Kim Kardashian speaks out after visiting Menendez brothers in prison amid controversial Netflix show
The star said they are ‘kind and honest men’
Kim Kardashian has spoken out after visiting the Menendez brothers in prison.
The famous sister, who does a lot of work in and advocating for prison reform, recently went to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional facility along with Monsters actor Cooper Koch.
He plays Erik Menendez in the controversial new Netflix series, which follows the high-profile 1989 case of the brothers convicted of murdering their parents.
And Koch also explained to LADbible he believes Lyle and Erik should be resentenced as he said ‘there can be no doubt that they are victims’.
Having worked with the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, Kardashian has said the pair ‘are not monsters’ as she joins calls for an evaluation of their life sentences.
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She wrote a moving essay for NBC News, expressing hope that now there’s so much more attention on their case again there might be room for reconsideration.
“With their case back in the spotlight – and considering the revelation of a 1988 letter from Erik to his cousin describing the abuse – my hope is that Erik and Lyle Menendez’s life sentences are reconsidered,” the 43-year-old said.
Kardashian regularly campaigns for sentence changes. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Kardashian expressed a belief that while the murders of José and Kitty Menendez were ‘not excusable’, the life sentences were excessively severe in the circumstances.
“The trial and punishment these brothers received were more befitting a serial killer than two individuals who endured years of sexual abuse by the very people they loved and trusted,” she said.
“I don’t believe that spending their entire natural lives incarcerated was the right punishment for this complex case. Had this crime been committed and trialled today, I believe the outcome would have been dramatically different.”
Kardashian also reckons cultural attitudes at the time played influence on the verdict against Lyle and Erik as she noted: “Trauma of male sexual abuse was minimal, often clouded by preconceived judgments and homophobia.”
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Kardashian has joined calls for a resentencing. (Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images)
This led to the star asking if the outcome would have been the same if the pair had been sisters instead.
Having spent time with them, the mum-of-four called them ‘kind, intelligent and honest men’ as she added: “When I visited the prison three weeks ago, one of the wardens told me he would feel comfortable having them as neighbours.”
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Twenty-four family members, including their parent’s siblings, have released statements in support of Lyle and Erik with the call for the justice system to free them.
During the infamous court case, the brothers cited years of alleged sexual, emotional and physical abuse behind the reasoning of the killing, but it was argued by prosecutors that they only did it to get a share of the family’s fortune.
