In most of the United States, a life sentence usually means a person in prison for 15 years with the chance for parole. Very rarely are life sentences imposed with no end. The brothers have already served double the average length. While I am glad you do not support the death penalty, I don’t think your mentality of lock them up forever and throw away the key is going to prevent cycles of abuse. Yes they did wrong and have served more than two average life sentences. It is time for mercy. |
This is the flaw in the argument that they were wrongly convicted or should be released. Most criminals were abused and had something horrific happen during childhood. Most criminals come from single parent homes and grew up in poverty. If you think the Mendendez brothers were justified in the killing or the abuse should be considered, then it should be the same for all criminals. Consider a criminal enters your home and murders your kids. Should they receive less of a sentence if they are sexually abused? |
They killed two people so maybe they should get double the time. 15 years doesn’t seem like enough when a murderer snuffs out a life if someone who didn’t deserve it and had many years in front of them. How is that justice for a victim or their family? Your bleeding heart can’t spare a thought for the victims? Only the perpetrators? |
Your hard heart is unlikely to help stop cycles of abuse. If the brothers were criminally insane with no sense of guilt for their actions I would agree to keep them locked up forever. As they have shown deep remorse and worked so hard to improve themselves in jail I don’t agree with you. The Boston nurse psychologist Ann Burgess who studied America's most notorious killers in order to stop them by creating criminal psychological profiling actually testified in their defense at their first trial . When that testimony that detailed the extend of the childhood abuse and ramifications was not allowed at second trial they lost the second case. Also - The brothers served most of their sentences apart from each other. Erik and Lyle were transferred after their sentencing and only reunited in 2018 when they were moved into the same housing unit at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility - for good behavior. In September 2024, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation offered an update on Erik and Lyle’s behavior, writing, “During his incarceration, Erik Menendez has incurred two serious rules violations. Joseph [Lyle] Menendez has incurred no rules violations.” Erik has noted that while he got into many fights in jail, he never instigated the fights and had to learn how to defend himself in order to survive. While in maximum security jail prior to Donovan, they were kept in separate facilities for over 20 years and lived in 6x4 cells. Lyle served in inmate government for 15 years at Mule Creek State Prison. He worked on prison reform. Both brothers have offered support and guidance to people who experienced childhood sexual abuse. In jail, Erik has worked with terminally ill inmate, teaches meditation and speech classes. He earlier said “The two things that make prison so awful are the level of violence and the lack of hope and love. What the prison can do to us terrifies me.” so he did what he could to bring in some light to that darkness. They are both happily married while behind bars but have no conjugal visits. The Donovan warden himself said that he feels like he’d be happy to have them as his neighbors and that he would be comfortable letting them watch his children. No one is saying they deserved no jail time but 30 years is enough given the mitigating circumstances and their consistent long term good behavior in jail. https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/inside-menendez-brothers-prison-lives-restrictions-no-conjugal-visits/ https://www.biography.com/crime/a46572449/menendez-brothers-now |
PP here. You're preaching to the choir. :) I think they should be in prison for life. |
| But they didn't kill innocent people. They killed their rapist and his enabler. There was a belief at the time of their conviction that it was impossible for boys to be victims of rape and incest, so they must've been making it up. It was never under consideration that they truly were abused. There's a reason Gypsy Rose wasn't given a life sentence for murdering her abusive mother. Other victims of Jose Menendez have come forward in the last few years, so the brothers killing a serial pedophile was honestly a good deed. |
The Irony is that only the brothers can corroborate their abusive childhoods. They can say whatever they want - the murdered parents are not around to dispute this. Is just a very classic "alibi" for murder. |
I completely agree. |
Uh no Letter to their cousin that was not cited in trial described the terror of them never knowing when he would visit their bed rooms at night Male Teen singer managed by the father alleged rape by the father in the 1980s |
For those who have ears to hear … |
Should listen to the screams of the murdered... |
Need more sensitive hearing for the muffled screams of children abused by their parents. |
Of course...it's a vicious cycle...but doesn't mean murderers, rapists, and molesters should be treated leniently for their crimes. |
A lot of us don't think 30 years is being treated leniently. Personally, I think that's more than sufficient for people who don't pose a direct threat to society at large. It's not the same, as a PP asserted, as someone breaking into your house and killing your child randomly. |
35 years since teen years is hardly lenient. |