The fact that they found naked photos of the boys says enough.

No wonder victims don’t want to speak up. Imagine being questioned by such callous people, being forced to state very explicit details out loud and still have the possibility that people won’t believe you. This is so heartbreaking.

"Episodes of sexual activity" Rape. It´s called rape. Jesus.

The part where he said he didn't tell his friends about the ongoing rape because he wanted them to like him just broke my heart.

The fact that he took nearly a minute to answer the" why " question is so heartbreaking. Interestingly ,both the brothers have the same body language , calmness , composure ,pain ...is unbelievable.

They are 50 and 53 years old now... free them!!!

If this case was tried now, I feel like their sentence would be different.

The fact that I’m willing to watch a 3 hour video at 12 o’clock at night really says something

I think these brothers should be released now

he seems to be physically struggling to get the words out when he first talks about the molestation. It absolutely broke my heart and i had to pause for several minutes and cry. I can’t imagine what he and Lyle went through in that household. May god bless Lyle and Erik.

It just blows my mind that these boys got the same sentence that a serial killer would get!🤯

I do not blame them one bit for killing both of them...

During the 90's, it was difficult for people to understand that boys can experience abuse as well. The outcome of the case would've turned out very different if it happened during this decade.

It still blows my mind how these two even were convicted, and the judge not allowing all abuse testimony in the second trail just to save the DA to win a case. These men were VICTIMS and should've never went to prison for life. All that abuse and trauma for their entire childhood they were bound to snap, anyone would.

Justice for the Menendez brothers .. they both deserve justice!!

There are a lot of comments about his attorney. She is HIS defense attorney and she fought for him with everything she had. In the second trial she became his court appointed attorney for half her wage because he was out of money. Minimizing the abuse and using euphemistic language was a strategy to avoid "the abuse excuse" being used. The defense was trying to argue that they did not kill their parents out of revenge for the abuse but because they were in fear of being killed themselves in the moment. Imperfect self-defense.

I believe Eric and Lyle Menendez. This case needs revisiting in light of new understandings about the devastating consequences of childhood sexual abuse and incest. I hate that they call it sex rather than what it was. Rape.

Even just watching their testimonies I feel so protective of them, like when the judge pretty much yells at Erik to "speak up" I just want to jump through the screen and smack the shit out of him fr

Poor kids they deserve justice!!

When Gypsy Rose killed her mom she was given only 10 years of jail time. But these two boys suffered so much and still are in prison 😢

This poor kid is a hero for speaking the truth, not an easy thing to do for those most offended by the ones they love/loved...

How rude they televised victims of abuse, making them recall sexual details of their abuse. This is just disgusting how the legal system abused these boys all over again.

Poor guy all the questions were simply pure hell. You can hear the fear in his voice and overall super anxious. Truly Hope Lyle and Eric get another chance.

This case is the perfect example of sheer injustice and open bias! There were so many proofs and witnesses which were not even allowed in the second trial. Anyone who says that the abuse testimony is a straightforward lie either hasn't done proper research or doesn't have a beating heart inside of them! Destiny has been so unfair to both these men. They always suffered and never got any chance to experience a peaceful and happy life. 31 years is more than enough, they should be released now!!

I'm astonished at how insensitive these people were towards him. How can you look a victim in the eye during trial, after hearing their story and reasoning, and still have the audacity to ask what drove them to do what they did?? If the Menendez brothers were women, I can guarantee they wouldn't be in prison right now.

I completely see that he's a victim and not lying, when many people thought he was. This case is completely heartbreaking for me. When you're a victim of sexual abuse, it damages you. This is why I wanted to watch it. I was curious and halfway through watching it, I cried. I'm a victim myself and my heart breaks for both of these men. He was so brave speaking openly about this, I know it's hard for him though. Many people have commented in the past how they thought him smiling was evil, but yet they don't understand it's a coping mechanism. I talked openly about my abuse myself, and smiled and nobody quite understood it. This case is completely heartbreaking, they both need to be free. "I just wanted it to stop." 😢

His dad was really sick. And one thing he may have forgotten to mention, or maybe I just overlooked, was the fact that his dad was a corporate executive for the entertainment industry and we all know what those kinds of men are like.

