Menendez brothers' family member speaks out for first time in 35 years explaining why they should be released from prison
A relative of Lyle and Erik Menendez has spoken out after decades to call for their release from prison.
The brothers were given life sentences after shooting and killing their mother and father Kitty and José Menendez with shotguns at their home in Beverly Hills in 1989.
Initially claiming that they'd been out at the cinema to watch Batman and returned to find their parents dead, they were arrested the following year after Erik confessed to his psychologist, who told his mistress, who told the police after they'd broken up.
During their trials the brothers claimed they'd suffered serious abuse from their parents, particularly their father, and killed them out of fear for their own lives while prosecutors argued they'd killed them to inherit their money.
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Members of the Menendez family supported the brothers claims in court, saying that Lyle and Erik had talked about being abused before they'd murdered their parents.
While they were both sentenced to life imprisonment, the situation for the Menendez brothers may change as a decision is due to be made today (11 April) on whether resentencing hearings will go ahead.
If a judge gives them the green light, then they could get new sentences and possibly be released from prison.
Several family members spoke to ABC News about their desire to see the Menendez brothers released, and their aunt said they were 'like the boys that I didn’t have'.
"It’s time - 35 years is a long time. It’s a whole branch of my family erased", their 85-year-old aunt Terry Baralt, sister to José Menendez, said.
"The ones that are gone and the ones that are still paying for it, which were kids."
She added that she may not have long left to live and is concerned that she may die before they are released from prison.
"I have tried to go see them as much as I can, but it’s hard because I live in New Jersey and I’m 85. I don't have that much time," Baralt said.
"When kids are little and they come to you, you fix the problem. I can’t help them. There is nothing I can do - just go visit them and cry when I leave."
Over 20 relatives of the Menendez brothers have called for their release from prison, arguing that they suffered horrific abuse at the hands of their parents, admitted their guilt, and used their time behind bars to help others.
Their cousin Diane VanderMolen passed along a message on behalf of Erik, saying: "They are truly, deeply sorry for what they did. And they are profoundly remorseful.
"They are filled with remorse over what they did. And through that, they have become pretty remarkable people."
Topics: Menendez Brothers, Crime, True Crime, US News
Joe Harker