August 23, 2025 • 20 mins
After a marathon hearing lasting 11 hours, with the support of a dozen family members, a separate parole board denied parole to Lyle Menendez. Amy and T.J. give all the details from the hearing, including how a tearful and apologetic Lyle tried to explain his illegal cellphone use behind bars as well as the reason why he and his brother Eric shot and killed their mother.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey there, folks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It is Saturday, August twenty third, and actions speak louder
than words. We've been told that our whole lives. And
that's what Lyle Menindez was told yesterday, right before he
was denied parole, just like his brother the day before.
And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and
(00:23):
TJ Special Guests today, Amy. That's funny, I'm king.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
It was even funnier that you just called me Amy.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well then, well I had to go with the welcome
to Amy and TJ, so I had to continue.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
All right, you've never done that before. I'm just pointing out, but.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
It was see why are we doing this? Hey, everybody
wall good things. She's back, huh uh. But no, I
have a lot of folks know. Robes has been out
the past few days since the podcast, dropping off a
kid at college in Boulder, But was very much Robes
while you were gone keeping an eye on this story.
And isn't it the case, Robes that you felt momentum
(00:57):
was on their side even for the past year plus, even.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Absolutely with all of the different hurdles that they've been
able to cross, so to speak, it felt like, yes,
they there was a consensus building and specifically the LA
District attorney before the elections. People seem to think that
they had served their time for their crime, given the
ages they were when they were committed. In addition to
(01:23):
new evidence that came up that showed a pattern of
abuse by the menandez brother's father, So there seemed to
be reasons for or at least an explanation, a motive
that was understandable, at least for perhaps why they did
what they did. And so, yes, I was surprised. I
was a little surprised.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That they were both correct. So I.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Think to your point, we have been watching Momentum Public
Momentum documentaries, New AffA, Davits, new Information. You had a
Daou there before he was kicked out. At least he
was one leading the rallying prize saying yeah, so all
of that, And then the parole hearing happened for Eric
(02:08):
on Thursday. And when I heard that, I said, that
makes perfect sense. When you hear a parole board, Y say, yes,
folks out there are considering a whole different set of
circumstances that we have to consider as a parole board.
When I hear the parole board say we don't even
we're not keeping you in prison because of what you
(02:29):
did to your parents, is because of who you've been
the past thirty years in prison, and despite what your
endorsers and some of your celebrity endorsers are saying, you
two have not been model prisoners.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
And you know what's interesting. In Lyle's parole board hearing yesterday,
when they were talking to him about their decision, they
talked about how they understood that at least there was
an acknowledgment that perhaps part of the reason why they
behaved the way they did, which was explained as entitled
children basically behind bars, could have been because they had
(03:02):
no hope of getting out. They had been sentenced to
life in prison without the possibility of parole. It's only
been in recent months that they've now been eligible, or
even a month, right, how long has it been since
they were It was a may re sentenced because of
the ages they were at the time the crime was committed.
That they were resentenced, which ben made them eligible for parole.
(03:22):
So they finally got even a glimmer of hope that
they could get out actually through parole a few months ago.
So they acknowledged, we see that you perhaps felt like
you had no incentive to behave well, But that doesn't
matter because it's still reflective of who you are as
a person, and.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
To that as well.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
On the cell phone usage, this has been going on
a while and they knew that this might come up,
and they knew the DA last year was trying to
get them resentenced. The Lyle's most recent cell phone violation
was March of.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
This year, right, and he had an explanation. Unlike his
brother Eric, he claims that because they do get privileges,
they do get phone privileges. I think through a tablet,
but obviously those conversations are monitored and documented, so there's
no privacy to them. And Lyle claims the reason why
he needed a cell phone was because his conversations were
(04:18):
being monitored and then part of what he was saying
was being leaked to tabloids, so he was using that
as an excuse. Hey, your prison guards or whoever's monitoring
these lines are actually betraying my privacy and selling what
I say to the tabloids.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
And who would ever buy that? Who is sitting there
in your judgment, You just came up with an excuse.
