Menendez Brothers Update: When it Rains it Pours
It’s been 30 years since I served as Juror #9 on Erik’s first jury.
In that time I’ve observed lengthy periods of drought when it comes to public interest in the Menendez brothers murder case.
But when it rains it pours, and we’re currently experiencing a flash flood.
This time, the interest of media outlets worldwide has been piqued by the combination of the possibility of the brothers being freed after all these years and the long-awaited release of the new Netflix Monsters Season 2 series.
I’m writing this post partly for my own convenience, because I still get asked questions. This is easier for me than posting separately about each thing and relying on the whims of the social media algorithms to spread the word. Also, if you know me in person, it lets you know what I’ve been up to in this regard.
Here’s what’s happening:
Will the Menendez brothers be freed?
9/27/24 UPDATE: Yet another extension has been granted, to November. Keep reading to see what this means.
Many recent article headlines are asking this question. Why? Because the brothers’ attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus in May 2023 to have the case re-examined in light of new evidence. The ruling has been pushed out several times since then. There are legal and political issues preventing a quick decision. Each time the deadline approaches and the court asks for more time I think: Well, at least it wasn’t a NO.
Even if they get a YES, though, it won’t be a yes to automatically letting them out of prison. It will be a yes to proceed with the legal process. It could still take time to resolve all the issues. Fingers crossed that we’ll get good news! If Lyle and Erik had been convicted of manslaughter, instead of murder, the maximum sentence would have been 22 years each. Which, considering they were arrested in early 1990, means they would have been free twelve (or more) years ago. Free to live their lives and free to be assets to society, as they have been to their prison communities all these years.
When you hear the phrase “new evidence”, well, it depends on how much attention you’ve been paying to the case whether or not anything is new. The letter from Erik to his cousin Andy that you may have heard about was not discovered recently but it also was never presented at court. So, in all the articles that mention the habeas petition, it is referred to as “new”. And the fact that ex-Menudo member Roy Rossello has publicly and legally claimed that he was abused by Jose Menendez as a boy is also “new”. His story was told in the May 2023 three-part Peacock documentary: Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed. (A juror-approved production.)
New TV Series
9/27/24 UPDATE: Sadly, it turns out I was right to be worried. No one that I respect has had anything good to say about the series. In fact, the family asked that no one watch it, as a means of sending a message to Netflix. They even put out a statement denouncing it for a number of reasons I won’t go into here. Is producer Ryan Murphy the real monster? Did he really have to indulge his imagination when there are already plenty of true salacious details available to work with? Did he have to do this concurrently with their case being reviewed for possibly the last time? At the same time, though, many who are new to the case find themselves sympathetic to the brothers and have expressed interested in finding out more. Go figure. As for me, why would I spend 9 hours watching a piece of fiction that does not represent the truth as I know it?
I’ve been dreading the release of the new Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ever since they announced in May 2023. Why? Because it’s a dramatization. Fiction. Not a documentary. (Not that I approve of all documentaries.)
No one outside the production knew for sure how much creative license they were exercising. I mean, someone had to be the titular monsters, right? The trailers implied that actors Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny would portray Jose and Kitty as the monsters that I think they were. But that did not preclude Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch from also portraying Lyle and Erik as monsters. Even if they, in the end, are seen as sympathetic characters, it makes a difference whether they are shown planning the killings (murder) or killing in the heat of the moment (manslaughter).
If I never watch it, this would not the first dramatization that I have boycotted. The first two television movies were produced during the first trial! How accurate could they have been?
If you want to see a juror-approved dramatization, and haven’t yet, watch Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. It’s available on a number of streaming services by now.
New Documentary
9/27/24 UPDATE: The date was changed from 10/9 to 10/7. Not that it really matters, because it will remain available on Netflix.
Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the new documentary by director Alejandro Hartmann called “The Menendez Brothers”. (Also Netflix but completely unrelated to Monsters.) I received a nice note from one of the producers:
“I am reaching out to say thank you so much for helping us to tell this story about the Menendez brothers case. The film will be released October 9th 7th on Netflix (October 2nd in Canada). You will begin to see marketing material trickling out to the public starting September 23rd. We are incredibly grateful that you were willing to speak with us on this subject and look forward to finally bringing this out to audiences.”
I was interviewed in my home for several hours in late 2022 for this one — and I will definitely be watching! Both Lyle and Erik participated in this one. While you are waiting, take a look at some of the other juror-approved documentaries and other resources on Hazel’s Top Menendez Media Picks. I hope this new one makes the list!
