New evidence is coming to light in the controversial case of the Menendez brothers that may lead to a review of their sentencing.
The case, which rocked the US in the early 1990s, has gained global notoriety recently because of the Netflix series. In fact, it was known a few days ago that the case is being reviewed due to new evidence that the brothers’ side said they are bringing to the judicial authorities.
And in the last few hours, it has become known that the key piece of evidence is a letter that Eric Menendez allegedly wrote to a cousin in which he reveals the chronic abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. The letter, written eight months before their parents were murdered, according to the brothers’ family, calls into question the life sentence imposed on the brothers.
See the letter:
In the letter, Eric Menendez describes the psychological and physical trauma he was experiencing as a result of his father’s abuse. “I try to avoid Dad. It’s worse for me now,” he wrote. “I don’t know when it will happen again and it’s driving me crazy,” Eric Menendez reportedly said.
The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Eric, were convicted in 1996 for the 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Although they never denied killing their parents, they claimed they did so in self-defense because of chronic sexual and physical abuse by their father. However, prosecutors argued that the abuse never happened, and during their second trial, much of the evidence about the abuse was excluded.
Defence lawyer Cliff Gardner argues that had this letter been presented at the 1996 trial, the outcome might have been different. “With today’s data and our understanding of the impact of abuse on children, we believe that revising the sentence is in the best interest of justice,” Gardner told CNN. The Menendez brothers have served more than 30 years in prison and advocates believe that time is enough.
The Menendez family has expressed hope that the prosecutor is considering a sentence commutation, which could lead to their immediate release. If the case is retried and the brothers are found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder, they could be released immediately, as they have served the maximum sentence for that charge.