It's our fault that you decided to break the rule.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
That probably doesn't sit well. Now you should have just
said you're right, I'm sorry, and so.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Let's sell you exactly what did happen. Yes, folks, look,
we thought Eric's was a long day. This one was
even longer. An eleven hour. An eleven hour parole board hearing.
These things, folks will tell you, usually say two to
three hours, and even before Eric's on Thursday, that was
the prediction it might be three hours. And again we
(05:06):
remind you because of the rules out there. This is
a parole board hearing. This isn't an open court hearing.
There's no audio, there's no video, only one pool reporter,
and that pool reporter cannot disseminate information until the thing
is over. So we sat with zero information for eleven
hours waiting to hear what happened. So what happened. Yes,
(05:26):
they ultimately denied parole, denied parole for him, but he
is eligible for parole again in three years, but there
is an administrative review that can take place in a year,
which could result then in him getting another parole board hearing,
sooner than that three years could happen. Ultimately, in eighteen months,
his brother Eric got the same deal as well. They're
(05:48):
going to have these administrative reviews, So why robes the
question is, and many of their reasons were the same
as Eric's for why they're telling him he can't.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Get out of prison.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
A lot of the testimony, I say testimony, but a
lot of the questions directed at Lyle throughout the hearing
were at the abuse he suffered at the hands of
his father. They really went back as they did with
Eric and dissected the crime itself, the why, and really
trying to measure how sorry, truly sorry each brother was.
(06:20):
Now with Lyle, he actually said something that Eric did not,
and there were questions as to whether he learned or
maybe he even practiced beforehand, because Eric got hung up
when the parole board really went after him as to
why he had to or felt like he had to
kill his mother. If the abuse they suffered was at
the hands of his father, why then did the mother
(06:41):
have to die? And Eric really didn't have a good answer.
So Lyle came prepped and look, he had made these
accusations when he was being accused initially, but it was
never corroborated, and I don't believe it actually ended up
in trial but he said this on equivocally. He stated
it multiple times. He claimed at yesterday's par board hearing
that he was and they were sexually abused by their mother.
(07:05):
He said it happened at the age of thirteen, and
so he said he felt like he was consenting and
he was embarrassed about it, and that's why he said
he never told police about it initially because he felt
like he was consenting because of his age.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
He even he's I think that surprised some of the
folks on the pro board, and he had an entire
psychological evaluation in review. The question is, well, why didn't
you say this to somebody? Nobody asked and it sounded
like something now that I don't know, Why is this
coming up now? And what do you have an indication?
(07:42):
What exactly was the direct question that was asked that
prompted him to give this information.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I don't know, but it seemed as though it came
within the question of why did you kill your mother?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And this is but he's been asked why for a
long time. That's I mean, that's you've had thirty six
years to give this answer, and he gave it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Again.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I don't know if I'm missing something. And this was
hinted at or in the past, but this was a
moment there, it seemed in the parole war here.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
And it was a distinctive moment from when his brother
Eric was asked the same question. Eric made no mention
of being sexually abused. Now Eric is younger than Lyle,
so we don't know where Eric stands on this, but
Lyle said they both were sexually abused. But he specifically
talked about his age and got into specifics that no
one had heard before.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, and he spoke.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
It was almost like he was sympathetic to his mother
and his answer it sounded like he said she was
with a fear that she had in some way as
well in things he was trying to understand about her
background and her upbringing.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
That. So, yeah, this was all he got.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Complex and a mess and a family mess and just
a tragedy from start to finish.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
It really the darkness and the dark It just was
really and he talked. He got really specific about his
father's abuse and saying it happened at a very young age.
And he said that when it ended, when he told
or asked to sleep in his nieces or sorry, his
it was his cousin's room, his niece's room, some other
female relative's room, because he said, my dad touches me,
(09:09):
and so he told a relative. He said, once he
told a relative, it never happened again. But then he
said he felt a loss that his dad didn't love
him as much, or that somehow he wasn't his special
son or his special boy that his father called him.