It’s been 31 years. If any two people deserved to be released from prison it’s these two brothers. They’ve served more than enough time to pay for their crimes!! Shame on the media portraying them as heartless money hungry spoiled brats… couldn’t have been further from the truth. There has to be a way to get them released. Pedophiles that do horrific things and murder innocent babies get lesser sentences.

The way he kept referring to him as dad. Shows he has respect and still considered him as dearly. Poor kids …

No serial killer got as harsh punishment as the Menendez brothers. They were raped and abused since they were little kids. They just wanted to finally end that hell. FREE THEM, THEY ARE VICTIMS! GIVE THEM THEIR JUSTICE AND FREEDOM THEY DESERVE SM!!!

I've never wanted to hug someone more in my life.. Watching this was torturous. They've been through hell and back, and the fact that they're still going through it is killing me.

30:56 he didn't want to talk about it yet he was made. It's so horrible. No one wants to relive those horrible moments of their life. The recalling of trauma and torture is also very traumatic for a person. How court ignored this is so disgusting and shameful.

Some of this woman's questions are unbelievably cold.

This shows how much times have changed! I have a huge feeling if this was today this trial would have ended a lot differently!

This cause is so disturbing...I can't imagine what they felt. They deserve justice.

Erik is today 51 years old, Lyle is today 53 years old. These men have had no life, only torture. Between 6 and 8, Jose Menendez began molesting Lyle between the ages of 6 and 8 years old. Erik, the younger brother, was molested from 6 years old. He hadn’t even formed more than a handful of permanent memories before this age. Jose Menendez continued to systematically molest and rape Erik until the day that Erik killed him through self-defence. Their mother, Kitty Menendez was a Benzo addict, an alcoholic, completely co-dependent on her husband Jose, also a victim of his, who then became another perpetrator. She lacked all maternal instinct, or drowned it all out with substances and Jose’s abuse. She wouldn’t protect or believe her sons, nourish their emotional needs, nothing. All she did was enable her husband to further abuse their children, a force of terror together. Both of the boys grew up in a home with all the money in the world, and zero love, safety, or tenderness. Their father Jose Menendez was a tyrant who verbally, emotionally, physically abused and controlled his children at every end and turn. He would take his boys few sources of happiness and escape in the world, and use it as a source of punishment and fear to terrorise them. I wept when I heard Erik talk about the tournaments he played, he lit up talking about tennis and travelling to the tournaments, even though his parents were there and abusing him at the same time, he found some moments of happiness and pride there. Erik especially never had a life. Erik was 6 years old when his father began molesting and raping him. His entire understanding of sex and sexuality was horror, multiple times a week rape and abuse over 12 years which only ended because he ended his parents life in self defence. Erik had disclosed his sexual abuse several times as a child. The people he told didn’t believe him, or couldn’t help him because they were also children. Now, they are in their early fifties. Still living with their trauma every moment of the day. In a prison. They will never leave until they die, out the back in a body bag, in a paupers grave. We failed them, because they are male victims of male, incest sexual abuse from an extremely wealthy and privileged family.

The judge seems so inappropriate. Commanding Erik to “speak up!” as he’s detailing this father’s sexual abuse and how it affected him. Also he seems really biased against the defense.

I don’t understand how on earth the jury could send these boys to prison after listening to all this.....? 🤷‍♀️

Imagine having your own dad put a knife against your throat because you won’t have s3x with him..so heartbreaking these boys deserve so much better!💔❤️

56:17 If you pay attention to Eric's answer to the question asked, his reaction and facial expression, I think it's easy to understand why they killed their parents, and it will be easier to empathize. I really feel sorry for them even if they didn't do the right thing. No one deserves such an unfortunate life and childhood.

THESE GUYS were found guilty but OJ was found not guilty??? Anyone involved in locking them up and letting him off should be ASHAMED of themselves. Lyle and Eric are so obviously victims and were treated like dog crap...even the judge is a jerk to the defense. OJ was so obviously guilty and that judge was a joke too. What a tragedy of justice in both cases. Let these guys go. They deserve some happiness in this lifetime, free of abuse and free from bars. God bless them❤

No worse betrayal than a mother allowing it and diminishing it. A lot of us know how that feels & you never get past it. For some reason you can almost forgive the men who do it because they're out of control sexually, but when a mother ignores it, it's hard to feel warm toward her years later. What these guys went through is horrendous though, just brutal.

Let them out now. WTF?! I cannot believe these victims are still in prison.

