Netflix show ‘Monsters’: Kim Kardashian supports Menendez Brothers, says they were victims of childhood abuse

Kim Kardashian stated that the Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, should not receive life sentences for their previous misdeeds. In a recent editorial for NBC News, the reality star stated her sympathy for the brothers, who were convicted of brutally murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1996 when they were just 21 and 18. Their story has received increased attention with the publication of the Monster series on Netflix. After visiting the brothers in jail, Kim lobbied for their release, characterising them as "kind, intelligent, and honest men." In her piece, she also stated that Lyle and Erik had been subjected to years of "sexual, physical, and emotional" abuse by their parents.

The mother of two wrote, “This story is much more complex than it appears on the surface. Both brothers said they had been sexually, physically and emotionally abused for years by their parents. According to Lyle, the abuse started when he was just 6 years old, and Erik said he was raped by his father for more than a decade. Following years of abuse, Erik and Lyle chose what they thought at the time was their only way out. Many people believe the crimes the brothers committed are unforgivable, but what about the decades of alleged abuse they suffered as children?”

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“I have spent time with Lyle and Erik, they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent and honest men. In prison, they both have exemplary disciplinary records. They have earned multiple college degrees, worked as caregivers for elderly incarcerated individuals in hospice and been mentors in college programs. When I visited the prison, one of the wardens told me he would feel comfortable having them as neighbours. Twenty four family members, including their parents’ siblings, have released statements fully supporting Lyle and Erik and have respectfully requested that the justice system free them,” Kim Kardashian added.

Kim Kardashian revealed that during Lyle and Erik Menendez's first trial, the brothers had separate juries, and their defence focused on allegations of abuse. Several family members even attested to their support. After evaluating the evidence, many jurors concluded the brothers were innocent. However, when the case was tried again, important elements of their abuse accusations were excluded as evidence, and certain witnesses from the previous trial were barred from testifying. Finally, the jury in the second trial found the Menendez brothers guilty and sentenced them to life without parole.

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Kim Kardashian said that Lyle and Erik Menendez's first trial was transformed into entertainment when it was broadcast live on television. Their sad experiences and stories were mocked on shows like Saturday Night Live, which presented the brothers as affluent, arrogant young men from Beverly Hills who murdered their parents for money. Meanwhile, Kim believes that the brothers' prison sentences will be reconsidered because they were never heard or given the necessary assistance. 

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• Kim Kardashian
• Netflix