So he felt rejected and all the complexities that come
with that. So he really got into a lot of
(09:32):
his psychological the impact on him and what he was
thinking at the time and how it affected him.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And I think a lot of people can be sympathetic
to a certain degree about that. But what the parole
board is having to deal with really is what rehabilitation
and your past behavior and how likely we have to
make a decision to put you back out on the streets,
to recommend if the governor is going to put you
back out in the streets, you just have to take
(10:00):
what kind of risk is this person? And they keep
talking rogues about your if you cannot follow the rules
in here, we have like zero faith in you doing
it out in society.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
And the examples they have leading up and in the
days and weeks after their parents' death was nothing but
lies and spending like copious amounts of cash after their
parents were brutally murdered by them knowing that they had
been cut off earlier for whatever reason financially, so they
were struggling financially. So there are all of these like, yes,
(10:34):
this all sounds and could be true about this abuse,
of course, but it doesn't excuse the way you behaved
leading up to and certainly in the days and weeks
after your parents' death, and then all of the lies.
Lyle was the one who like repeatedly lied to detectives
and investigators, And so they said, if you have a
history and a pattern of deceit, how can we trust you?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Now?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
You know, they has some pretty strong words for the
Lyle characteristics of anti social personality traits like deception, minimization,
and rule breaking that lie beneath that positive surface. I mean,
they spoke of him like a guy like you're going
and teaching a class and telling people how to be
(11:20):
good citizens in here and then leave them and go
back to your cell and continue a pattern of violating rules.
Wasn't there a six year stretch? They said he had
a cell phone, yes, the whole like he was breaking rules,
not on a one off for this, or that he
was a repeat violator.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yep, of the rules. Yes. And it's interesting because they
did say that they found that his remorse was genuine,
so they did give him that nod. And there was
a different tone in how they talked to Lyle versus
how they talked to Eric. It's almost like they wanted
to believe him and they were encouraging him to be
the person he appears to be. But there was also
(12:01):
this acknowledgement that that all could be a mask of
deception and they just weren't sure who the real Lyle was.
I mean, the parole commissioner specifically told him, don't ever
not have hope. This denial isn't the end. But I
thought it was interesting that she said, this is a
way for you to spend some time to demonstrate to
practice what you preach, who you are and who you
(12:23):
want to be. And notably she said, don't be somebody
different behind closed doors.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
See I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I mean, if he knows he has a possibility for
review in a year, he is what knitting Christmas sweaters
for all the staff, right? Now, why wouldn't he he's
the best. Obviously he's gonna be on his best behavior.
So how if this is a guy that you're already
saying has a history of deception and manipulation, and isn't
he just gonna go do.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
What he has to do?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
But oddly it seemed as though they were telling him, Hey,
they were dangling a carrot. Just be good for a year,
you'll be up for review, and then you can get
out in a year and a half. I thought that
was interesting.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
We just don't want this to be on us.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Kind of that's wild. But still, after all of this,
he's been denied, his brother has been denied. But would
you believe he still has a chance to get out
of prison, even immediately? And the power to do that
(13:24):
lies in one man in Sacramento.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Welcome back, everyone to this edition of Amy and TJ,
where we are talking about Lyle Menendez. His parole has
been denied, despite the Parole Board acknowledging they believed his
remorse was genuine. We heard from Lyle directly yesterday, with
tears in his eyes, saying, my life has been defined
by extreme violence. I wanted to be defined by something else.
(14:00):
He said, I am so sorry to everyone and I
will be forever sorry. And the commissioner said, we believe you.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Did I see as well? He spoke of he's a
big brother like he Yes, he led this and spoke
of I hadn't seen that anywhere before. Actually that he
almost felt bad as a big brother for letting down.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
His little brother.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
And he talked about the violence that he saw his
brother and dure at the hands of both his mother
and his father, and felt very defensive in that regard
for not being able to protect him and the family.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Again, I think it was he had a dozen or
so folks speaking there for him, family and friends, mostly family.
But they have been very supportive of both of these men. Now,
I haven't been pushing for them to get out of prison.
They put out a statement after Eric was denying, saying
they were hopeful for what was going to happen with Lyle.
