The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All - All 4 - Channel 4 - WERE THEY GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY?

[XelaM]

Has anyone seen this documentary on C4? I watched it on catch up on All4.

It's about the unbelievable case of the two Menendez brothers - sons of famous multi-millionaire Hollywood producer who lived what appeared to be a dream lifestyle of wealth and privilege in Beverly Hills. Until one day they brutally murder their parents. The murder was so gruesome and the father had so many enemies that no one suspected them at all until their own stupidity (and a crooked therapist) gave them away. They then admit the murders but - completely unexpectedly to all - launch a most shocking defence that their father was abusing them for years in the most shocking ways.

It seemed to completely divide public opinion - were they just spoiled rich boys who killed their parents for money or tragic victims of abuse who feared for their own lives?

I'm completely torn on this because the whole family supported them, but was it just because everyone hated the father and it was almost like in "Murder on the Orient Express" where they all decided he deserved it? The brothers' testimony appeared very believable but then various comments they made and their smirking demeanour made me doubt them. At the time I think public opinion was very much against them, but the C4 documentary made it look like this was unfair.

Oh, I guess there's no interest in this very divisive case or maybe the interest is only in the US? If the brother were telling the trying their lives were completely destroyed. It's strange that the prosecution couldn't find a single person who testified that the father Jose Menendez was a decent guy who wouldn't do this. Literally no one liked him, not even his own mother and sister. The defence had 51 witnesses saying what a horrible person he was.

brothers*

I haven't watched the programme or this analysis, but I've watched these guys on other stuff, so it should be interesting about this particular case. They'll analyse their body language and whether the brothers were telling the truth.

I posted this on another thread but young peoples options (on tiktok) seem to be that they are innocent, because their dad abused them and their mum knew and did nothing.

It's an odd case. On the face of it, they seem such typical spoiled, arrogant rich boys spending daddy's money and the elder brother's behaviour and "off the record" comments after the first trial made it sound very much like they fooled the jury. The abuse defence came up once their hired very expensive lawyers and the only thing they were preoccupied with after their parents' death was their will. On the other hand, 51 witnesses from both sides of the family corroborated their stories and their testimonies in the first trial seemed very believable.