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Lyle and Erik Menendez press conference live updates: Prosecutor to give update on murder case
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Lyle and Erik Menendez press conference live updates: Prosecutor to give update on murder case

What to know about the Menendez casepublished date: 21:15 British Summer Time

Jose and Kitty Menendez were found dead in their Beverly Hills mansion in August 1989 after being shot multiple times.

His sons Erik and Lyle called the police to report that they returned home and found their parents dead.

Authorities did not suspect the brothers at first. However, the duo began to attract attention for their behavior, which included giving away money on flamboyant spending sprees, gambling and partying.

The doctor’s girlfriend audio-recorded this confession, ruining their confession to their physiologist.

In March 1990, the brothers were charged by Los Angeles police. They went to trial in 1993 and the brothers confessed to the murders, but argued that they had acted in self-defense and feared their parents would kill them first.

They described years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their father, Jose, who worked as a film executive in Hollywood.

Lyle and Erik testified that they confronted their parents about the sexual abuse, that things became contentious in their home, and that they believed their parents were planning to kill them.

Family members testified about the abuse they witnessed, but none said they saw sexual abuse firsthand.

Prosecutors argued that their motive was money. They outlined their methodical planning, purchasing two shotguns days before the murders and going on a spending spree afterwards. They portrayed the siblings as spoiled rich kids who thought they could get away with anything.

Their first trial ended in a mistrial, but a second trial in 1995 led to their conviction of first-degree murder.