The Menendez brothers documentary covers the case of the two brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in the summer of 1989. The documentary explores the brother’s personal experience, family dynamics, and the brothers who claimed they acted out after many years of abuse.
This documentary presents a different perspective, involving interviews from the case including legal analysts and psychologists. As more attention was gained to this case, the public perception over time changed as the brothers shared more details about the abuse throughout their family.
“Parents are a child’s first teacher, first friends, and best people who stick by their side till the end. However, this is not the case in the Menendez family,” said Aditya Bhardwaj.
The filmmakers of the documentary delved deeper into the brother’s claim of abuse, once dismissed by many, and are now seen through a larger lens; it has mainly developed because of more awareness regarding trauma and mental health.
However, critics of the brother’s defense still argue that money motivated their actions. This documentary doesn’t shy away from the opposing views. Exemplified by the raw courtroom footage and interviews with prosecutors who maintain that the murders were driven by the brothers’ desire to inherit their parent’s fortune.
“It was their financial habits that led investigators, in part, to zero in on Lyle and Erik Menendez as suspects. Almost seven months after the murders, authorities announced on March 8, 1990, that Lyle and Erik Menendez had been charged with murder,” said Anna Kaplan.
The documentary also reflects on the cultural impact of the Menendez brothers’ case, marking one of the first major televised court cases in the U.S. Their case would be used to draw comparisons between later media cases, such as the O.J. Simpson trial. The filmmakers address that the Menendez Brothers case helped set a precedent for how the media should cover major court cases today, for better or for worse.
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Unfortunately, the brothers are currently serving life behind bars and have served over 30 years in prison, as they were both charged with life sentences without parole after being convicted of first-degree murder at their second retrial.
“At one point, Lyle mentions that Jose was head of Hertz rental cars and hired Simpson as a spokesperson in their commercials. Later, Lyle reconnected with Simpson at the county jail after the latter’s arrest for murder, and some consider Simpson’s acquittal to start the cultural firestorm that caused the brothers to lose their second trial,” said William Earl.
In addition to interviews with legal and media professionals, the documentary gives commentary from the brothers and offers personal insights into their behaviors prior to the murders.
As the documentary concludes, it leaves the viewers with lingering questions about the nature of justice and whether the Menendez brothers were truly victims of their circumstances or if they are simply murderers.
