Kim Kardashian has called for the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers convicted of killing their parents in 1996. After visiting them in prison, Kardashian wrote an essay urging for their freedom, pointing out that time and experiences shape people.
"We are all products of our experiences. They shape who we were, who we are, and who we will be. Physiologically and psychologically, time changes us, and I doubt anyone would claim to be the same person they were at 18. I know I'm not," she said.
Kardashian questioned their life sentences, arguing that the Menendez brothers are not "monsters." She explained that the story is far more complicated than what is commonly known. "In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez, aged 21 and 18, shot and killed their parents in their Beverly Hills home. By 1996, they were sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, both brothers said they had been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused by their parents for years. Lyle claimed the abuse began when he was just six, and Erik said he was raped by their father for over a decade. Out of fear for their lives, they believed their only escape was through the unimaginable," Kardashian continued.
Her essay followed reports that Los Angeles prosecutors are re-examining new evidence in the Menendez case after their legal team requested the court to overturn the conviction.
Kardashian also highlighted their "exemplary disciplinary records" in prison. "I have spent time with Lyle and Erik; they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent, and honest men. Both have earned multiple college degrees, worked as caregivers for elderly inmates in hospice, and mentored others through college programs. When I visited the prison three weeks ago, one of the wardens told me he would feel comfortable having them as neighbors." Kardashian added that 24 family members, including their parents' siblings, have expressed support for the Menendez brothers and urged the justice system to free them.
The Menendez brothers' case has gained renewed attention following the release of the Netflix true-crime series "Monsters," which premiered in late September.
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