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Kim Kardashian is calling for the release of convicted murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez, weeks after the reality star visited the brothers in prison.
The Menendez brothers, who are serving life sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty, have returned to the public eye following the release of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
He was arrested for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder outside his home in March 1990 and sentenced in 1996. In 2024, new evidence emerged that had the potential to exonerate him.
In a personal essay for NBC News, Kardashian wrote: “We are all products of our experiences. They shape who we are, who we are, and who we will be. Physiologically and psychologically, time changes us, and I doubt that anyone can claim the same he was when he was 18. I know I’m not!
At The Kardashians star, 43, continues to argue that the case against the brothers is “more complicated than it appears on the surface”.
He wrote that the sexual, physical and emotional abuse claimed by his parents was ignored, and that media attention to the case meant that “Erik and Lyle did not have the opportunity to have a fair trial.”
“At the time, there were limited resources for victims of sexual abuse, especially for boys,” she wrote. “There is virtually no system to support survivors, and public awareness of the trauma of male sexual abuse is minimal, often defeated by the courts and homophobia. Can anyone deny that the justice system would have treated Menendez sister lighter?”
Describing a visit to San Diego County’s Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, Kardashian said: “I’ve spent time with Lyle and Erik; they’re not monsters. They’re kind, smart, honest people. In prison, they both have exemplary discipline record. She has earned multiple degrees, worked as a caregiver for incarcerated seniors in a hospice, and served as a mentor in a college program – committed to giving back to others.
“When I visited the prison three weeks ago, one of the guards told me that he would be happy to be a neighbor. Twenty-four family members, including their parents’ brothers, have issued statements supporting Lyle and Erik and respectfully asking the justice system to release them.
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While she admitted that “murder is inexcusable,” Kardashian said she believes “the trial and punishment these brothers received is more fitting for a serial killer than two people who suffered years of sexual abuse by someone they loved and trusted.”
“I do not believe that spending all natural life in captivity is the right punishment for this complex case. If this crime had been committed and tried today, I believe the outcome would have been very different.
He concluded: “We owe it to the little children who lost their childhoods, who were never listened to, helped or saved.”
Kardashian has long been an advocate for criminal justice reform, and has reportedly discussed prison reform with inmates during prison visits.
Giants Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny star as José and Kitty, with Cooper Koch and Nicholas Chavez as the brothers.
Since the series arrived on Netflix, viewers have warned others on social media about the graphic nature of the violence depicted in the show.