Obviously it didn't go that way for Lyle, but they
spoke again Roams and this is for me still extraordinary,
(14:56):
this family that is speaking their family members were murdered
and they are pushing for the murderers to be let
out of prison. Yes, I know their family members as well,
but this has just been extraordinary.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Hey, there was only one family member that I can
think of who had publicly been against the brothers ever
being released, and that was their mother, Kitty's brother. Well,
he passed away earlier this year. So the only dissenter
from the Menendez family has passed on. And so it
appears that every living member of their families is in
(15:30):
support of them coming home. And one of them older
and aging and cancer, Yeah, has cancer and said I
want to be able to spend time with my family
before I passed, you.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Know, And I just remember this. I wish I could
give him credit for a prosecutor. I spoke about this
in a previous episode. I just someone who was a
federal prosecutor said, in all of my days in this career,
I have never been to a parole hearing with a
family of the person murdered is pushing for the murderer
(16:03):
to get out of prison. Said, never ever have I
seen that. I know it's a family connection here, but
it's still extraordinary to see how supportive they are and
how much they're pushing it.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Is I mean, if you think about it, because people say, oh, yeah,
well they're family too, but no, imagine if your brother,
if your sister was murdered by their children. That doesn't
mean you necessarily are praising or supporting their children. You're
probably pretty damn pissed at your niece or your name.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
We see this all the time on all the true
crime absolutely absolute parents and whatever, they will break down
a relationship based on somesh like this.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Especially when you're talking cousins and Anne's there's not it's right,
it's a little bit removed, and so yes, if you
took away another beloved family member, yes, So it just
shows that there's at least some understanding, it appears from
the family members as to why, Because if there wasn't
a good answer for the why, I don't think there'd
ever be this level of forgiveness or support. It's because
they understand the why, and that's been a huge part
(17:00):
of the push to have these brothers not exonerated, but
at least allowed out based on the time they have
served for their crime.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We are incredibly proud is what the family says here
in their statement. We are incredibly proud of how Eric
and Lyle showed up with honesty, accountability, and integrity. We
know they are good men. Who have done the work
to rehabilitate and are remorseful. We love them unconditionally and
will continue to stand by them on the journey ahead.
That's man, that's you want a family like that.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Yeah, And they said they're disappointed, but they're also not discouraged.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And they also know they have the options are dwindling,
but they still have options because of how this thing
works out their ropes. It wasn't just the parole board.
They can make a recommendation, but ultimately they are not
the ones who would spring them from jail.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yes, Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, actually has two
different ways. He could not approve so Actually, in California,
the state law says that the governor has to approve,
basically ratify, so to speak, the parole board's decision, or
he can disapprove it. He can throw it out and
he could set the brothers free, or he could give
(18:12):
them paroles so to speak, so he could overturn the
recommendations of this parole board. He could also because the
brothers have put in a bid for clemency, so the
governor also has the ability to extend clemency to the brothers. However,
Most people point to the fact that it appears as
if Newsom will be running for president. Oh, I don't
(18:34):
think that's and that might not bode well for him.
It certainly could be used against him. If we want
a president who's tough on crime, who's tough for us,
for America on national security, you really want that person
to have been someone who overturned or went against a
parole board's recommendation and let two double murderers out. So
a lot of people say, because of his presidential aspirations,
(18:55):
it's highly unlikely he's going to do either of those
two things. So the other opportunity, with the other chances
their brothers have of getting out, is a new trial.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
And they have made that request. Is that I don't
know the status of it. I don't know when they
are going to hear about their conviction being reviewed.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
This is based on the new evidence. There is somebody
out there who was with a boy band who Manuda Yes,
who said that they were abused by the Menendez brother's father.
So that's some of the new evidence. And then there's
this letter that Lyle wrote to his cousin before the
murders happened about being sexually abused, so there is documentation
(19:36):
about the abuse and given their ages, so that is
part of the reason this new information, this new evidence
that could be that is the determining factress to whether
or not they would get a new trial.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
And that's why I just don't know the timeline on
that one. As far as Gavin Newsom goes, I think
what the pro war has decided, I think this part
of it is done.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah, there's one hundred and twenty days. I think he
has to make a decision on whether or not he
approves it or disapproves.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
It's one of the Iowa caucuses.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I knew you were kidding, but yes, this has been
a heck of a journey and it's not over.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
It is not by any.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Stretch, So so quickly appreciate you as always hanging with
us and trusting us to give you updates about all
that's going on and Robes.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Good to have you back, dere Letting.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Great to be back again. Thanks everyone for listening. We
hope you have a great rest of your weekend.