I just came upon this case in one of the bloggers, and man I felt so sad for these guys. I really wish they could get their justice. Noone could fake that naked hurt emotion Eric had while recalling the abuse.

They deserved justice the day they entered the court!!’ FREE THE VICTIMS

You can really tell a lot of the pain and trauma and stress was normal to him. His lawyer tried to make him explain how the father dictated his whole life which is awful but he just strugged because that was his whole life. Especially the part about the father. It's so clear to him that he could never question his father, but to people who were never abused, they wouldn't get that

I’m so sorry that he had to go through this testimony this way.

This has to be excruciating for him to go over these things. I’ll never understand how they were convicted. They should have been given counseling. I sure hope they received counseling in prison. This is horrible what the parents put these two through.

This case is absolutely sickening SHAME ON THE JUDGE SHAME ON ANYONE WHO DID NOT BELIEVE THESE MEN - free the Menéndez brothers, they did humanity a favor

Seems like playing tennis was something he was really proud of. His face lights up a little when he spoke about tennis. You see passion right there.

both, he and his brother spent their childhood being raped by their sadistic father. Then they spent their adult life in prison. It is time to release them and let them live for god's sake. I know there are fathers like that. I knew a girl, whose mother has passed away when she was a child. As she grown up with her father, he started to rape her at the age of 17 and kept doing it for years and years until she was in her mid 20's. Then she finally ran away with her boyfriend. There are some fucked up people.

Thank you for showing all these old trials!

It's not uncommon for victims to blame themselves for why the abuse continues but it's NOT their fault. Children don't know that it's wrong until they get older. Especially when they are told by the abuser when they are a child that they love them. They associate love with abuse. It's so evil and so physiologically and emotionally damaging.

I feel so terrible for both brothers having to endure a life with all that abuse just to be prisoners again. It's not fair, they need to be released asap!

56:06 you can literally see the disbelief and confusion in his face that this woman has the audacity to ask that stupid question

I still cant believe the injustice that these brothers went through

She fought for them like she was their mom. She truly cared about them, especially Eric. The abuse he had to endure his whole life was AWFUL. She was the perfect attorney for this case - absolutely FIERCE during this trial ….anyone would feel safe and reassured having her in their corner, even out of court, i’m sure..

I know witnesses are coached before court day; but these brothers seemed sincere and consistent. I cant look at either of them without tearing up. Their parents betrayed them and the state betrayed them as well

Thanks for putting this up, in the UK this case wasn’t discussed much. I believe Eric’s testimony and feel sad what he went through.

Lyle is the best brother anyone could have. They both stopped monsters. I can’t imagine how much they suffer throughout their lives.

Erik and Lyle’s testimonies were so triggering for me. I also had to swim and play tennis competitively while growing up. My dad also “trained” me with physical and emotional abuse. He had overly high expectations for my performance. I wasn’t that talented. He constantly berated me & made me feel worthless. He would beat me and yell at me while forcing me to exercise until all hours of the night. It was impossible to perform well at tournaments and meets- i was riddled with anxiety, had poor self esteem and had chronic ptsd from living in a constant state of fear/flight-or-fight. Nothing I ever did was good enough. Sometimes he would beat me before races to “fire me up” to “perform well”. then if I did well, he would take credit and tell me that I couldn’t have done well if he hadn’t done that. Standing up to him was never an option. In adulthood, I found solace in drugs, alcohol, and self harm. Now, decades later, i am sober in recovery& healing more spiritually every day. I thank God every day that there was no sexual abuse. I can’t imagine what these boys went through. they finally stood up for themselves and this is what happened. Ironically, my father went through something very similar and accidentally killed his father when standing up to him for the first time ever. luckily, he was not charged with murder but he’s emotionally tortured every day bc of what happened. He didn’t want to kill his father- he just wanted the abuse to stop. Talk about generational trauma. It ends with me! I will never strike my children.

How these two survived their childhood, then not believed in court and still locked up is just horrific. We as humans can treat others terribly. Let them out of jail. They will have a lot to offer society with their experiences and give the human race some valuable lessons.

The judge was a Lil condescending when his voice would crack or he would whisper because what he said about painful horrible memories he has to relive. These men's father and mother were going to continue the abuse even as adults. Their parents wanted to control their childrens' lives and keep them segregated so they didn't share the abuse with anyone, including friends or significant others! His father wanted to abuse him till his grave. He couldn't impregnate his sons so the control was absolute. These boys were scared and hurting and no one seemed to care or help. Especially their mother. Their parents were monsters.

