Photo: Netflix; Nick Ut/AP
Nicholas Alexander Chavez, who portrayed Lyle Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, is expressing strong support for the renewed efforts to review the Menendez brothers’ case. The 25-year-old actor, whose role has reignited public interest in the infamous 1990 trial, believes that the brothers deserve a fair second chance.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Chavez shared his thoughts on the case, saying, “What I feel 100% confident saying is that they didn’t have a fair chance at a second trial. The judge didn’t allow any of the evidence about sexual abuse to enter into the second trial.” This statement refers to the 1996 trial where Erik, now 53, and Lyle, now 56, were convicted of first-degree murder for the 1989 killings of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez.
The first trial, held in 1993, ended in a hung jury, while the second trial in 1996 resulted in a conviction, sentencing the brothers to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Chavez points out that the key argument in the second trial ignored crucial evidence, specifically the brothers’ claims of abuse. “What does the case become at that point? The case becomes, okay, did they kill their parents or not? They never argued that in court. They were never trying to say that they didn’t [kill Jose and Kitty]. They were only ever trying to explain why.”
Chavez highlights the importance of allowing all evidence, particularly the claims of sexual and physical abuse, to be considered in a court of law. “And so really, you have the first case, which ended in a hung jury, and then you have the second case, which wasn’t really justice, was it? Because you didn’t allow all of the evidence to be entered.” told The Washington Post.
The abuse allegations have remained a critical aspect of the Menendez brothers’ defense. Following the deaths of their parents, the brothers claimed they had been subjected to years of abuse by their father, José Menendez, a prominent figure who served as the head of RCA Records. During an October 16 press conference, more than 30 family members reiterated that Erik and Lyle “lived in constant fear” of their father.
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón recently announced that his office is considering new evidence filed by the brothers’ defense lawyers and is “keeping an open” mind about the case.
Chavez is hopeful for progress, saying, “The fact that we’re coming back to this case, to at the very least re-examine it properly, is a really, really good thing. And I am very glad for that.”
