Kim Kardashian, a law school graduate and advocate for criminal justice reform, has urged California authorities to reevaluate the life sentences of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents. In a personal essay submitted to NBC, Kardashian emphasized that while the brothers' actions were inexcusable, their life sentences without parole should be reconsidered.
Kardashian expressed that the Menendez brothers, now in their 50s, have changed over time. "Physiologically and psychologically, time changes us," she wrote, adding that "no one is the same person they were at 18." She believes the brothers deserve a second look in light of their maturity and personal growth.
Interest in the Menendez case has been reignited by Netflix, which recently released a Ryan Murphy true-crime drama titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and plans to launch a documentary on the case. The documentary features Erik Menendez reflecting on the lack of immediate police action after the murders, suggesting they should have been arrested right away.
The brothers have long maintained that they killed their parents in self-defense after suffering years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Their attorneys argue that with today's understanding of sexual abuse, they likely would not have been convicted of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles announced they are reviewing new evidence in the case. District Attorney George Gascón confirmed that while the brothers' guilt is not in question, the office is considering resentencing based on a letter from Erik Menendez, which supports his claims of sexual abuse by his father.
The Menendez brothers, aged 21 and 18 at the time of the murders, admitted to killing their father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, in 1989. They claim the killings were driven by fear that their parents would kill them to prevent exposure of the father’s abuse. However, prosecutors argued the murders were motivated by greed, noting the brothers’ lavish spending after the crime.
Kardashian believes the media wrongly portrayed the brothers as "arrogant, rich kids from Beverly Hills" and sensationalized the case without empathy. She connected this portrayal to the atmosphere following the O.J. Simpson trial, implying that Los Angeles prosecutors were seeking a strong conviction after Simpson’s controversial acquittal. Kardashian’s father, Robert Kardashian, was part of Simpson’s defense team, and she credits him as her inspiration for pursuing law.
Known for her efforts in criminal justice reform, Kardashian has successfully worked to reduce excessive sentences for several prisoners. In her letter, she argued that the Menendez brothers were “robbed of their childhoods by their parents” and then denied any chance of freedom by the justice system. “They were condemned before the trial even began,” she wrote.
“I have spent time with Lyle and Erik; they are not monsters,” Kardashian concluded. “They are kind, intelligent, and honest men.”
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