• Show Notes
  • Transcript

Jesse Weber, anchor and host at the Law & Crime Network, joins Elie Honig to discuss the criminal cases of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of first-degree murder in the ‘90s for killing their parents. Did they have a legitimate claim of imperfect self-defense based on imminent danger? Should evidence of sexual abuse been fully admissible? And should the emergence of new evidence prompt a reevaluation of the convictions?

This is the latest installment of a new special series of episodes exclusively for members of CAFE Insider. Each week, Elie Honig and special guests will tackle one major legal or policy issue, helping you stay informed. Let us know what you think. Write to us at letters@cafe.com. 

This podcast is brought to you by CAFE and Vox Media Podcast Network. 

Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Editorial Producer II: Jake Kaplan; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Audio Producer: Nat Weiner; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; CAFE Team: David Tatasciore, Matthew Billy, Noa Azulai, and Liana Greenway.

Elie Honig:

From CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network, welcome to CAFE Insider. I am Elie Honig. Now, this week, we’ll be diving into a criminal case from a horrific event that happened in 1989. The case carried on through the 1990s, and it has generated a lot of interest lately. It’s the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who were convicted of first-degree murder for killing their parents in Los Angeles.

There are, of course, many legal issues surrounding their case and their latest attempt, which is ongoing, to get out of prison. For this discussion, I’ll be joined today by Jesse Weber. Jesse is a host and anchor at the Law & Crime Network. He has covered this case carefully and closely. He’s the perfect guest to help us break it down. Jesse, thank you for being here.

Jesse Weber:

Menendez Brothers