Was the world less sympathetic to the Menendez Brothers in the 90s or am I misremembering?

[Anonymous]

I feel like maybe a shift in generations has changed the perspective on the case but I recall a more negative public view of the Menendez Brothers in the late 80s and 90s than the more positive view presently with the movie/series running now. I haven’t watched but am I recalling this incorrectly or what do you recall from the late 80s/90s?

[Anonymous]

yes.

we were less sympathetic back then to abuse stories, rape stories especially involving boys, mental health issues, etc.

[Anonymous]

I agree. No sympathy. And I think their story was overtaken by Tonya/Nancy and then OJ.

[Anonymous]

Agree OP. You are remembering correctly.

[Anonymous]

I feel like back then, people thought sexual abuse by parents just wasn’t possible. They must be lying.

I’m not really sure I believe them. They were living high after it happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree OP. You are remembering correctly.

Same- honestly, I don’t even know the part about the abuse but I was a young teen. I just thought they were crazy because that killed their parents. This new series was eye-opening.

[Anonymous]

They were portrayed by the media as rich kids who murdered mom and dad to get their money. When allegations of abuse became public, they were looked at as a manipulative tactic to try to garner public sympathy. I think a lot of people didn’t believe they’d actually been abused.

So much information has come out. Their dad was one of the people named in connection with the sexual abuse of boys in Menudo. Their mom had serious issues. Their female cousin has shared damning information about Jose Menéndez. I completely believe the Menéndez brothers were victims of sexual abuse by their parents.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they were painted by the press as being very spoiled, rich kids with the only motive as pure greed. The older boy presented as handsome and arrogant.

[Anonymous]

The 90s were ridiculous and all of these horrible cases were made into a circus. Think how Marcia Clark was portrayed during the OJ trial too. Absolutely ridiculed and she was just a prosecutor doing her job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 90s were ridiculous and all of these horrible cases were made into a circus. Think how Marcia Clark was portrayed during the OJ trial too. Absolutely ridiculed and she was just a prosecutor doing her job.

And it was even BEFORE social media!!

[Anonymous]

You may want to watch the misnamed Hulu special “To Think like a Killer”. The female forensics nurse/psychologist Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess who pioneered criminal profiling in the 1970s was one of the earliest fore runner champions of the Me Too movement. However, her compassion extended not just to victims of sexual assault but also to perpetuators as she was one of first to realize that they themselves had often been victims of abuse or extreme neglect as children and were reenacting childhood traumas. She became extremely controversial in the 90s when She took on the case of working to help the Menendez brothers. A lot of what PPs observed was true. Society was much more judgmental against sexual assault victims, especially male ones..

The brothers were originally found not guilty of first degree murder when Dr Burgess was allowed to testify about their sexual and emotional abuse by their father (enabled by silent compliant mother) as children at the first trial. That was appealed and they were later found guilty after the second trial when Dr Burgess was not allowed to testify following relentless harsh and misinformed media coverage depicting the brothers as spoiled greedy brats.

Bio
Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess is a forensic and psychiatric nurse who helped pioneer the science of criminal profiling and is the subject of the Hulu docuseries Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer:

Work with the FBI
Burgess worked with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit for decades, helping to change how law enforcement and the legal system think about cases.

Trauma assessment
In the 1970s, Burgess pioneered the assessment and treatment of trauma in rape victims. She also co-founded a hospital-based crisis counseling program at Boston City Hospital.

Victim advocacy
Burgess's work has improved the interactions between the medical, legal, and investigating communities with victims. She has also championed the plight of women in America

[Anonymous]

This is because of the victim mentality. Back in the day, people didn’t excuse murder. Who cares if there is abuse. You don’t kill your parents.

Now we have victimhood. Kill your parents? Well do you have a legit grievance? It’s a slippery slope. It’s also ridiculous since most killers have a motive and many were treated horribly by the person they murdered. Are random killings only criminal and if you know someone and they abused you then it’s ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is because of the victim mentality. Back in the day, people didn’t excuse murder. Who cares if there is abuse. You don’t kill your parents.

Now we have victimhood. Kill your parents? Well do you have a legit grievance? It’s a slippery slope. It’s also ridiculous since most killers have a motive and many were treated horribly by the person they murdered. Are random killings only criminal and if you know someone and they abused you then it’s ok?

Why do you believe people who sexually abused their own children deserve to live?

[Anonymous]

I remember sympathy. All I remember is the parent sticking a toothbrush in one of their kids' penises to torture them, from the abc interview. After I heard that horrible crime, the parents definitely deserved the shotgun blast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They were portrayed by the media as rich kids who murdered mom and dad to get their money. When allegations of abuse became public, they were looked at as a manipulative tactic to try to garner public sympathy. I think a lot of people didn’t believe they’d actually been abused.

So much information has come out. Their dad was one of the people named in connection with the sexual abuse of boys in Menudo. Their mom had serious issues. Their female cousin has shared damning information about Jose Menéndez. I completely believe the Menéndez brothers were victims of sexual abuse by their parents.

I had no idea about all of the abuse. The educate the tone really portrayed them as doing it for the money.