Parents are two evil narcissists ! Sorry for those two brothers !

The father is a toxic existence to anyone near him. From all the cases on the internet this case is not only most hurtful because of the betrayal from their father but heartbreaking because of the injustice done by the legal system.

Can you imagine, the mother was actually jealous because her husband wanted to screw his own sons over their mother so she wanted them gone, instead of once thinking of how much they were suffering. Poor Erik and Lyle unbelievable.

To live with so much pressure and unbelievable expectations from their monster parents, not to mention being sexually abused all the time, by your father, no less. My heart breaks for these brothers.

Good lord, this father was so controlling! How they made it this far is unbelievable!

It’s really horrible to know there are parents out there that abuse their own children. What I don’t understand is why is it hard for people to believe men can be raped too?. That is why is so hard for men to come forward and speak up. Their credibility is questioned and even kinda laughed at. It’s so sad 😞

Is it just me or when he said he hated the idea of living at home when he finally had the chance to get away from his sexually / mentally and physically abusive father and saying that he couldn't accept the fact his father wanted him being home it was kinda dumb of her to ask why.

Most people take years, if ever to disclose sexual abuse. Imagine having it dragged out of you in court in front of the world ! If it's true , horrific for them.

Yikes, Leslie is good at what she does but she comes off very brash and uncharitable sometimes

Honestly man this is the first time I’ve ever cried over a video tbh they deserve better

It must have been bad if they chose a life in prison over living with the parents abuse any longer . I believe them, along with the witnesses testimonies. The parents were vile monsters.. 😠

It’s so heartbreaking when the juries wouldn’t wait for him to answer while he was physically struggling to get the word molestation out :/ and they wouldn’t believe him. These poor boys😭😭😭

If any of you want to help or fight the injustice of this case - look up the office or mailing address for the Governor of California (Mr. Gavin Newsom) and respectfully write to him. He and he alone has the powder to recall the case!! Let us help free these men, from their long life of suffering!! Imagine them walking free, happy and feeling loved!! I believe they will if we all do our part! ✨❤️

Death was too easy for the parents. These men have been abused and miss treated and disgraced by their parents and the so call justice system. I feel they have suffered long enough. FREE THEM

The fact that they’re in prison makes me sick. FREE THESE MEN

Yes 2 people died.....but they died at the hands that they formed.

The justice system completely failed these boys.

I hope the brothers will receive clemency soon. The murder was not right, but understandable on a human and psychological level.

Look at Erik, see it is hard for him to talk about his molestation. Lyle and Erik should be free now. So sad and it hurt me so bad….❤️🥺🥺 I wish I can hug and conforming them

"Yeah, I used to stand behind Lyle a lot. That's pretty much my fixed position" 😪

Imagine being controlled and constantly hurt since birth (by ones who are expected to do the opposite), then knowing just how sick it is, then knowing it's gonna kill you (and your sibling) if you don't pull the trigger first. So you pull the trigger first and wind up being forced to be somewhere just as controlling and hurtful... and all before you're 25😢😔

This is breaking my heart! Erik is a sensitive soul! Sensitive people are quite emotional, nothing wrong with that, that's who we are! Seriously, as much as he tried to control it and hide it, you can't hide who you inherently are. His father tried to abuse his sensitivity out of him! That's totally brutal! 😥😥

Well, at least the parents are burning in hell where they belong.

During the advanced part of my training in becoming a Psychodrama director (a form of group therapy where you create a scene, a trauma, usually from the past, and take on different roles with the aid of other group members, I won't dig in to it further). I often was chosen to be "the mother" (it does happen that mothers are the offenders but usually it's a male). And every single time, when I was the "mother", I had to re-assure the child, the victim that he/she had no responsability what so ever. It may seem absurd watching it from the outside, that a child, or teenager for that matter, would feel guilt when being abused, but they have a tendency to think that they had more power than they had "I should have stopped it!". They don't see themselves as a young child, maybe they even felt arousal at some point - or had advantages in regards to their siblings "Well, Dad and I have a special bond". Often the abuser uses that "You're special to me - this is OUR secret." If you're longing for love, for approval things gets confusing. "Maybe this is what I have to do to be loved." I've had grown ups in my lap (a German psychiatrist in his late 60's even - he can't be identified this was a long time ago), doing what the mother (of father!) should have done. Saying "I should have protected you - and I'm so sorry. This was my responsability, not yours". To you whom recognizes this.The shame, the guilt is never e v e r yours! It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do - somebody else should have protected you!