Hey there, folks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It is Saturday, August twenty third, and actions speak louder
than words. We've been told that our whole lives. And
that's what Lyle Menindez was told yesterday, right before he
was denied parole, just like his brother the day before.
And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and
(00:23):
TJ Special Guests today, Amy. That's funny, I'm king.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
It was even funnier that you just called me Amy.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well then, well I had to go with the welcome
to Amy and TJ, so I had to continue.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
All right, you've never done that before. I'm just pointing out, but.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
It was see why are we doing this? Hey, everybody
wall good things. She's back, huh uh. But no, I
have a lot of folks know. Robes has been out
the past few days since the podcast, dropping off a
kid at college in Boulder, But was very much Robes
while you were gone keeping an eye on this story.
And isn't it the case, Robes that you felt momentum
(00:57):
was on their side even for the past year plus, even.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Absolutely with all of the different hurdles that they've been
able to cross, so to speak, it felt like, yes,
they there was a consensus building and specifically the LA
District attorney before the elections. People seem to think that
they had served their time for their crime, given the
ages they were when they were committed. In addition to
(01:23):
new evidence that came up that showed a pattern of
abuse by the menandez brother's father, So there seemed to
be reasons for or at least an explanation, a motive
that was understandable, at least for perhaps why they did
what they did. And so, yes, I was surprised. I
was a little surprised.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That they were both correct. So I.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Think to your point, we have been watching Momentum Public
Momentum documentaries, New AffA, Davits, new Information. You had a
Daou there before he was kicked out. At least he
was one leading the rallying prize saying yeah, so all
of that, And then the parole hearing happened for Eric
(02:08):
on Thursday. And when I heard that, I said, that
makes perfect sense. When you hear a parole board, Y say, yes,
folks out there are considering a whole different set of
circumstances that we have to consider as a parole board.
When I hear the parole board say we don't even
we're not keeping you in prison because of what you
(02:29):
did to your parents, is because of who you've been
the past thirty years in prison, and despite what your
endorsers and some of your celebrity endorsers are saying, you
two have not been model prisoners.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
And you know what's interesting. In Lyle's parole board hearing yesterday,
when they were talking to him about their decision, they
talked about how they understood that at least there was
an acknowledgment that perhaps part of the reason why they
behaved the way they did, which was explained as entitled
children basically behind bars, could have been because they had
(03:02):
no hope of getting out. They had been sentenced to
life in prison without the possibility of parole. It's only
been in recent months that they've now been eligible, or
even a month, right, how long has it been since
they were It was a may re sentenced because of
the ages they were at the time the crime was committed.
That they were resentenced, which ben made them eligible for parole.
(03:22):
So they finally got even a glimmer of hope that
they could get out actually through parole a few months ago.
So they acknowledged, we see that you perhaps felt like
you had no incentive to behave well, But that doesn't
matter because it's still reflective of who you are as
a person, and.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
To that as well.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
On the cell phone usage, this has been going on
a while and they knew that this might come up,
and they knew the DA last year was trying to
get them resentenced. The Lyle's most recent cell phone violation
was March of.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
This year, right, and he had an explanation. Unlike his
brother Eric, he claims that because they do get privileges,
they do get phone privileges. I think through a tablet,
but obviously those conversations are monitored and documented, so there's
no privacy to them. And Lyle claims the reason why
he needed a cell phone was because his conversations were
(04:18):
being monitored and then part of what he was saying
was being leaked to tabloids, so he was using that
as an excuse. Hey, your prison guards or whoever's monitoring
these lines are actually betraying my privacy and selling what
I say to the tabloids.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
And who would ever buy that? Who is sitting there
in your judgment, You just came up with an excuse.
It's our fault that you decided to break the rule.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
That probably doesn't sit well. Now you should have just
said you're right, I'm sorry, and so.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Let's sell you exactly what did happen. Yes, folks, look,
we thought Eric's was a long day. This one was
even longer. An eleven hour. An eleven hour parole board hearing.
