The 2 new evidences that the Netflix Menendez Brothers documentary explained

The Menendez story has dominated the news since Netflix’s twin releases, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menedez Story And The Mendez brothers. The latest documentary is firmly on the view that the murder of the sisters of their parents in 1989 was caused as a result of years of sexual, physical and mental abuse by Jose Mendez, their father. The Mendez brothers Netflix documentary further suggested that after an initial mistrial and hung jury, Judge Stanley Weisberg, stung by the failure to reach a verdict, emphasized much of the abuse Evidence at the retrial led to the boys’ murder conviction.

Recently surfaced new evidence appears to support the Menendez brothers, and may well force current LA District Attorney George Gascon’s hand in reviewing their life sentences, a process he has already set in motion after other fresh evidence emerged as a result of Netflix s dramatic intervention. The first involved new revelation by Roy Rossello, a former member of the boy band Menudo, and the second was a recently discovered letter From 18-year-old Erik to his cousin Andy Cano in December 1988 in which he recounts his father’s abuse. The new evidence could overturn the conviction of the Mendez brothers, established by their second trial.

Erik Menendez’s letter to his cousin Andy and how it could change the case explained

18-year-old Erik Menendez revealed his father’s abuse to his cousin

Eric’s handwritten note to his cousin, as reported by The New York PostTalks about his fear of his father: “I tried to avoid the father. It still happens every day, but it’s worse for me now… Every night I stay up thinking that he should come in.“No explanation was offered for the 30-year absence of the note, Which would almost certainly materially affect the 1993 hung verdictAnd may have affected Judge Weisberg’s stubborn resistance to the abuse defense in the retrial a year later.

The letter was filed last year in LA Superior Court but was only released to the public by the DA’s office this week. It prompted a press conference in which several Family members and friends of Menendez issued a public plea for the immediate release of Erik and LyleArguing that if Erik’s letter had been available for each of their trials, their charge would have been reduced to manslaughter, for which they would have served no more than 15 years.

Boy band member Roy Rossello has accused Jose Mendez of sexual assault

The letter comes hard on the heels of new testimony from Roy Rossello, a former member of the boy band Menudo, Who claims that Jose Mendez, then head of RCA Records, drugged and raped him in 1984 when he was a teenager, Again lending considerable credence to the boys’ moral defense. Despite The Mendez brothers Documentary that broadly supports Erik and Lyle’s version of events, it strangely overlooks Rossello’s accusations entirely. The claims were enough to create a TikTok “Free the Menendi” campaign, which, in turn, convinced LA DA George Garcon to reconsider the case.

Meanwhile, the still-arrested brothers continued to appeal their case, asking for a re-sentence or a new trial. Prosecutors continue to Alleging that the brothers deliberately planned the murder of their parents and that it was motivated by greed for their inheritanceWhat Joss threatened to deny them. It should be noted that not all members of the Menendez family joined the clamor for their early release. Milton Anderson, the boys’ uncle, released a statement through his attorney BBCthat the murders were aCharming“act in which”Jose was shot six times, and Kitty was shot ten times, including a shot to her face after Eric reloaded.”

What the new testimony means for the upcoming trial of the Menendez brothers

District Attorney Gascon appeared to support a new hearing

Despite these pockets of resistance, it seems that the Mendez brothers will at least receive a re-examination of their case. Their second trial was almost certainly hampered, not only by Judge Weisberg’s sweeping instructions after what he saw as the embarrassment of the abandoned first trial, but also by the The proximity to the OJ Simpson release, which took place a week before the Menendez trial began. in The Mendez brothers, A theory has been advanced that the boys’ murder conviction is payback by a justice system wounded by Simpson’s acquittal.

LA District Attorney Gascon’s willingness to make public Erik’s letter to his cousin, and to support the Menendez family’s call to commute Erik and Lyle’s sentences, suggests he is on board. moreover, There has been a sea change in public sympathy in the last 30 years for victims of abuseThat Gascon’s support for a new hearing would be better received. A new murder charge, rather than the first-degree murder conviction that saw the siblings sentenced to 30 years without parole, would, of course, see them walk out of prison immediately, a potentially fitting conclusion after The Mendez brothers.

Sources: New York Post, BBC