These brothers should never have gone to jail. Shame on the people that sent them. To have suffered from the abuse and then punished, it breaks my heart.

It’s literally by Gods grace these boys didn’t become hateful mean bitter spirited human beings!! Bless their hearts 😢

Erik has so much unbelievable composure and so gentle and kind despite being so brutalized by so many years by his father and his mother. I cannot stand that grumpy judge having no heart whatsoever and treating the witness so poorly. He's not supposed to show his bias particularly against the defendant in front of the jury. I cannot stand the Menendez parents I hate them so much for the obvious crimes against their own children. Clearly from the testimony which I believe, the only in the last minute thought killing their parents was there only option and it was in fear and reaction to the events of Lyle confronting the father, the father essentially threatening to murder his kids, and Erik believing he had no other option because he was abused for so long and threatened to be murdered so many times by his father from a young age that he believed there was only one option. Especially his father decided despite going to college he would continue to rape his son rather than let him go away. That must have been so difficult. I cannot believe there are creatures in this society like Jose Menendez that would do this to their son and think it is perfectly fine. These boys do not deserve ANY jail time because they were using self defense against the parents who made it clear they would kill them, especially Erik then Lyle for defending Erik. Lyle tried the best he could to protect his younger brother. So sad.

Erik obviously doesn’t want to talk about the molestation…. that big sigh and him trying to stop his emotions says it all… this is heartbreaking.. 💔

They've been in prison for 31 years now Imagine what toll must have that taken on their psyche and they would have undergone even more trauma. It's so so so unfair. Anyone and everyone involved in putting them into prison must also be held accountable for their actions.

Justice for the Menendez brothers. The Justice system jas failed these Brothers honestly. It's Sad

He couldn’t even look at the picture of him at 38:07 this father was seriously just sick and the mother was just as awful yelling at them telling them she wished they were never born and they ruined her life and she hated them . Absolutely sick parents

you can tell body language and facial that he is honest. He was an innocent child and his dad took away his innocence. Yet, God gives him his innocence still whether in jail or not. He is a good person. I can tell that. He is a good guy I just can't stand that this happened to him. I am sorry Erik. You are a good person.

Eric is so beautiful. 🥺 I cried when he struggled To talk about this. My family member went through the same, and when he was older he saw his abuser holding a little boys hand walking in town and saved his life! He set up his abuser with C3I on the phone and he apologized for what he did to him and admitted to everything. He was abusing the boy he saw holding his hand the boy testified against him aswell. He went to prison and died of cancer in prison. I wish they could’ve done the same 😢 they deserved a normal life. Imagine taking the lives of the people who took yours and still not having a life.

I feel for these men🥺 They’ve been through so much mental and physical abuse. They need help healing, not punishment.

Free them .. Im a mother … hearing and seeing their pain makes me cry.. if i was their mom i’ll do everything to protect them. I dont care i how many husband i lost .. what matters to me is my children. Both of them could have a possibility to live good life if only their Mom could have stood up for them.. I can see still they have a good heart. Loving children by keeping everything by themselves.. Human burst out if u are exhausted in pain.. That’s a reality.. put urself on their shoes what could one have done.. for me my father will not last for 12 years or more.. one attempt .. i will never let that happen to me and my children.. never!

I feel so sorry for him... dear God, why are they in prison... Their mother was just as evil as their dad. A match made in hell.

“Why didn’t you want them (friends) to know that you were a boy having sex with your father”. Is she for real asking that question?...... he’s not going fishing with his dad, his father is molesting him. Of course you don’t want people to know that. And when she says he’s having sex with his father, she is implying that’s it’s consensual, well it’s not. These boys were being molested and raped. She is a horrible woman and I hate how she snaps at him as he is recalling the worst events in his life. He even had a hard time looking at the (naked) photos of himself that his horrible dad took of him. I feel so terrible for these boys. Breaks my heart listening what they had to go through. How did they put them in jail? Theses boys were so wronged in every sense of the word. His evil parents deserved to die