These things, folks will tell you, usually say two to
three hours, and even before Eric's on Thursday, that was
the prediction it might be three hours. And again we
(05:06):
remind you because of the rules out there. This is
a parole board hearing. This isn't an open court hearing.
There's no audio, there's no video, only one pool reporter,
and that pool reporter cannot disseminate information until the thing
is over. So we sat with zero information for eleven
hours waiting to hear what happened. So what happened. Yes,
(05:26):
they ultimately denied parole, denied parole for him, but he
is eligible for parole again in three years, but there
is an administrative review that can take place in a year,
which could result then in him getting another parole board hearing,
sooner than that three years could happen. Ultimately, in eighteen months,
his brother Eric got the same deal as well. They're
(05:48):
going to have these administrative reviews, So why robes the
question is, and many of their reasons were the same
as Eric's for why they're telling him he can't.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Get out of prison.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
A lot of the testimony, I say testimony, but a
lot of the questions directed at Lyle throughout the hearing
were at the abuse he suffered at the hands of
his father. They really went back as they did with
Eric and dissected the crime itself, the why, and really
trying to measure how sorry, truly sorry each brother was.
(06:20):
Now with Lyle, he actually said something that Eric did not,
and there were questions as to whether he learned or
maybe he even practiced beforehand, because Eric got hung up
when the parole board really went after him as to
why he had to or felt like he had to
kill his mother. If the abuse they suffered was at
the hands of his father, why then did the mother
(06:41):
have to die? And Eric really didn't have a good answer.
So Lyle came prepped and look, he had made these
accusations when he was being accused initially, but it was
never corroborated, and I don't believe it actually ended up
in trial but he said this on equivocally. He stated
it multiple times. He claimed at yesterday's par board hearing
that he was and they were sexually abused by their mother.
(07:05):
He said it happened at the age of thirteen, and
so he said he felt like he was consenting and
he was embarrassed about it, and that's why he said
he never told police about it initially because he felt
like he was consenting because of his age.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
He even he's I think that surprised some of the
folks on the pro board, and he had an entire
psychological evaluation in review. The question is, well, why didn't
you say this to somebody? Nobody asked and it sounded
like something now that I don't know, Why is this
coming up now? And what do you have an indication?
(07:42):
What exactly was the direct question that was asked that
prompted him to give this information.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I don't know, but it seemed as though it came
within the question of why did you kill your mother?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And this is but he's been asked why for a
long time. That's I mean, that's you've had thirty six
years to give this answer, and he gave it yesterday.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Again.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I don't know if I'm missing something. And this was
hinted at or in the past, but this was a
moment there, it seemed in the parole war here.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
And it was a distinctive moment from when his brother
Eric was asked the same question. Eric made no mention
of being sexually abused. Now Eric is younger than Lyle,
so we don't know where Eric stands on this, but
Lyle said they both were sexually abused. But he specifically
talked about his age and got into specifics that no
one had heard before.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, and he spoke.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
It was almost like he was sympathetic to his mother
and his answer it sounded like he said she was
with a fear that she had in some way as
well in things he was trying to understand about her
background and her upbringing.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
That. So, yeah, this was all he got.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Complex and a mess and a family mess and just
a tragedy from start to finish.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
It really the darkness and the dark It just was
really and he talked. He got really specific about his
father's abuse and saying it happened at a very young age.
And he said that when it ended, when he told
or asked to sleep in his nieces or sorry, his
it was his cousin's room, his niece's room, some other
female relative's room, because he said, my dad touches me,
(09:09):
and so he told a relative. He said, once he
told a relative, it never happened again. But then he
said he felt a loss that his dad didn't love
him as much, or that somehow he wasn't his special
son or his special boy that his father called him.