Another New Documentary?
I know nothing about this one… unless, of course, I know everything about it. It’s called Menendez Brothers: Murder by Media and it starts Saturday, September 21st on Crime + Investigation UK.
Based on the show description and the similar artwork, I think it must be a UK airing of the excellent documentary that was released in the US on March 25, 2024 — FOX Nation, Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains, four 30-minute episodes. (There was also a possibly-bootleg copy on YouTube last time I checked.) This one is different. Yes, I’m in it, and I like it especially because instead of rehashing the details of the crime it explores how the media shaped the public narrative of the case in the 90s and how unfair the second trial was.
. . 
New Articles
9/27/24 UPDATE: I have seen more thoughtful articles about this case in the past week than in the previous 30 years! If you don’t believe me, just Google “Menendez Brothers”, select Tools, and narrow your results to the past week (or month or year, depending on when you read this post). The Australian article was picked up by multiple foreign outlets. It’s weird to see articles about me in Italian, and for writers I’ve never heard of to claim I gave them an exclusive interview for publications I’ve also never heard of.
I’ve been interviewed for two articles that are supposedly coming out soon. Both are for foreign publications (UK and Australia). But there’s no point in going into detail because things change! One freelance article already fell through. Sometimes they tell me when and where articles appear online. Others I don’t find out about until much later.
I can’t (and don’t care to) read every Menendez article in the world. If you don’t have Google Alerts set up (like I do) you would have no way of knowing just how many there are! Most of them are crap — poorly written, AI-generated, full of recycled errors and myths from 30 years ago. But once in a while there’s a good one. Like this one which appeared pre-Monsters: Where the Real Lyle & Erik Menendez Are Today
Robert Rand’s Updated Book
Congrats to my journalist friend and “partner in (true) crime” on the publication of the second edition of his book, The Menendez Murders. He posts much more than I do about the case, so if you want more, please follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and the platform formerly known as Twitter. If you live in Los Angeles and want to meet him, he’ll likely be having a book release and signing party at some point. Again, follow him for details.
I am not planning to update my own book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror, at this time for a number of reasons, despite the fact that a lot has happened since the last update! (The 2018 Graymalkin Media edition contains the same updated sections.) I keep track of events on my Menendez Juror website, and let you know about major developments in my monthly newsletter.
TV News
9/20/24 UPDATE: I was, indeed, featured in part 2. Menéndez Brothers: Justice served or rigged? KTLA 5 got it right! (Plenty of newscasts and documentaries have disappointed me over the years. My being featured is NOT a benchmark for getting it right.)
KTLA 5 Los Angeles interviewed me via Zoom for a story that was supposed to air a couple of weeks ago. It morphed into a two-parter and lord knows if I’ll be in the second part today or not, Thursday September 19, 10 p.m. MDT. (I wasn’t in the first part which aired on September 10: Will the Menendez Brothers Be Freed?)
The reason I mention it is that the trial took place in Los Angeles, so a LOT of folks there were aware of it at the time and bought into the “greedy rich kids” narrative of the ‘90s media. Anything that a modern newscast, article, drama, podcast, book, or documentary can do to remind people that the brothers are still behind bars and shouldn’t be is juror-approved. Anything that doesn’t show or mention the brothers killing out of fear, and doesn’t include the travesty of the second trial, is not juror-approved.
Podcasts
I’m not in any new podcasts. But, well, have you listened to all the previous ones?
My current favorite is The Crime Analyst with host Laura Richards. I was her guest for two episodes (146 & 147) in September 2023. She did six Menendez episodes at that time, including two with “living legend Professor Ann Burgess”. Laura, a “shero” in her own right, just recently added two more Burgess episodes (207 & 208) following the release of the excellent three-part Hulu documentary about her: Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. I emailed Ann Burgess to tell her how much influence she had on me as a juror 30 years ago. She testified as a defense expert witness in the first Menendez trial and there are several pages of my book devoted to her testimony. I have since had the pleasure of meeting with her via Zoom.
Wishing them well
Meanwhile, my thoughts are with Erik and Lyle and their families. I’m wishing them continued patience when it comes to the legal system; fortitude to endure the deluge of media attention; and peace in their daily lives.
Which, of the flood of media coverage, interests you the most?
What have you already watched/heard/read?
What questions do you have for me?
Please share with us in the comments below!
(I’m assuming you’re a Menendez supporter or you wouldn’t have read this far.)
