Kim Kardashian has voiced her belief that the Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, should not be serving life sentences for their past actions. In a recent essay for NBC News, the reality star expressed her support for the brothers, who were convicted of the 1996 brutal murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, when they were just 21 and 18. Their case has come under renewed attention following the release of the Monster series on Netflix. After visiting the brothers in prison, Kim advocated for their release, describing them as “kind, intelligent, and honest men.” In her essay, she also highlighted that Lyle and Erik had endured years of “sexual, physical, and emotional” abuse by their parents.
The business mogul wrote, “This story is much more complex than it appears on the surface. Both brothers said they had been sexually, physically and emotionally abused for years by their parents. According to Lyle, the abuse started when he was just 6 years old, and Erik said he was raped by his father for more than a decade. Following years of abuse, Erik and Lyle chose what they thought at the time was their only way out. Many people believe the crimes the brothers committed are unforgivable, but what about the decades of alleged abuse they suffered as children?”
“I have spent time with Lyle and Erik, they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent and honest men. In prison, they both have exemplary disciplinary records. They have earned multiple college degrees, worked as caregivers for elderly incarcerated individuals in hospice and been mentors in college programs. When I visited the prison, one of the wardens told me he would feel comfortable having them as neighbours. Twenty four family members, including their parents’ siblings, have released statements fully supporting Lyle and Erik and have respectfully requested that the justice system free them,” Kim Kardashian added.
Kim Kardashian explained that during Lyle and Erik Menendez’s first trial, the brothers had separate juries, and their defence was centred around claims of abuse. Several family members even testified in their support. Many jurors, after reviewing the evidence, believed that the brothers were not guilty. However, when the case went to trial again, key details of their abuse claims were not permitted as evidence, and some witnesses from the first trial were not allowed to testify. Ultimately, the jury in the second trial found the Menendez brothers guilty, sentencing them to life without parole.
Kim Kardashian pointed out that Lyle and Erik Menendez’s first trial was turned into entertainment as it was shown live on television. Their painful experiences and stories were mocked on shows like Saturday Night Live, which portrayed the brothers as wealthy, arrogant young men from Beverly Hills who murdered their parents out of greed. Meanwhile, Kim hopes that the brothers’ prison sentences should be reviewed, as they never had the opportunity to be heard or receive the help they needed.
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