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new developments in a double murder case that captivated the country years ago it
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was 27 years ago exactly that Eric and ly Menendez were found guilty of murdering their parents now they claim
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that they killed Jose and kitty Menendez in self-defense and both brothers were given life sentences in this week's 48
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Hours contributor Natalie Morales looks at whether new evidence could reopen this Infamous case here's a look
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back you have a prepaid call from l Mendez I'm at arj Donovan State Prison in San Diego California and I am here
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for killing my parents my brother and I were convicted together Lyall and Eric Menendez have been behind bars in
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California for more than three decades it All Began on the night of August 20th 1989 Jose and kitty Menendez were shot
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to death in their Beverly Hills mansion former Los Angeles County district attorney Jackie Lacy wasn't involved in
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the case but reviewed it at 48 Hours request it was an expression of hatred for these two people at first lyo and
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Eric Mendez weren't even on investigator's radar they later confessed to the killings in therapy
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when the brothers went on trial they claimed that they killed in self-defense after a lifetime of physical emotional
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and sexual abuse suffered at the hands of their parents ly Menendez testified that his father began sexually abusing
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him when he was only 6 years old he break me their first trial ended with two hung juries when they were tried
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again prosecutors argued that the brothers were lying and were able to convince a judge to exclude some of the
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evidence of alleged abuse that's when they were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison
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but now decades later the case is back in the news Cliff Gardner represent present the Menendez brothers we now
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have evidence that makes absolutely clear that those boys were molested and if those boys were molested it would
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have been manslaughter and they would be out Roy roselo a former member of the boy Bano has come forward alleging that
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he was sexually abused by Jose Menendez too Menendez was an executive at RCA records which signed menudo to a
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recording contract did you or Eric think that another person would accuse your father of child molestation I did not I
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could not believe it Natalie Morales joins us now from Los Angeles Natalie good morning to you
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that's quite a turn what prompted the new witness to come yeah it is I remember this story very well and at the
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time well it still is shocking but you've never seen a story where kids were accused of killing their parents in
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the way that they did it I'll never forget it so what what do you think prompted this new witness to come
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forward well the attorney for the Menendez brothers Cliff Gardner said he spoke to Roy roselo the former band
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member menudo band member who came forward and told his story he found him to be credible he said with victims of
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sexual abuse you know it's very painful to speak about these things that happen and that it can take years for them to
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recognize what happened to them for them to choose to come forward and speak out
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takes a lot of Courage yeah the attorney also said that new evidence has has surfaced can you tell us what that is
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yes new evidence uh according to cff Gardner is a letter that was found by a Menendez family member in storage and
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this letter was written by Eric according to to Gardner in the months leading up to the crime in that letter
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Eric wrote to his cousin alluding to the sexual abuse that he was undergoing at the hands of his father and Gardner says
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this is contemporaneous proof that the abuse was happening Gail wow Natalie Morales thank you this is a very
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interesting turn of events I'll be watch watching thank you you can watch Natalie's report we're calling at the
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Menendez brothers fight for freedom on 48 hours tomorrow night at 10:00 9 Central right here on CBS and on
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