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- Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
- Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror
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- Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond
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I’ve been watching the new Netflix series and I am so disappointed that the brothers would be portrayed in this way, I started looking into their case in high school and now I’m actually going to get my degree in psychology and I find cases like this so interesting I hope that they can live however long that they have outside of prison because what was done to them is the most horrific case of child abuse that I’ve ever seen I’m actually reading Robert Rand’s book right now and it is phenomenal I hope they get the justice that they deserve and thank you for supporting them and being a voice for them
Thank you for your comments, Amber! I am not hearing anything yet that encourages me to watch Monsters. A degree in psychology (and an open mind) goes a long way toward understanding the issues in the case!
Yeah I definitely don’t recommend it, I don’t think I’m going to finish it, I’d rather read Robert’s book It’s so much more accurate
And then you can read mine!
I have always had intrest in this case.I will say I think these brothers have gone threw enough pain and torture from there parents.They were just defending themselves.
SO LORD JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL AND SET THEM FREE!!
Amen!
I’m on ep2 and I’m so mad ! This feels like Pam Bozanich (sp?) wrote it! They make Lyle out to be absolutely detestable. So far it’s ridiculously one sided. I’m pretty shocked they would take this stance.
Ugh! Why am I not surprised? Thanks for your thoughts.
The Netflix show is HORRIBLE! It won’t stop lying about what happened, like the truth was not enough! It’s such a shame, I thought the show could bring more positive attention to the brothers but it’s instead put a dark cloud over their heads.
Seriously, the way Lyle is depicted is as disgusting as it is false. Ryan decided it was more important to show the brothers as incestous lovers to explain the murders than the actual truth.
It’s heart-breaking actually. Please don’t watch! For you, as a person that observed the brothers for quite some time in court, I think it would shock you to see the way they are acting in the show. It’s a sad day for victims, indeed!
Thanks for your report. Why fictionalize the story when there so much (good and bad) truth about the case to work with?
Holy Lord, and all the saints(Ireland calling here,) 😇. Limiting screen time for a healthy life while recuperating from Breast cancer, and having wasted my precious Netflix addiction on the soap horror on The Menendez brothers. Fiction is not fact, that needs to be accepted. Facts of the painful memories on child abuse and the subsequent results of that pain, destroyed not just these 2 men, who had their childhoods robbed, their innocence, their futures, but also their supportive aunts, cousins and friends and wives. I really hope they will be freed by new evidence. How can I keep upto date?
There are several ways of keeping up to date. 1) Follow Robert Rand on social media. He posts much more than I do. 2) Follow Lyle Menendez on Facebook. That’s mostly a survivor support page, so JLM (@truemenendez) on Twitter would be better for just “keeping up to date”. 3) Follow me on social media (Hazel Thornton on Facebook and @menendezjuror elsewhere) and subscribe to my newsletter. 4) You can also set up Google Alerts for any topic you are interested in.
Thanks for the update, Hazel. I remember when the brothers were on trial years ago, but I haven’t followed the process. Thanks for letting me know where to look for the more accurate information.
I’m mainly interested in the story because of your connection to it, so I get most news directly from you. I do hope the brothers will be freed one of these days!
Thank you for your support!
Pretty interesting. I actually just saw an advertisement for (I think) the documentary while I was exercising this morning. I immediately thought of you. I think, if this trial were to happen today, the whole thing may have played out differently. We are more aware of parental abuse than we used to be, although that is no excuse for miscarriage of justice.
I believe everything we see on the news is being influence by a worldview of those telling the story. Everything. A narrative is selected, and then stuck by, whether it is based in (full and complete) fact or not. It’s very discouraging.
It is, indeed, discouraging. There are still a vast number of people who cling to the prosecution-biased greedy-rich-kids narrative that was prevalent in the ’90s. Whereas these days people who are new to the case and are able to watch the entire first trial on Court TV (and YouTube now) are like: Those boys were abused. Why are they still locked up?
Wow! I had no interest in the case when it was originally in the news. I was peripherally aware of the trials, but couldn’t have told you Lyle from Erik, though I always suspected that I could be convinced of the parental abuse. 99% of what I know about the case comes from my friendship with you, and I think you do an exemplary job keeping interested parties up-to-date on what’s happening.
And I promise I won’t be watching the Netflix series. (But I’ve also never watched any of the documentaries, movies, or specials.)
Thanks for reading my post and commenting, at least! 😉
I saw a documentary a couple of years ago – I think it was the True Crime one and I found it the information fairly even. Most stories have more than one side to it so I am usually wary of anything that paints a very specific narrative. I haven’t watched any of the others. The most fascinating thing about the Menendez Trial is your connection to it as a juror. I would watch that documentary! Is there one about all the jurors specifically?
