Menendez Brothers’ Family Launch Organization: ‘New Bond Of Hope’

Amid the emotional weight of a 35-year struggle, Anamaria Baralt stood with nearly two dozen Menendez family members, their voices unified in a call for justice for brothers Erik and Lyle.

“Here we are, both sides of the family – united. Sharing a new bond of hope,” Baralt, who is José Menendez’s niece, said. “Hope that with the reexamination of their case, a new outcome will be reached. Hope that this 35 year nightmare will end and we will be reunited as a family. I am here to ask the DA’s office to take into account the full picture, the truth that was hidden for so long.”

Menendez family members gathered in Los Angeles on Wednesday to launch an initiative spotlighting the childhood sexual abuse Erik and Lyle endured. Baralt said, “On behalf of our whole family, it is my honor to introduce our new coalition, ‘Justice For Erik & Lyle.'”

The press conference marked the largest official gathering of relatives from both sides of the family since District Attorney George Gascón began reviewing the case earlier this year. Family members were joined by Erik and Lyle’s attorney, Mark Geragos, who stressed the brothers’ sentences did not fully consider the decade-long traumatic sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of their father.

The brothers shot their father, José, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, a total of 14 times during an attack inside their Beverly Hills home in 1989.

Lyle, who was then 21, and Erik, then 18, admitted they shot their Hollywood executive father and mother because they feared their parents were about to kill them to prevent the disclosure of the father’s alleged long-term sexual molestation of Erik.

On February 2, 1996, the jury found both brothers guilty of first-degree murder, sentencing them to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a sentence they have been serving ever since.

Now 35 years later, the family is urging supporters to visit their website and sign a petition calling on the District Attorney’s Office to take action. Joan VanderMolen, Kitty’s sister, said the family’s decision to launch the initiative came after receiving overwhelming support for the brothers.

“I want to thank everyone who has reached out to our family in recent days and weeks asking how they can help,” VanderMolan said. “We have an answer. Please sign our petition.”

“Justice For Erik & Lyle” follows the discovery of new evidence, currently under review by Gascón.

Gascón told Newsweek his office is currently reviewing a 1988 letter written by Erik to his cousin Andy Cano about the alleged sexual abuse he endured by his father. The new evidence also includes a statement from a former Menudo member who claims he was also sexually assaulted by José.

With a hearing scheduled for November 29, Newsweek contacted the DA’s office to check for any progress on a decision after the family’s press conference. They have not yet responded.

‘Doesn’t need to fit a specific mold’

The initiative’s website reads, “Over the past three decades, society’s understanding about the impact of sexual abuse on victims – including male victims – has significantly evolved. Yet, Lyle and Erik’s sentence reflects the outdated perception that boys cannot be victims of sexual abuse. Now, with new evidence before the Los Angeles County District Attorney, the family of Lyle and Erik is fighting for a resentencing.”

Vandermolen said if the brothers were tried today, the court would allow evidence of their father’s abuse, providing crucial context for their actions.

“In the years since their conviction, society’s understanding of sexual abuse and its psychological impact has grown significantly,” VanderMolen said. “We understand that a person doesn’t need to fit a specific mold, whether it’s gender or socioeconomic status, in order to experience abuse.”

Prosecutors argued there was no proof of abuse, as evidence of molestation was excluded by the judge during their second trial in 1995. They alleged the brothers were motivated by greed, aiming to inherit their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate—a claim the defense denied.

Deborah Tuerkheimer, a former Manhattan prosecutor and author of Credible, told Newsweek boys who are victims of sexual abuse and assault face additional challenges because such cases are less common and often less acknowledged, with these difficulties being even greater decades ago.

“When victims don’t behave or look like we expect them to behave or look, we tend to find them not credible and boys don’t really fit into the popular understanding of who’s a victim of abuse,” the author said.

She highlighted family issues in court pose unique challenges because the law traditionally addresses violence between strangers. This focus complicates matters when similar issues arise within families.

“The law doesn’t respond well to problems of abuse within a family, whether that’s domestic violence or child abuse,” Tuerkheimer told Newsweek. “Whether it’s battered women who are defending themselves or it’s children defending themselves – it can be difficult for the realities of abuse to map onto our legal doctrines, rules and defenses.”

Jennifer Simmons Kaleba, Vice President of Communications of RAINN told Newsweek not being believed from the beginning can be one of the most damaging experiences for a survivor. The level of belief they receive shapes their entire journey, impacting their chances of achieving legal justice.

According to the initiative’s website, sexual abuse is a widespread and underreported issue, particularly for boys and men. Research shows at least 1 in 6 men have experienced sexual abuse or assault, whether as children or adults. This number is likely underestimated, as many men never disclose their abuse due to societal stigma, fear or shame.

For male survivors, the impacts of abuse can be profound and long-lasting. Studies have shown men who have experienced sexual abuse are at a much greater risk for mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. The trauma can affect their relationships, academic achievement, and career success, with many survivors struggling in silence for years.

“One shocking statistic reveals that more boys experience sexual abuse than develop prostate cancer – the most common cancer among men,” the website reads. “And yet, public awareness of male sexual abuse remains woefully low, perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding and neglect. It’s time to break the silence and stand with survivors like Lyle and Erik Menendez, who have endured a lifetime of trauma that was never fully acknowledged in the court of law.”

The brothers have dedicated themselves to raising awareness about male victims of sexual assault during their time in prison.

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