Episode 3035
Lyle and Erik Menendez
Sun, 2025-Aug-24 01:58 UTC
Length - 3:32
Direct Link
Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.
With 155,612 views on Saturday, 23 August 2025 our article of the day is Lyle and Erik Menendez.
Joseph Lyle Menendez (born January 10, 1968) and Erik Galen Menendez (born November 27, 1970), commonly referred to as the Menendez brothers, are American brothers convicted of killing their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.
Following the murders, Lyle and Erik claimed that unknown intruders were responsible for the murders, framing it as a potential mob killing. Police initially investigated this claim, but grew suspicious when they discovered the brothers' extravagant spending sprees following the murders, and the fact that they had hired a computer expert to delete their father's recently updated will. Erik confessed to the murders in sessions with his psychologist, citing a desire to be free of a controlling father with high standards, which led to their arrests months later.
Lyle and Erik were charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for lying in wait, making them eligible for the death penalty, and charges of conspiracy to murder. During their first trial, the defense argued that the brothers killed their parents in self-defense after years of alleged sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. The prosecution argued that the murders were premeditated, that allegations of sexual abuse were fabricated, and that the brothers were motivated by hatred and a desire to receive their father's multimillion-dollar estate after being disinherited from his will. The juries were unable to reach a verdict, resulting in mistrials for both brothers. In a second trial, they were convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Beginning in 1998, the brothers began numerous successive legal appeals of their convictions, which were reviewed and rejected by judges. In October 2024, Los Angeles district attorney George Gascón recommended a resentencing after reviewing a habeas corpus petition. After Gascón's loss in the November 2024 election, newly elected district attorney Nathan Hochman opposed the habeas petition, calling the brothers' self-defense claims "lies." In May 2025, a judge resentenced the brothers to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole. In August 2025, however, Erik and Lyle were both denied parole.
The highly publicized trials received international media attention, inspiring numerous documentaries, dramatizations, books, and parodies.
This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:58 UTC on Sunday, 24 August 2025.
For the full current version of the article, see Lyle and Erik Menendez on Wikipedia.
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Until next time, I'm neural Salli.
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