Hi Jill, if you mean Law & Order True Crime, it is the only dramatization that I recommend because it tells the story as I know it. There is no documentary about the jurors, but there should be! 🙂
I knew nothing about the case as I do not live in the US, I ‘m from New Zealand, so when the netflix show came out, I watched the first episode, and knowing the show was based on a true event, I dug to find out how accurate it was with the real event, I started watching their original trial, evidence, witnesses testimonies video and footage and then I went back to watch the netflix show, I was disappointed to see that the show was just dishonest, not in line with the actual event, even the personality of Lyle portrayed on the show was very different from real Lyle as described by his cousins, aunts, and etc, and the sexualization of Eric was unnecessary, as real Eric himself has said that he’s not gay, then why there was a nude scene of him in the shower having a seducing eye to eye contact with another inmate on the show to give an impression that he was gay. I mean I’m gay, but I don’t justify putting a scene like that to appeal to gay audience but far from the actual accuracy.
Anyway, I don’t condone the murder full stop, I firmly believe their action was driven by rage not money, rage that reached boiling point from years of abuse, when you are abused/raped, you are conditioned to always be on guard and fearful at times. I feel like judging how the case was judged back then is no longer relevant as the verdict had been decided and we can’t turn back time. If this case was trialed today, the verdict would be very different, as we have more understanding of long term effect of parental abuse against the children especially sexual abuse, and also sexual abuse can happen to anyone regardless of any gender. i truly believe the court also unfairly treated their second trial. They have suffered enough, the fact they were also incarcerated separately for 22 years, it was another cruel misjudgment, and just inhumane.
I strongly believe they should be released, they have been in prison for pretty much their whole life 35 years, if their own family have forgiven them and moved on, their extended family aunts, uncles, cousins would like them to be released, then why does the court keep punishing them for their past big mistake they can’t undo? They are not serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and sadistic psychopath killer like Joey Guy Jr, and certainly not a mass murderer, they should not have been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in the first place.
Look how they have lived their life in the last 35 years in jail, Lyle has been President of inmates for many years, got a Bachelor Degree and lead support groups for victims of sexual abuse and violence. Same with Eric who leads mental support, and victims of sexual assault support groups in prison, THIS IS what the court should reexamine how they have redeemed their past mistake, I listened to one of Eric’s audio interviews, he said one of the the things he misses the most is simply things like touching the texture of a tree, oh man poor guy. Give them a second a chance in this life, have a compassion for them, 35 years is such a very long time, just look how our world has changed so much in the last 35 years. They have suffered far too long and they have paid the price.
Let them open a new chapter in their life and live outside the concrete walls with their loved ones and be united with their wives in the free world for the first time. FREE THEM 🙏🏻💯
Wow, Ricky, you have learned a lot about the case in a short time! Thank you for your comments and for supporting the brothers.
I can’t believe there have been so many updates since last week!
I’m having fun reading the articles about you in Italian, even if the journalists (ha!) did lie about having interviewed you. I do so love getting to practice my Italian!
The only positive thing I’ve heard anyone say about the Netflix series is that there was some really good cinematography in one episode where a thirty-minute long scene was one continuous camera shot. They praised the actor playing Erik. And in that same conversation, someone expressed surprise that Nathan Lane was in the show. Nobody in that whole thread seemed to want to say anything about the content.
Updates — IKR? Glad you like the Italian articles. Nathan Lane shouldn’t have been in the show because Dominick Dunne (his character) had nothing to do with it except for spreading rumors. And I, too, have heard good things about Episode 5. Thanks for reading and commenting (again)!
My girlfriend and I watched the Netflix show. We wished we knew more about the male jurors who all found the brothers guilty. My girlfriend is a graduate in gender studies and I don’t have any issue believing the boys’ abuse was real. Are you able to comment on the male jurors’ mindset and what they found most and least compelling? Thank you.
By “Netflix show” I hope you mean the documentary! (It was really confusing for two Menendez shows to come out within a couple of weeks of each other on Netflix!) My book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror, goes into great detail about the men’s issues during deliberations. Your girlfriend would love it.
Thank you, Hazel! Yes, I meant the one-episode documentary. We were talking about it over coffee again this morning. Looks like we’re buying the book. 🙂 I really appreciate the work you are doing here. Thank you for the fast response and all the best to you!