Demand Justice:
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The fight for justice is far from over, and your voice matters.
Here’s how you can help:
Sign the Statement of Support – Join thousands of others by signing our petition urging DA Hochman to Support A Resentencing Appeal! Your signature could make all the difference.
Spread the Word –Use the hashtag #JusticeForErikAndLyle on social media and share their story. Let others know the truth about what happened, and why justice must be served.
Action Kit
Sample Posts:
The majority of the Menendez family supports Erik and Lyle’s resentencing. It’s time DA Hochman does too. Demand a fair review. ✍️ Sign here: https://www.justiceforerikandlyle.org/ #JusticeForErikAndLyle
Two dozen family members support Erik and Lyle Menendez’s resentencing. DA Hochman must listen! Demand justice now: https://www.justiceforerikandlyle.org/ #JusticeForErikAndLyle
DA Hochman can correct decades of injustice. Demand a fair review and support for Erik and Lyle Menendez’s resentencing. Sign here: https://www.justiceforerikandlyle.org/ #JusticeForErikAndLyle
In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home. Initially, the public was led to believe that the killings were motivated by greed. Throughout their trials, however, evidence of severe sexual, emotional, and physical abuse emerged, which the brothers endured for over a decade at the hands of their father. During their first trials, both Lyle and Erik testified that the abuse created a constant fear for their lives, especially after they confronted their parents, leading them to act in self-defense.
“It was the only time I got to be with him and for him to be nice and caring to me.”
- Erik on the stand about Jose molesting him
Following a mistrial, Lyle and Erik were prosecuted again. However, evidence and testimony about their father’s abuse was intentionally excluded during their second trial. As a result, the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Over the past three decades, society’s understanding about the impact of sexual abuse on victims – including male victims – has significantly evolved. Yet, Lyle and Erik’s sentence reflects the outdated perception that boys cannot be victims of sexual abuse.
In October 2024, then-District Attorney George Gascón joined hundreds of thousands across the world, supporting a resentencing motion and a correction of this miscarriage of justice, citing the brothers' rehabilitation and evolving societal understanding of abuse.
The new Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, however, has taken a more cautious approach, delaying their hearing until January 2025.
Setting the record straight
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman has claimed that the Menendez brothers' second trial sufficiently addressed the abuse they suffered.
This is not true.
While Erik testified about the abuse for hours, key evidence and corroborating testimonies were excluded:
Family members’ testimonies that supported the brothers’ accounts of abuse.
Lyle’s essay about a father avenging his son’s abuser, written years before the killings.
Diane VanderMolen’s testimony recounting Lyle confiding in her about the molestation when he was only 8 years old.
The exclusion of this evidence stripped the jury of their ability to fully understand the abuse and its devastating psychological impact on Lyle and Erik, the brothers’ state of mind, and the legal theory of imperfect self-defense. This deliberate exclusion led directly to a first-degree murder conviction — a vastly different outcome than the hung jury in the first trial, where all evidence was presented.
Hochman has also referenced “confidential files” that he claims to be reviewing, implying there is previously inaccessible or unavailable evidence.
This is misleading.
The first trial aired on Court TV, and transcripts from the second trial are publicly available. While a few hearings were confidential — which is typical for any trial — the vast majority of records are not.
New Evidence
When the Menendez brothers were sentenced in the 1990s, societal perceptions of abuse — especially sexual abuse of young men — were vastly different.
In 1991, California allowed expert testimony on what was then called “battered woman syndrome.” The law was not gender-neutral until 2004.
Boys and young men were often seen as “strong” or “resilient,” and their trauma was dismissed or ignored.
We now know better. A lifetime of abuse can leave survivors in a state of constant fear, feeling as though their lives are at risk at any moment.
For Erik and Lyle, that fear became unbearable.
DA Hochman has dismissed the defense’s position as a 'simplistic narrative.' But the reality is, it really is that simple. When the full evidence of abuse was presented in the first trial, the jury hung evenly between murder and manslaughter. In the second trial, this evidence was excluded, and the jury was denied the option to consider imperfect self-defense — the precise theory that reflected the brothers’ state of mind at the time.
Under California law, the question is not whether Erik and Lyle faced an immediate threat at the moment of the killings. The law asks whether they honestly believed they were in immediate danger.
Recently, Lyle and Erik’s family discovered a letter Erik wrote to his cousin in 1988, before their parents’ deaths, where he alluded to the sexual abuse continuing in their household. This letter is seen as critical proof that the abuse allegations were not fabricated as a defense strategy but a painful reality the brothers lived with for years.
“I’ve been trying to avoid dad,” Erik wrote in the letter. “It’s still happening Andy, but it’s worse for me now. I can’t explain it... I never know when it’s going to happen, and it’s driving me crazy. Every night I stay up thinking he might come in. I need to put it out of my mind.”
An additional new piece of evidence is a sworn affidavit by Menudo boy band member, Roy Rosselló, who wrote that Lyle and Erik’s father, José, drugged and raped him in the 1980s, when he was a teenage member of the band. José was a music executive at RCA at the time.
Over the past 35 years, Lyle and Erik have taken responsibility for their actions and dedicated their lives to helping others. They have served as mentors, counselors, and leaders in prison, helping countless inmates find a path toward healing and rehabilitation. Their impeccable record speaks to their growth and transformation.
The brothers’ current legal team has filed a habeas corpus petition based on these new pieces of evidence, and the chorus of voices calling for Lyle and Erik’s re-sentencing is growing by the minute.
Demand Justice
The fight for justice is far from over, and your voice matters.
Here’s how you can help:
Spread the Word –Use the hashtag #JusticeForErikAndLyle on social media and share their story. Let others know the truth about what happened, and why justice must be served.
Social Media — Change your banner images and share our post to your feeds.
AT LEAST 1 IN 6 MEN HAS BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED OR ASSAULTED
Sexual abuse is a widespread and underreported issue, particularly for boys and men. Research shows that at least 1 in 6 men have experienced sexual abuse or assault, whether as children or adults. This number is likely underestimated, as many men never disclose their abuse due to societal stigma, fear, or shame.
For male survivors, the impacts of abuse can be profound and long-lasting. Studies have shown that men who have experienced sexual abuse are at a much greater risk for mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. The trauma can affect their relationships, academic achievement, and career success, with many survivors struggling in silence for years.
One shocking statistic reveals that more boys experience sexual abuse than develop prostate cancer – the most common cancer among men. And yet, public awareness of male sexual abuse remains woefully low, perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding and neglect. It’s time to break the silence and stand with survivors like Lyle and Erik Menendez, who have endured a lifetime of trauma that was never fully acknowledged in the court of law.
Resources for Survivors
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse or assault, there are resources available to provide support and guidance. The path to healing can be challenging, but you are not alone.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Offers confidential support for survivors of sexual violence, available 24/7.
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE
1in6: A dedicated resource for male survivors of sexual abuse, offering anonymous online chat services and support groups.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: For those dealing with intimate partner violence or abuse, offering crisis intervention and referrals.
Call: 1-800-799-SAFE
Safer Society Foundation: Provides resources for survivors and guidance on finding specialized therapists for survivors of sexual abuse.
Taking the first step toward healing can be daunting, but it is important to reach out and ask for help.
Healing is possible, and these organizations are here to support you.