As Erik Menendez and Lyle Menendez‘s upcoming court hearing approaches, their family members held a press conference, calling for a possible re-sentencing. On Wednesday, October 16, several relatives spoke out in support of the brothers, including Kitty Menendez‘s sister, Joan Anderson VanderMolen. Lyle and Erik fatally shot Kitty and José in August 1989, but their family has stood behind them since their 1990s trials.
During the recent press conference, the family announced the launch of a coalition and website titled “Justice for Lyle and Erik.” The event took place just hours after the Los Angeles District Attorney released Erik’s letter that was written to his late cousin, Andy Cano, in 1989, revealing that Erik informed his cousin of his father’s abuse.
Find out what the LA District Attorney George Gascón and Menendez brothers’ family said at the press conference, below.
DA George Gascón Supports the Menendez Brothers To Be Resentenced
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón spoke during a press conference on Thursday, October 24, 2024, stating that “resentencing is appropriate” and that eligibility for parole should be considered immediately if the judge approves his recommendation. “I believe they have paid their debt to society,” he added.
Kitty’s Sister Blames José
While taking to the podium in front of reporters, Joan called the murders of Lyle and Erik’s late parents “tragic” but emphasized that the siblings committed the crime as a result of their father’s “cruelty.”
“Their actions, while tragic, were the desperate response of two boys trying to survive the unspeakable cruelty of their father,” Kitty’s sister said, according to Daily Mail. “The truth is, Lyle and Erik were failed by the very people who should have protected them—their parents, the system, and society at large.”
At the Menendez Brothers press conference, their aunt explains the importance of understanding the impact of the trauma from sexual abuse: "Abuse has long lasting effects. Victims of trauma sometimes act in ways that are very difficult to understand" pic.twitter.com/fxsR5DpSG0
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 16, 2024
Kitty’s Nephew Says Lyle & Erik are ‘Not Villains’
Brian Andersen Jr., one of Kitty’s nephews, said that he’s “known Erik and Lyle [his] whole life,” according to the outlet.
“I’ve known Erik and Lyle my whole life. I can tell you without a doubt that they are not the villains they’ve been portrayed as,” Brian said. “They were boys, young, scared and abused by their father in ways no child should ever experience.”
José’s Niece Says Family Would Benefit From Menendez Siblings’ Release
Anamaria Baral, one of Lyle and Erik’s cousins, said that the incarcerated brothers “deserve a chance to heal, and our family deserves a chance to heal with them.”
Per TODAY, she continued, “Both sides of the family, united, sharing a new bond of hope. Hope that with the reexamination of the case a new outcome will be reached. Hope that this 34-year nightmare will end and we will be reunited as a family.”
José’s Sister’s ‘Prayer’ for Erik & Lyle
Anamaria read aloud a letter from her mother, José’s sister, which read, “My prayer is that I live long enough to see my nephews again and to hug them once more,” according to Daily Mail.
Since their 1996 convictions, Lyle and Erik have maintained the claim that they killed their parents out of self-defense after years of alleged emotional, physical and sexual abuse at home.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.