Over 300,000 sign petition to free the Menendez brothers as campaigners claim trial excluded key evidence

Warning: this article mentions sexual abuse which some readers may find distressing.

Over 300,000 people have signed a petition to free the Menendez brothers, and the campaigners running the petition claim key evidence was excluded from their trial.

The two brothers, Erik and Lyle were sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for the murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Their case has been a long-debated issue in America, but has gone global after the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story.

The true crime show has been heavily criticised by fans of the Menendez brothers, with Erik releasing a statement calling out what he believes are the show’s ‘blatant lies’.

Erik and Lyle’s case faced an initial mistrial on the first attempt, with the pair being found guilyy in the second trial of murder.

The brothers both claimed that they had been sexually abused by their father, Jose.

This was a major part of the first trial, which resulted in a deadlocked jury on the charge of murder.

A second trial, which was less publicised due to the lack of cameras in the courtroom, and limited the details surrounding sexual abuse that could be given in court.

Erik and Lyle Menendez (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The petition was set up in 2019 by a woman called Micailla Beachman and called for the brothers to receive a retrial.

Beachman posted in her petition: “The original trial contained information, evidence and testimonies that caused a mistrial, of which i firmly believe was and is the truth.

“The second trial removed that defense evidence in ignorance of child sexual abuse statistics & lack of humaneness making all given information useless in the final prosecution.

“A California bill passed (AB593) which now allows incarcerated people, (& yes i say people as in human beings comfortably) convicted of crimes related to their experiences of being abused are able to submit a petition for a writ of habeas corpus challenging their original convictions.”

She went on to say: “Mind you this bill was passed after the second trial, the jury reaching a verdict without all the factual information needed for the Menendez defence.

“My views of this whole case, from the significance, to the relevance the bill California has passed, the year 2020 is the year that Erik & Lyle Menendez should have received fair retrial as well as mercy.

“Their time in prison has not been anything less than productive, educational and motivational.”

She finished by saying: “A change in justice was made for a reason, why not retry the case with the new bill?”

At the time of writing 315,000 people have signed the petition.

One comment on the petition read: “They were absolutely denied a fair trial they have accepted the responsibility for the act and if had been given the opportunity of parole they would be home with the family that support them now and they deserve at least that much."