Cousin of Menendez brothers seeks their release from prison
Anamaria Baralt, cousin of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the bothers who are awaiting a resentencing decision for the infamous murder of their parents in 1989, called for their release from prison at a National Press Club Headliners Coffee and Conversation event Jan. 23.
"As we have come to understand the truth of what Lyle and Erik endured, we stand even more committed to seeing their release and to welcoming them home to our family," said Baralt, who appeared at the event with journalist Robert Rand, author of “The Menendez Murders: The Shocking Untold Story of the Menendez Family and the Killings that Stunned the Nation.”
The event was timely, as the resentencing hearing for the brothers was planned for Jan. 30. Due to the impact of the wildfires in Los Angeles, a California judge is now expected to decide in March if the brothers should have their sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole reduced.
In the hour-long discussion moderated by Club Treasurer and Bloomberg reporter Alisa Parenti, Rand explained that the 2024 updated edition of his book, originally published in 2018 by BenBella Books, reveals new evidence in the saga that has captivated the American public since the Aug. 20, 1989 killing of José and Kitty Menendez.
When their trial began in July 1993, the public was convinced that Lyle and Erik were a pair of greedy rich kids who had killed loving, devoted parents. In March 1996, each was convicted and is now incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
"The real story remained buried beneath years of dark secrets," said Rand, who released an updated edition of “The Menendez Murders” in 2024. "These discoveries give the brothers new hope for reopening the case," he said.
The updated story shares the history of child abuse and sexual molestation in the Menendez family going back generations. It also includes revelations linking the 1980s’ boy band Menudo and the Menendez family, a first-hand account of the emotional reunion between the brothers who had been in separate prisons, and insights into how the Menendez brothers remain resilient.
The prompt for the court to review the brother’s sentences came shortly after the release of the Peacock docuseries, “Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed,” released in 2023 — inspired by interviews with by Menudo former member Roy Rosselló. He claimed Jose Menendez raped him when he headed of RCA Records in the mid-1980s when the singer was 13.
The brothers filed a habeas corpus petition shortly after citing Rosselló’s allegations as well as a letter from Erik Menendez to his cousin that they say references the abuse. In October, former LA District attorney George Gascón said he supports the resentencing of the brothers to life with the possibility of parole, which normally would mean 50 years to life in prison. But because the crimes happened when the brothers were under 26 years old, under California law they would be eligible for youthful parole.
Rand remains cautiously optimistic. “I think they’ve more than served their time," he said. "But I’ve been involved with this case a long time. Anything could happen."