Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of their wealthy parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989. Throughout their trials, there were numerous court proceedings, testimonies, and mistrials. The brothers were accused of murdering their parents with shotguns and faced a second trial after the first ended in a hung jury. Lyle broke down in tears during court testimony when he recalled incidents of sexual abuse by his father. The defense claimed that the brothers’ father took photographs, some showing the genitals of the brothers as children. The California Supreme Court had to decide whether to review a lower court decision to allow alleged tape confessions made to a psychiatrist as evidence before a preliminary hearing could take place. Defense attorneys, including Leslie Abramson, worked to defend the brothers during the trials. In the end, both Erik and Lyle Menendez were found guilty of first-degree murder with exceptional circumstances. The fate of the brothers was determined in a penalty-phase examination to decide if they would face the death penalty for their crimes. Ultimately, the brothers were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal murders of their parents.
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