Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The issue with the abuse claims are they are all reported after the murder, which was 1989. I also believe, but am not sure, no one witnessed the sexual abuse. Just Erik claiming it to them at various points. I don't believe, but I could be wrong, Lyle never.
There's a high chance that an abused child will never reveal it, even long after it stops occurring. This abuse took place nearly 30 years ago, when even fewer people were aware of the shame that children feel about being abused.
Very few people EVER witness someone else being sexually abused. The secretive nature, as well as blackmail of the child if they ever tell, is a hallmark of sexual abuse of children.
Quote:
I don't believe, but I could be wrong, Lyle never told anyone besides Erik before 1989.
There's a high chance that an abused child will never reveal it, even long after it stops occurring. This abuse took place nearly 30 years ago, when even fewer people were aware of the shame that children feel about being abused.
Very few people EVER witness someone else being sexually abused. The secretive nature, as well as blackmail of the child if they ever tell, is a hallmark of sexual abuse of children.
See post #9.
Yes, by the time he was asked 1992, Lyle had already committed murder. Later, Goodreau denies it.
I do believe there was abuse, but instead of leaving home they decided to kill for the money.
Same. I think they were taught by Jose to lie, cheat, steal, and most importantly not to get caught. He was probably molested as a child. I can even see the brothers feeling trapped. They didn't know how to live poor. Maybe they were embarrassed to come out with their abuse. Lyle was close to graduating college. He was getting set to stand on his own. However, I find it weird when they were being cut off and disinherited, they found the courage to act out and murder. I guess I don't under the logic being molested is ok with money, but when the money is gone you don't like being molested.
Yes, by the time he was asked 1992, Lyle had already committed murder.
Lyle Menendez testified Monday that his mother was "very strange" and frequently violent and that she--like his father--sexually abused him.
Until he was 13, his mother would wash his body "everywhere," he said. She also would invite him into bed with her and he would touch her "everywhere," he testified.
"I took it to be love," Lyle Menendez said, adding, "She was enjoying it." But he was not enjoying it, he said, so he stopped the activities, which enraged her."
Lyle Menendez testified Friday that his father molested him from age 6 to 8. He.....said that his father also would punch him in the stomach or whip him with a belt. He said his father once threw him into a coffee table, causing a cut that left a scar over his left eye.
****************** "Lyle Menendez's defense lawyer, Jill Lansing, posted photographs that her client said Jose Menendez, 45, had taken of his sons' genitals. The defense said the photos were found on a roll of film interspersed with birthday party pictures taken when the brothers were young."
On August 18, 1989, Erik said he and Lyle decided to purchase handguns to protect themselves. They purchased shotguns instead because of the two-week waiting period for handguns.
Erik then testified about the fishing expedition the family went on the day before the killings. Erik said he and Lyle were afraid the trip was a set up by their parents to kill them. They spent the entire trip on the front of the boat - as far away from their parents as possible.
Every type of childhood abuse and neglect leaves lasting scars upon a child. Some may be physical, however, the emotional impact of child abuse is just as serious. Children who undergo proper therapy and treatment for child abuse are able to work through some of their lasting emotional problems. Effects of childhood abuse may include:
I don't believe the genital massages story from the cousin...
If that really happened, he wouldn't tell his cousin and ask if that was normal.
That doesn't sound believable.
Who really knows what happened behind closed doors, but that still isn't an excuse for the crime that was committed and it wasn't the motive.
No doubt they were disturbed kids and there would contributing factors one would think. A lot of people have contributing factors and they aren't allowed to be cold blooded killers. Most cold blooded killers have a problem of some kind.
I don't believe the genital massages story from the cousin...
If that really happened, he wouldn't tell his cousin and ask if that was normal.
That doesn't sound believable.
Who really knows what happened behind closed doors, but that still isn't an excuse for the crime that was committed and it wasn't the motive.
No doubt they were disturbed kids and there would contributing factors one would think. A lot of people have contributing factors and they aren't allowed to be cold blooded killers. Most cold blooded killers have a problem of some kind.
I find it hard to believe they were confessing to be molested to all these people: the cousin, Goodreau, and I think one of Erik's girlfriends. No one went to the authorities. By all means they were new money and from the accounts I read Jose was not very well liked. It wasn't like this was some pillar of the community people wouldn't dare turn into the police. The brothers went to school and had tennis coaches. None of these people noticed something a miss? Honestly, if they were molested, I believe it. If they weren't, I wouldn't be surprised. If they were molested, I believe they most likely didn't tell anyone due to being embarrassed and being male. That reminds me of that boy that was kidnapped in the 70s. He found his way home. They claimed he was treated well. He later committed suicide and it was later discovered the legal system covered his sexual abuse because they felt it was better for him (the boy) if the public thought he wasn't molested. I forget his name.
There's a high chance that an abused child will never reveal it, even long after it stops occurring. This abuse took place nearly 30 years ago, when even fewer people were aware of the shame that children feel about being abused.
Very few people EVER witness someone else being sexually abused. The secretive nature, as well as blackmail of the child if they ever tell, is a hallmark of sexual abuse of children.
See post #9.
I don't believe it. This story was a last resort. The brothers had the same lawyer. They clearly did the murders, so they needed some reason to claim a reason for it.
But even if it were true, it wouldn't matter. Premeditated murder is a capital offense. It's no defense that the person abused you when you were a minor.
They were very stupid guys.
I don't know what's left to tell about this story. It's been told time and again. Including the psychologist testimony that they told him they killed the parents because they hated them (in particular the father) and one of them thought the dad was about to change his will. The other one said it was just out of hatred. They made the plan the week before and thought it would be a perfect crime. They said they killed the mother so she wouldn't be a witness and because they wanted to put her out of her misery. (?)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