So he felt rejected and all the complexities that come
with that. So he really got into a lot of
(09:32):
his psychological the impact on him and what he was
thinking at the time and how it affected him.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And I think a lot of people can be sympathetic
to a certain degree about that. But what the parole
board is having to deal with really is what rehabilitation
and your past behavior and how likely we have to
make a decision to put you back out on the streets,
to recommend if the governor is going to put you
back out in the streets, you just have to take
(10:00):
what kind of risk is this person? And they keep
talking rogues about your if you cannot follow the rules
in here, we have like zero faith in you doing
it out in society.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
And the examples they have leading up and in the
days and weeks after their parents' death was nothing but
lies and spending like copious amounts of cash after their
parents were brutally murdered by them knowing that they had
been cut off earlier for whatever reason financially, so they
were struggling financially. So there are all of these like, yes,
(10:34):
this all sounds and could be true about this abuse,
of course, but it doesn't excuse the way you behaved
leading up to and certainly in the days and weeks
after your parents' death, and then all of the lies.
Lyle was the one who like repeatedly lied to detectives
and investigators, And so they said, if you have a
history and a pattern of deceit, how can we trust you?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Now?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
You know, they has some pretty strong words for the
Lyle characteristics of anti social personality traits like deception, minimization,
and rule breaking that lie beneath that positive surface. I mean,
they spoke of him like a guy like you're going
and teaching a class and telling people how to be
(11:20):
good citizens in here and then leave them and go
back to your cell and continue a pattern of violating rules.
Wasn't there a six year stretch? They said he had
a cell phone, yes, the whole like he was breaking rules,
not on a one off for this, or that he
was a repeat violator.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yep, of the rules. Yes. And it's interesting because they
did say that they found that his remorse was genuine,
so they did give him that nod. And there was
a different tone in how they talked to Lyle versus
how they talked to Eric. It's almost like they wanted
to believe him and they were encouraging him to be
the person he appears to be. But there was also
(12:01):
this acknowledgement that that all could be a mask of
deception and they just weren't sure who the real Lyle was.
I mean, the parole commissioner specifically told him, don't ever
not have hope. This denial isn't the end. But I
thought it was interesting that she said, this is a
way for you to spend some time to demonstrate to
practice what you preach, who you are and who you
(12:23):
want to be. And notably she said, don't be somebody
different behind closed doors.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
See I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I mean, if he knows he has a possibility for
review in a year, he is what knitting Christmas sweaters
for all the staff, right? Now, why wouldn't he he's
the best. Obviously he's gonna be on his best behavior.
So how if this is a guy that you're already
saying has a history of deception and manipulation, and isn't
he just gonna go do.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
What he has to do?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
But oddly it seemed as though they were telling him, Hey,
they were dangling a carrot. Just be good for a year,
you'll be up for review, and then you can get
out in a year and a half. I thought that
was interesting.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
We just don't want this to be on us.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Kind of that's wild. But still, after all of this,
he's been denied, his brother has been denied. But would
you believe he still has a chance to get out
of prison, even immediately? And the power to do that
(13:24):
lies in one man in Sacramento.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Welcome back, everyone to this edition of Amy and TJ,
where we are talking about Lyle Menendez. His parole has
been denied, despite the Parole Board acknowledging they believed his
remorse was genuine. We heard from Lyle directly yesterday, with
tears in his eyes, saying, my life has been defined
by extreme violence. I wanted to be defined by something else.
(14:00):
He said, I am so sorry to everyone and I
will be forever sorry. And the commissioner said, we believe you.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Did I see as well? He spoke of he's a
big brother like he Yes, he led this and spoke
of I hadn't seen that anywhere before. Actually that he
almost felt bad as a big brother for letting down.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
His little brother.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
And he talked about the violence that he saw his
brother and dure at the hands of both his mother
and his father, and felt very defensive in that regard
for not being able to protect him and the family.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Again, I think it was he had a dozen or
so folks speaking there for him, family and friends, mostly family.
But they have been very supportive of both of these men. Now,
I haven't been pushing for them to get out of prison.
They put out a statement after Eric was denying, saying
they were hopeful for what was going to happen with Lyle.
