This Investigation Discovery programme re-examines the trial of Joseph Lyle and Erik Galen Menéndez, who were jailed for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez. The episode promises a fresh perspective on the case, including an interview with Lyle Menendez, as it explores how the media handled the story and the original news coverage.
On August 20, 1989, José and Kitty Menendez were found shot dead in their Beverly Hills home. Their son, Lyle, made a hysterical call to 911, claiming that his parents had been killed. The brothers’ trial began in 1993 and attracted significant media attention due to the family’s wealth, the gruesome nature of the killings, and the defence’s strategy.
At the centre of the trial were conflicting narratives. The prosecution argued that the brothers murdered their parents to inherit their father’s multimillion-dollar estate. In contrast, the defence contended that the brothers acted out of fear and self-preservation, claiming that their father had sexually, emotionally, and physically abused them for years.
With their defence lawyer, Leslie Abramson, the brothers maintained their innocence, stating that they committed the murders because they believed their father would kill them after they threatened to expose the abuse. Lyle was arrested in March 1990, and Erik turned himself in three days later.
The programme, airing on Friday, September 20, 2024, at 9:00 PM, examines the intense courtroom drama and the media’s role in shaping public perception of the case, providing a different viewpoint that questions whether the brothers were monsters or misjudged.
Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged? airs on Investigation Discovery on Friday, September 20, 2024, at 9:00 PM.
