Menendez Brothers: Journalist Robert Rand discusses finding Erik's letter
Menendez Bros Resentencing: Robert Rand reacts
Erik and Lyle Menendez could be resentenced, as Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón would recommend that to the court. Journalist Robert Rand, who covered the case back then, speaks out about Gascón's announcement and his thoughts on the case.
LOS ANGELES - "I've been waiting for this day for 35 years!"
To be precise, Los Angeles investigative journalist Robert Rand said it's been 34 years and 6 months that he's waited, worked and kept a spotlight on the Menendez Brothers' case.
He thinks they were given a raw deal when sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
"There were so many people in the 1990's when the brothers were on trial that didn't believe them, that they were fabricating the defense," Rand explained.
But, in his investigative reporting, Rand saw things differently. He got to know the family.
"They told me the inside story of how this was a dysfunctional family that was spinning wildly out of control and I spent so much time talking with them that I came to an understanding of what was really happening in the Menendez familiy."
He came to believe what happened to Lyle and Erik Menendez was a miscarriage of justice saying, "The correct verdict in this case should have been manslaughter", which Rand said would have had the brothers behind bars for 22 years if convicted.
He became even more convinced after a Menendez cousin, Andy Cano, died.
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He said Andy's room was untouched, and the family told Rand, "... you are welcome to the papers and if you find anything that's relevant let me know. And within 15 minutes I found a letter and that letter complained about the ongoing sexual abuse by Jose Menendez of Erik Menendez. It was written in late 1988 and as soon as I saw that paragraph it jumped off the page at me and I realized this could have a major impact on the court case."
Menendez Brothers: FULL PRESS CONFERENCE
LA County DA George Gascón said prosecutors will recommend that the brothers' sentence of life without parole be rescinded, and they be re-sentenced for the pair of murder convictions, meaning a maximum of 50 years to life in prison. He said that due to their ages at the time of the crime, they would be automatically eligible for parole.
It was a letter the jury never saw.
Rand also learned of a member of the band Menudo allegedly being raped by Jose Menendez. He traveled far and wide for interviews to places like Mexico City, San Juan Puerto Rico, and many trips to see the brothers behind bars.
"I have visited with them in the past few months several times at the prison near San Diego and they are both cautiously optimistic that they're about to walk out of prison."
Lyle is now 56. Erik is 53 and Robert Rand has never stopped looking for what he believed was the truth about the Menendez family.
"I didn't give up. It took me 35 years to resolve this situation and my feeling today is one of incredible validation. There were many people who helped me along the way and I'm truly grateful."
To what extent did social media, pop culture and new movies on the brothers make to move their case forward? True Crime News host Ana Garcia believes it created a "snowball effect' and had a significant impact. She believes all the attention is why the brothers may be looking at a resentencing that could lead to their freedom.