The murder case of the Menendez brothers is taking a new shape. here's why

It's been more than 30 years since the murder trial of brothers Eric and Lyle Menendez, and the story continues to grab headlines.

During the first of their two trials for the murders of their parents, the case was public fodder and was among a series of sensational, criminal trials broadcast live around the world.

But that was in 1994. After so many years why this event has returned to the consciousness of the people?

Thanks to social media, Netflix, Kim Kardashian — and Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, who announced this week that his office is reexamining the evidence.

Read on to get a handle on the latest developments in this decade-old case.

The Menendez brothers are in prison for killing their parents

In August 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching television in the living room of their Beverly Hills home when their two sons entered and shot them dead. The two were aged 18 and 21 at the time of the murder.

It took two trials to convict the brothers of killing their parents.

Two juries deadlocked in 1994 when Lyle and Eric Menendez testified that they shot their parents in self-defense. The brothers said they feared their parents were going to kill their sons to prevent their stories of abuse allegations against them.

They allege, and continue to say, that Jose Menendez physically and sexually abused the boys for years while their mother, portrayed as a troubled alcoholic who also abused them, did nothing to stop it. Prosecutors claimed the men planned the killings with the goal of eventually claiming their parents' multimillion-dollar estate.

At the second trial, Judge Stanley Weisberg limited testimony related to their sexual assault claims. In 1996, that jury convicted them of first-degree murder after five days of deliberations and a 20-week long trial.

Why are prosecutors now looking at the case differently?

Gascon, the DA, announced Thursday that his office is now reviewing new evidence in the cases of 53-year-old Eric and 56-year-old Lyle Menendez.

The brothers asked the court to uphold their convictions, which result in life in prison without the possibility of parole, in a petition filed again in May, citing new evidence.

Gascon notes that there is no question that the brothers killed their parents — a fact that the two admit. But, he said, his office has a “moral and ethical obligation” to review the evidence. That evidence included a photocopy of a letter from one brother alleging another family member was a victim of molestation. Another is the testimony of a member of the hit Latin band Menudo who said that Jose Menendez molested her as a teenager when he was an executive at RCA Records. None of this information has been confirmed, Gascon said.

He added that prosecutors could have several options for how to deal with Menendez's case, including seeking a new sentence. Release from prison or a new trial.

The next hearing of the case is scheduled for November 29

How does Ryan Murphy's new show and social media fit into this?

A few years ago, creators of social media sites like TikTok started paying renewed attention to the case. Many true crime junkies have produced videos discussing Menendez's trial, their crimes, and how their alleged abuse by their parents may have contributed to their actions.

This new generation's attention to the case has contributed to a new, controversial Netflix series called Ryan Murphy Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Eric Menendez, which reconsiders the judgment.

But Eric Menendez interrupted the streak. In a statement shared by his wife, Tami Menendez, on X, she criticized the show, saying it painted a misleading picture of her and her brother. He wrote that “blatant lies pervade the show” and accused co-creator Murphy of purposefully distorting the facts surrounding their crimes.

Eric Menendez wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that I believe Ryan Murphy could not be so naive and wrong about the reality of our lives as to do so without malicious intent.”

Murphy was defiant in his response to Eric Menendez's post, saying the brothers' reaction was “misplaced outrage” and that the show was “the best thing that happened to the Menendez brothers in 30 years in prison.”

And Kim Kardashian involved, how?

Kardashian, a businessman, The reality star and criminal justice attorney, weighed in on the case earlier this week. In an op-ed published on NBC News, Kardashian called for the brothers' release, writing, “I spent time with Lyle and Eric; they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent and honest men.”

He visited the two in prison about a month ago with Cooper Koch, who plays Eric Menendez in the new Netflix series.

Kardashian said in her essay that she does not condone their crimes or their subsequent actions, but believes the men, now in their 50s, deserve freedom.

He continued, “If this crime had been committed and tried today, I believe the outcome would have been dramatically different. I strongly believe that they were denied a fair second trial and the omission of crucial abuse evidence denied Eric and Lyle the opportunity.” present their case in full, further undermining the justification of their conviction.”