(NewsNation) — Lyle and Erik Menendez were abused throughout their lives and never allowed to make their own choices, one of the Menendez brothers’ cousins, Karen Vander MolenCopley, tells “CUOMO.”
“I always believed that they were sexually molested … We have always supported the boys once we knew and understood that fact,” MolenCopley said.
The brothers were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting deaths of their parents, Kitty and José Menendez.
Lyle and Erik Menendez say the crime, which happened when they were 21 and 18, came after years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.
“These boys were never allowed to make decisions on their own. They were browbeat every step of the way, and I saw that,” she said. “And when they moved from New Jersey to California, I was able to see it more often.”
During visits to see her cousins in California, the behavior reminded her of her of an abusive relationship she’d experienced: “I knew something was not right in that house. I knew things were … my gut level said something was wrong,”
“I forgive them, because I believe … they didn’t know what else to do. That’s the way I see it,” MolenCopley added.
She also said that other family members support the brothers, referencing the current review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office into the brothers’ convictions following potential new evidence.
The man who could change their sentence, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, discussed the process with NewsNation.
He said his office has a copy of a letter, alleged to be from a cousin of the Menendez brothers, accusing their father of molesting him. A former member of the band Menudo has also written a letter accusing Jose Menendez of molesting him.
“None of this information has been confirmed,” Gascón cautioned to reporters Friday.
That evidence — if proven — would open the door for reconsideration of the case. They were tried separately in 1993, then jointly in 1995, before being convicted in 1996.
“The other component is under California law, and there’s more recent law allows prosecutors like myself to take a look at a case where the conviction was appropriate, but the person has rehabilitated,” he explained.
Gascón said the brothers might fit that bill, as they’ve been in prison since 1996, graduated college, tutored others and worked at nonprofits.
“We’re, you know, we’re evaluating both tracks,” Gascón said. “And we want to make sure that (at) the end of the day, justice is being served.”
While he did not confirm the status of the review, Gascón told NewsNation to expect updates by the end of October or early November.
