The best Menendez brothers documentary to watch after DA calls for resentencing

With LA prosecutors now recommending a resentencing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, followers of the case are on the lookout for the best Menendez brothers documentary to watch next – and it’s available to stream now. 

It’s been a roller coaster ride for the brothers ever since last year, when new evidence was submitted as part of a habeas petition to have their first-degree murder convictions removed.

While the decades-old case was moving along, followers and family members alike were left concerned that the portrayal of Lyle and Erik in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters Season 2 would hinder public perception. 

However, the Menendez brothers – who were sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez – are now one step closer to freedom. Warning: some may find this content distressing. 

The best Menendez brothers documentary to watch now

Following the news that the Menendez brothers may be resentenced, the Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is worth watching next as it explores the new round of evidence in great detail. 

The 2023 true crime series examines the alleged abuse Erik and Lyle suffered at the hands of their father, while also looking at fresh allegations from Roy Rossello, the singer of the popular boy band, Menudo. 

In Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, Rossello claims that in the ‘80s, he was raped by Jose, who was a high-ranking executive of RCA Records at the time. Speaking about Jose, Rossello says, “That’s the man here that raped me… That’s the pedophile.”

Journalist Robert Rand also talks with Erik in the docu-series, who says about Rossello’s allegations, “It’s sad to know that there was another victim of my father. I always hoped that one day the truth about my dad would come out, but I never wished for it to come out like this – the result of trauma that another child has suffered.”

Earlier this month, Rand shared the trailer for the series, writing, “People were talking about the Menendez brothers all over the world when our documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boy Betrayed premiered on Peacock in May 2023 with new evidence that could set the brothers free.”

To learn more about the Menendez case and the new evidence that could contribute to Erik and Lyle’s resentencing, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is streaming on Peacock now.

Update in the Menendez brothers case

On Thursday (October 24), Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon called for the Menendez brothers to be resentenced and their life without the possibility of parole sentences to be removed. 

“After a very careful review of all the arguments made… I came to a place where I believe that, under the law, resentencing is appropriate and I’m going to recommend that to a court tomorrow,” Gascon said at a press conference.

If this goes ahead, Erik and Lyle’s sentencing could be replaced with 50 years to life, meaning they would be eligible for parole now. 

Although they’ve each been in prison for 34 years, California’s Youth Offender Parole law allows people who were under 26 at the time of committing certain crimes to be eligible for special sentencing considerations. Lyle and Erik were 21 and 18 respectively at the time of the murders. 

The District Attorney also highlighted the brothers’ journey behind bars, and how they’ve gone on to earn college degrees and become mentors for other prisoners. “Even though they didn’t think they would ever be let free, they engaged in a journey of redemption and a journey of rehabilitation,” he said.

Discussing the allegations of abuse, Gascon stated, “I do believe the brothers were subjected to a tremendous amount of dysfunction in the home, and molestation… They have been in prison for nearly 35 years. I believe that they have paid their debt to society.”

For more on the Menendez brothers, read about why Pamela Bozanich was under fire after the release of the Netflix documentary, what legal experts said about the case, and where Dr. Jerome Oziel is now.