The Menendez Brothers: A review of Crime, Movie and Family

The Menendez Brothers: A review of Crime, Movie and Family - The case of Erique and Lyle Menéndez involving a deadly outbreak in 1989-90 is an important file that seized the American society (public) at the initial period of the 1990s. Especially in the country where everyone loves crime and family drama stories,

the case of their love story was something that especially appealed to the twisted side of their community as it prided itself on money murders, family complication and rivalry. They will be those considering the specifics of their evil deed, the psychological and social consequences, and the popular culture legacy of the story in this blog post.

Background: The Menendez Family

The Menendez brothers; Erik who was born in 1970 and Lyle born in 1972 were raised in an exclusive Neighbourhood in Beverly Hills California. Their father, José Menendez was a businessman who was said to have been very hard on his children and a very strict father.

Their mother, Kitty Menendez was a beautiful lady who seemed to be living a perfect life as a ramp model married to Menendez brothers’ father, but she had problems with herself such as drug and alcohol abuse. From the other people’s perspective, everything was perfect and the family seemed to have no problems though in reality it was not like that.

The two boys were both stated to have been physically and emotionally abused by their father thus developing in them deep-seated resentment of their father as well as the rest of their family. In fact, Erik and Lyle had practically perfect lives and yet they were stuck in an inhospitable home environment.

The introduction of the impression of an ideal family life would play the role of a cover masking the events that led to one of the most brutal crimes in the United States of America.

The Crime: A Shocking Turn of Events

The incident by the two happened on the night of the August 20, 1989 when the Menendez brothers went to their family home and killed their parents José and Kitty Menendez. The act of crime committed was barbaric; the brothers used shotguns shooting several rounds and the scene painted a picture that can be described as horrific which attracted the attention of both the law enforcement and the media.

For several hours after the killings the brothers showed an exotic emotional spectrum. First, they did ‘the grieving act’, inviting the police into their dwelling to talk to them.

Their activities initially seemed normal as investigation went on they developed some sort of strange behaviors. This the police considered as worthy of a further probe into the two’s activities since Erik and Lyle seemed to live large, driving expensive cars and going on fancy vacations.

The brothers were however apprehended in 1990 and the world was curious to know more about the people behind the killings. The trial will uncover the childhood filled with trauma and abuse but at the same time will fuel the debates on what justice is, family bonds, and effect of money in legal proceedings.

The Trials

Criminal case of Erik and Lyle Menendez turned into a spectator event, where the spectators could observe the conflicts of their upbringing, the mental layers of the crime, and the society’s never-ceasing urge to consume crime stories. The first trial for both brothers in 1993 resulted in return of a hung jury as the jurors had different feelings towards the evidences brought forth to them.

The Menendez brothers’ defenders said that they killed their parents in order to steal that money which would be left to them one day. This was refuted by the defense by asking the court to consider an assessment that included abuse they underwent at the hand of their father and sometimes their mother as well as the dysfunctional nature of the family. They tried to justify their violence with words saying that it was the result of years spent in an environment that was very damaging on their mental health.

The second trial which started in 1994 was even more dramatic and the attention was directed keenly towards the atrocities, if any. The defense did present several witnesses among them being psychologists who explained that the client suffered from the effects of sexual abuse which had been done to him when he was young. In the end, the jury convicted the brothers to first-degree murder and handed them two concurrent life terms without any eligibility to parole.

Psychological Implications: Nature vs. Nurture

Through analysing the case of the Menendez brothers, some important questions related to the prologue of aggressive actions made by youths have appeared, which is linked to the possible psychological influence of abuse and improper child education.

It raises questions as to the specific role of one’s biology in relation to his/her behavior: though there may be genetic inclinations towards violence, it cannot be denied that there is also a huge factor of conditioning.

Several psychological interventions have confirmed that children who receive abuses around will be more prone to using violence in the future. But, the Menendez case adds another dimension because both the brothers had money and means to get whatever they needed. Even though Poo and Mormon were Child Stars, their privilege did not shield them from the consequences of a traumatic childhood.

The defense counsel offered the so-called “battered child syndrome,” in which the siblings believed that the circumstances made them kill their parents. Some people began to pity them and the situation they are in while others were shocked by the acts of violence and aggression done by them. This provokes concerns of accountability in health informing, trauma-centered care, and the need to address child abuse in an early and appropriate manner.

Media Mania: The Role of Public Perception

The trials received quite a lot of media focus making the Menendez brothers quite famous within the American society. The American public was entranced by the sensational nature of the crimes: the wealth the violence and the psychological dimension that are related to the story. Tabloid magazines, news programs, and later even television series and movies, portrayed the case thus solidifying itself into the pop-culture.

Chad and Vincent symbolized various social issues in the society; mainly social inequalities, more especially between the mess and the hoi polloi and violence against women. Movies, documentaries and books, even fiction aimed at the American public present the Menendez case as more than just crime story but as a preposterous sign of the dark side of the glamorous life.

Ongoing Conversations

The Menendez brothers are still well remembered since people still discuss the issue involving their case and the general effect. The area of reforming the criminal justice system and the views on PTSD, and the life of the rich and famous are still relevant.

The more attention is being paid to the problems in the sphere of mental health, the more the story of the Menendez brothers remains an example of how family expectations, pressure, and experience of being ‘the outcasts’ in the kingdom of privilege influenced the teenagers.

In 2018 the brothers also appeared in the documentary where they talked about the truth about their childhood and crimes. Therefore, they stated sorry and apologized to their parents, expressed concern to their parents and still complained of psychological issues. They: such attempts saw them sought public attention and consequently caused discussion on their actions, intent, and the resulting justice bureaucracy.

Conclusion

Real-life story of Menendez brothers is especially pertinent to discuss the lessons of childhood affecting human choices. It poses very crucial questions as far as justice is concerned, ethical issues and social justice that the society has the responsibility of protecting the vulnerable individuals in cases of malfunctioning families.

Much like society is fixated and shocked at the crime they committed, it also tell a story about the effects of abuse and measures that people affected by this vices may be forced to take after enduring the torture for some time now.

From the psychological view, the sociological perspective, or a study of crime, Menendez is a compelling narrative to this day. In the ever changing understanding of culture and new discourses of mental health and childhood abuse in particular, the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez reminds our society vividly and painfully.

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