Kim Kardashian: Free the Menendez brothers

We are all products of our experiences. They shape who we were, who we are and who we will be. Physiologically and psychologically, time changes us, and I doubt anyone would claim to be the same person they were at 18. I know that’s not me!

You think you know the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez. I certainly believed this: In 1989, the brothers, aged 21 and 18 respectively, brutally shot and killed their parents in their Beverly Hills home. In 1996, after two trials, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As is often the case, this story is much more complex than it seems at first glance. Both brothers said they were sexually, physically and emotionally abused by their parents for years. According to Lyle, the abuse began when he was just six years old, and Erik said he was raped by his father for more than a decade. After years of abuse and a real fear for their lives, Erik and Lyle chose what they believed at the time was their only way out – an unimaginable way to escape their nightmare.

Their first trial was heard by two separate jurors, one for each brother. Her allegations of abuse formed the basis of her defense, with family members testifying on her behalf. After hearing this evidence, more than half of the 24 jurors voted not guilty on the murder charge, leading to hopelessly deadlocked juries and mistrials that were widely viewed as a blow to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.

Soon the Menendez brothers’ case would continue amidst another high-profile murder case being prosecuted by the same prosecutor’s office. More than four months after the Menendez mistrial, OJ Simpson was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Then, eight days after Simpson’s acquittal, opening statements began in the second trial of Erik and Lyle.

This time, however, the judge had changed the rules: Both brothers were tried together before a single jury, much of the abuse evidence was deemed inadmissible, and manslaughter was no longer an option. Some witnesses at the first trial were not allowed to testify about the alleged abuse, depriving the jury of important evidence. The prosecutor, who successfully fought to exclude testimony about abuse, ridiculed the brothers’ defense in his closing argument for failing to provide evidence of abuse.

Her lawyer has since explained that the judge’s decisions were essentially a “targeted” ruling. And so the brothers were condemned. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and remained in prison for almost 35 years. Your only way out of prison now is death.

The first trial was televised for all to see, and Erik and Lyle’s case became entertainment for the nation, their suffering and stories of abuse ridiculed in skits on “Saturday Night Live.” The media turned the brothers into monsters and sensational eye candy – two arrogant, rich kids from Beverly Hills who killed their parents out of greed. There was no room for empathy, let alone sympathy.

Against this background, Erik and Lyle had no chance of a fair trial. Back then, there were limited resources for victims of sexual abuse, particularly boys. There were virtually no survivor support systems in place, and public awareness of the trauma of men’s sexual abuse was minimal and often clouded by preconceived judgments and homophobia. Can anyone seriously deny that the justice system would have treated the Menendez? sisters milder? Despite overwhelming family statements acknowledging the abuse Erik and Lyle suffered, the public remained skeptical. Erik and Lyle were robbed of their childhood by their parents and then denied any chance by a criminal justice system that wanted to punish them without considering the context or understanding the “why” and without caring whether the punishment fit the crime Deprived of liberty convicted before the trial even began.

According to Erik and Lyle, their parents had physically, sexually and emotionally abused them since childhood, and their father repeatedly raped them when they were young boys. Many people believe the crimes the brothers committed are unforgivable – but what about the decades of alleged abuse they suffered as children?

I spent time with Lyle and Erik; They are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent and honest men. Both have an exemplary disciplinary record in prison. They have earned multiple college degrees, worked as hospice caregivers for elderly incarcerated people, and served as mentors in college programs—all with the goal of giving back to others. When I visited the prison three weeks ago, one of the guards told me that he would feel comfortable having them as neighbors. Twenty-four family members, including their parents’ siblings, have released statements fully supporting Lyle and Erik and have respectfully called for their release through the justice system.

The murders are inexcusable. I want to make that clear. Nor their behavior before, during or after the crime. But we shouldn’t deny who they are today in their 50s. The trial and sentence these brothers received was more consistent with a serial killer than two people who endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of the very people they loved and trusted. I don’t think spending her entire natural life in prison was the right punishment for this complex case. Had this crime been committed and brought to justice today, I believe the outcome would have been completely different. I also strongly believe that they were denied a fair second trial and that the exclusion of crucial abuse evidence denied Erik and Lyle the opportunity to fully present their case, further undermining the fairness of their sentencing.

With their case back in the spotlight – and in light of the revelation of a 1988 letter from Erik to his cousin describing the abuse – I hope Erik and Lyle Menendez’s life sentences will be reconsidered.

We owe it to the little boys who lost their childhood and never had the chance to be heard, helped or saved.