still convinced of the Menendez brother’s guilt and have more questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I’ll try to answer them here.
Monsters is currently streaming on Netflix and a documentary about the Menendez brothers is to be released on October 7th.
