THE family of infamous parent killers Erik and Lyle Menendez has signed a petition in a desperate bid to release them after their 35 years in prison.
Anamaria Baralt, the boys’ first cousin, has told The U.S. Sun she has managed to get “pretty much every” signature from relatives of Kitty and Jose Menendez, who were gunned down by their sons in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.
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LEGAL BATTLE
Attorneys have been battling to free Erik and Lyle, who were charged in 1990 and convicted of first-degree murder in 1996, with two new pieces of evidence being put forward to boost their case.
The brothers failed to convince a jury in a second trial that their father’s sexual and mental abuse left them with no option but to shoot him and his wife at point black range while they were watching television.
But last year, evidence emerged that Jose, working as an executive at RCA Records, had molested boyband member Roy Rosello.
Furthermore, a letter to Andy Cano, their late cousin, written by Erik in December 1988, which wasn’t initially presented in court, was discovered by journalist Robert Rand and explicitly stated his fears of being attacked by his “crazy” father.
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“It’s still happening, but it’s worse for me now,” Erik allegedly wrote.
“I knew it was extremely important because it was a piece of physical evidence where Erik was writing to the cousin he was very close to and complaining about the ongoing sexual abuse by his father,” said Rand.
FRESH HOPES
Renowned Los Angeles-based lawyer Mark Geragos, who has worked with the brothers for the last two years, told The U.S. Sun in June about his tireless push for them to be resentenced and set free.
“I have never had so much support not only from a victim’s family but also correctional people across the board saying ok, enough is enough,” Geragos said.
“I think something will happen this year.”
Following the release of the smash hit Netflix dramatization of the killings on September 19, over 300,000 people have signed a petition, which was started in 2019, demanding Erik and Lyle be granted a retrial.
The petition quotes a California law that “allows incarcerated people, convicted of crimes related to their experiences of being abused, to submit a petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging their original convictions.”
The legal process of habeas corpus decides whether or not someone’s incarceration detention is lawful.
If not, they could be released.
FAMILY AGONY
Despite the horrific nature of the killings – and the uncertainty as to what transpired between the boys and their parents – Anamaria is adamant that the time has come to set them free.
Her beloved late father, Carlos, Jose’s brother-in-law and best friend, was also close to Erik and Lyle.
His life, like many of his relatives, was torn apart on August 20, 1989, when the boys claimed to have returned home and found their parents dead.
Erik and Lyle aren’t a menace to society. Let them out.
Anamaria Baralt, cousin of the Menendez brothers
Nevertheless, there is no desire from any living relatives to see them caged for the rest of their lives.
“My father loved Jose, but even when he was alive, he didn’t fight to keep them in jail,” Anamaria told The U.S. Sun.
“At no point did he ever stop visiting Lyle and Erik; he never turned his back on them and certainly did not want to see them spend their lives in prison, regardless of what they did.”
Anamaria admits she had “long given up hope” because of so many false dawns, including their last appeal for freedom, which was rejected in 2009.
Menendez brothers timeline
Erik and Lyle Menendez are serving life sentences in prison after being found guilty of shooting their parents to death over 30 years ago.
August 20, 1989 – José and Kitty Menendez are shot to death
March 8, 1990 – Lyle is arrested for the murders
March 11, 1990 – Erik turns himself in
July 20, 1993 – Highly publicized trial begins and ends weeks later in a mistrial
October 11, 1995 – Second trial begins
March 20, 1996 – Menendez brothers are convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder
July 2, 1996 – Menendez brothers are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and sent to separate prisons
February 2018 – Lyle is transferred to the San Diego prison where Erik is held
April 4, 2018 – Erik and Lyle are reunited
May 2023 – Attorney representing the Menendez brothers files a habeas petition
September 19, 2024 – Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story comes out on Netflix
During a presentation at CrimeCon in Nashville this summer, Geragos spoke to Lyle from prison in front of a packed auditorium.
He talked about his dreams of being released and how in the meantime, he’s worked towards a college degree and established a beautification project within the four walls of the San Diego jail he and his sibling have called home for so many years.
“They are both very good at putting on brave faces,” their cousin recalled.
“There are so many times when I have visited them in prison and left in tears, not knowing the next time I’m going to see them. But they would comfort me and show such empathy.”
The Netflix show, which the Menendez family roundly blasted for its lack of authenticity, has certainly once again raised awareness of the case.
With the legal battles continuing behind the scenes, those close to the brothers are confident a resolution – and their freedom – is closer than ever.
“These two aren’t a menace to society,” Anamaria said sternly.
“They have paid a price, so can we please let them out now?”
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