Obviously it didn't go that way for Lyle, but they
spoke again Roams and this is for me still extraordinary,
(14:56):
this family that is speaking their family members were murdered
and they are pushing for the murderers to be let
out of prison. Yes, I know their family members as well,
but this has just been extraordinary.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Hey, there was only one family member that I can
think of who had publicly been against the brothers ever
being released, and that was their mother, Kitty's brother. Well,
he passed away earlier this year. So the only dissenter
from the Menendez family has passed on. And so it
appears that every living member of their families is in
(15:30):
support of them coming home. And one of them older
and aging and cancer, Yeah, has cancer and said I
want to be able to spend time with my family
before I passed, you.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Know, And I just remember this. I wish I could
give him credit for a prosecutor. I spoke about this
in a previous episode. I just someone who was a
federal prosecutor said, in all of my days in this career,
I have never been to a parole hearing with a
family of the person murdered is pushing for the murderer
(16:03):
to get out of prison. Said, never ever have I
seen that. I know it's a family connection here, but
it's still extraordinary to see how supportive they are and
how much they're pushing it.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Is I mean, if you think about it, because people say, oh, yeah,
well they're family too, but no, imagine if your brother,
if your sister was murdered by their children. That doesn't
mean you necessarily are praising or supporting their children. You're
probably pretty damn pissed at your niece or your name.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
We see this all the time on all the true
crime absolutely absolute parents and whatever, they will break down
a relationship based on somesh like this.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Especially when you're talking cousins and Anne's there's not it's right,
it's a little bit removed, and so yes, if you
took away another beloved family member, yes, So it just
shows that there's at least some understanding, it appears from
the family members as to why, Because if there wasn't
a good answer for the why, I don't think there'd
ever be this level of forgiveness or support. It's because
they understand the why, and that's been a huge part
(17:00):
of the push to have these brothers not exonerated, but
at least allowed out based on the time they have
served for their crime.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
We are incredibly proud is what the family says here
in their statement. We are incredibly proud of how Eric
and Lyle showed up with honesty, accountability, and integrity. We
know they are good men. Who have done the work
to rehabilitate and are remorseful. We love them unconditionally and
will continue to stand by them on the journey ahead.
That's man, that's you want a family like that.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Yeah, And they said they're disappointed, but they're also not discouraged.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And they also know they have the options are dwindling,
but they still have options because of how this thing
works out their ropes. It wasn't just the parole board.
They can make a recommendation, but ultimately they are not
the ones who would spring them from jail.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yes, Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, actually has two
different ways. He could not approve so Actually, in California,
the state law says that the governor has to approve,
basically ratify, so to speak, the parole board's decision, or
he can disapprove it. He can throw it out and
he could set the brothers free, or he could give
(18:12):
them paroles so to speak, so he could overturn the
recommendations of this parole board. He could also because the
brothers have put in a bid for clemency, so the
governor also has the ability to extend clemency to the brothers. However,
Most people point to the fact that it appears as
if Newsom will be running for president. Oh, I don't
(18:34):
think that's and that might not bode well for him.
It certainly could be used against him. If we want
a president who's tough on crime, who's tough for us,
for America on national security, you really want that person
to have been someone who overturned or went against a
parole board's recommendation and let two double murderers out. So
a lot of people say, because of his presidential aspirations,
(18:55):
it's highly unlikely he's going to do either of those
two things. So the other opportunity, with the other chances
their brothers have of getting out, is a new trial.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
And they have made that request. Is that I don't
know the status of it. I don't know when they
are going to hear about their conviction being reviewed.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
This is based on the new evidence. There is somebody
out there who was with a boy band who Manuda Yes,
who said that they were abused by the Menendez brother's father.
So that's some of the new evidence. And then there's
this letter that Lyle wrote to his cousin before the
murders happened about being sexually abused, so there is documentation
(19:36):
about the abuse and given their ages, so that is
part of the reason this new information, this new evidence
that could be that is the determining factress to whether
or not they would get a new trial.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
And that's why I just don't know the timeline on
that one. As far as Gavin Newsom goes, I think
what the pro war has decided, I think this part
of it is done.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Yeah, there's one hundred and twenty days. I think he
has to make a decision on whether or not he
approves it or disapproves.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
It's one of the Iowa caucuses.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I knew you were kidding, but yes, this has been
a heck of a journey and it's not over.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
It is not by any.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Stretch, So so quickly appreciate you as always hanging with
us and trusting us to give you updates about all
that's going on and Robes.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Good to have you back, dere Letting.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Great to be back again. Thanks everyone for listening. We
hope you have a great rest of your weekend.
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