Case overview
Joseph Lyle Menendez (born January 10, 1968) and Erik Galen Menendez (born November 27, 1970), commonly referred to as the Menendez brothers, are American brothers convicted of killing their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. Police initially investigated this claim but grew suspicious when they discovered the brothers' extravagant spending sprees following the murders, and the fact that they had hired a computer expert to delete their father's recently updated will. [1]
During their first trial, the defense argued that the brothers killed their parents in self-defense after years of alleged sexual, emotional and physical abuse. Lyle and Erik were charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for lying in wait, making them eligible for the death penalty, and charges of conspiracy to murder. Immediately after the killings, both brothers remained in the house for a few minutes, expecting a police response to the gunshot noise. [2]
