As everyone talks about the controversial Ryan Murphy series Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story, a Kardashian has shared their opinion that the Menendez brothers should be let out of prison.
In an essay for NBC News, Kim Kardashian wrote that Erik and Lyle “had no chance of a fair trial” because of media attention on the case in the 1990s.
Kardashian summed up the complicated nature of this tragedy. While the brothers shot their parents Kitty and Jose multiple times and there’s no denying how violent and horrific it was, Erik and Lyle alleged that Jose sexually abused them. Kardashian wrote, “Many people believe the crimes the brothers committed are unforgivable — but what about the decades of alleged abuse they suffered as children?”
The reality star and SKIMS founder said they “lost their childhoods” and she hopes that a judge decides that they no longer deserve their life sentences. She isn’t defending the fact that they committed murder, though. She said “The killings are not excusable” but she doesn’t believe the brothers had “a fair trial” due to people not believing their allegations of abuse.
While some might say that a huge celebrity like Kardashian shouldn’t talk about this kind of subject, she knows a few things about being in the spotlight because of a tragedy that the whole world talks about. When O.J. Simpson was put on trial for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, Kim’s late father Robert Kardashian was his lawyer. And, as it turns out, Murphy was an executive producer on the dramatized TV account of this trial, American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson.
While people associate Kardashian with her fashion sense, reality TV appearances, and highly publicized love life (including that rumor about dating Tom Brady), she has been advocating for criminal justice reform for several years now. Kardashian helped free Alice Marie Johnson, who was given a life sentence in 1966 for being part of drug trafficking. In 2018, Johnson was let out of prison. Now, after talking to the Menendez brothers in prison, Kardashian has turned her attention to them. In 2023, she explained at the TIME100 Gala and Summit, “Once I saw that I was able to make a difference, I couldn’t stop there.”
Many would say that there is a difference between a case like Johnson’s, who became involved with a non-violent crime in order to make ends meet, and committing murder. While of course no one should ignore the abuse the Menendez brothers say they suffered throughout their childhoods and young adulthood, it’s hard to say people shouldn’t go to prison for committing murder. But Kardashian might not be wrong to say that when abuse is involved, the punishment of a life sentence might not fit the crime. If people feel for Gypsy Rose Blanchard and support her being released from prison, should the world feel the same way about the Menendez brothers? It’s a fair question that there isn’t a simple answer for.
Whether people agree with Kardashian or not, the brothers are going to have a hearing on Nov. 28th, 2024. Variety reported that George Gascón, the Los Angeles District Attorney, said, “We have been given a photocopy of a letter that allegedly was sent by one of the brothers to another family member talking about him being the victim of molestation.” As Variety noted, there could be a resentencing or retrial after that hearing. And Murphy is open to making one or two more episodes of his show as well.
Does Murphy agree with Kardashian’s belief that the Menendez brothers shouldn’t have been given a life sentence? He appears to. In an interview with People, he said “I wouldn’t go so far as to say they should be free” but he believes that a trial taking place in 2024 would have resulted in a charge of manslaughter instead. Murphy also said “I think they can be out of prison by Christmas.” One thing is clear: everyone will be paying attention to the Nov. 2024 hearing.