The Aftermath

A-list murderers

Two television films were made about the Menendez murders, between their first and second trials. The first was ‘Honour Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders’ (1994), starring James Farentino (José), Jill Clayburgh (Kitty), Billy Warlock (Lyle), and David Beron (Erik). The second was ‘Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills’ (1994), starring Edward James Olmos (José), Beverly D’Angelo (Kitty), Damian Chapa (Lyle), and Travis Fine (Erik).The film ‘The Cable Guy’ (1996) parodied the Menendez trials and had Ben Stiller playing both brothers. There is a reference to Lyle Menendez in the film ‘Jane Austen’s Mafia!’ (1998). The play ‘Lion Hunting in North America’, by playwright Jonah Maidoff, is based on the Menendez murders.

Prison

The Menendez brothers are currently in prisons in California, Lyle is in Mule Creek State Prison whilst Erik is in the Pleasant Valley State Prison. Both brothers have married whilst in prison but are denied conjugal rights.Erik’s wife, Tammi Menendez, published a book ‘They Said We’d Never Make It – My Life with Erik Menendez’ (2005). Subsequent to the book’s publishing, Erik appeared on the Larry King Live show and confirmed that he had made a large contribution to the editing of Tammi’s book. He also said that he and Lyle had not spoken in more than 10 years. The brothers are expected to spend the remainder of their natural lives in prison, and to both die without ever consummating their marriages.