Rosie O'Donnell Weighs in On Menendez Brothers Freedom Campaign Controversy: 'There's So Much New Evidence They Must Look At'
Rosie O'Donnell commented on the Menendez brother's case interest.
Oct. 5 2024, Published 12:15 p.m. ET
Rosie O'Donnell has called for a re-examination of the evidence in Lyle and Erik Menendez's case as she weighed on the campaign to free them.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the actress spoke out as calls mount from justice campaigners for a probe into the brothers' claims they shot their parents in 1989 as they were abused for years by their mother and father.
Rosie O'Donnell previously interviewed Lyle Menendez.
During her recent appearance on NewsNation, O'Donnell, who interviewed one of the siblings on her podcast, told host Chris Cuomo the brothers are "hesitant to hope after being in prison for 35 years” they will be released.
She added: "These men don't have a lot of bandwidth to hope for what exactly happened."
Journalist Alan Abrahamson called their abuse claims 'irrelevant' because they brothers were not in 'imminent danger' when the murders occurred.
O'Donnell said there's been a big push among young people to free the brothers.
She told Cuomo: "It got people interested in the documentary about Roy Rosselló, the Menudo member, and how he was savagely raped by Jose (Menendez) and was bleeding.
"And it was a very horrifying depiction of what happened to him and what happened to him ever since. And then with the Lyle letter that came out, it was like, there's so much new evidence that they must take a look at the fact that in 1989 no one was ready to believe that fathers raped their sons. But they do. And it is scary.
"It was disappointing, is all I can say ... I don't know why we needed to make it if we're just going to continue to blame these children for the abuse they suffered and their reaction to it before their brains were fully formed. Don't know, but that's what it feels like to me."
O'Donnell believes the Menendez brothers should be set free.
The Menendez murders took place on August 20, 1989, in Beverly Hills, California, when Lyle and Erik burst into the den of their family home and fatally shot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, while they watched TV.
Jose, the head of RCA Records, was shot multiple times, including point-blank in the head, while Kitty, aged 47, suffered 15 gunshot wounds, including one to the face.
The brothers claimed the murders followed years of sexual abuse by their father, Jose, an allegation they asserted was overlooked by their mother, Kitty.
However, prosecutors argued the motive behind the killings was rooted in greed, as evidenced by the lavish spending spree the brothers embarked on after the murders – including luxury purchases like expensive watches, cars, and tennis lessons.
The Menendez brothers could be freed or be given lighter sentences.
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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the Menendez brothers could face a possible new trial or sentence.
The brother's claims of sexual abuse were not allowed as evidence during the second trial.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón emphasized the significance of these allegations and said they could impact the judge's decision in the second trial.
Ryan Murphy, the showrunner and producer of the recent TV miniseries about the Menendez brothers, told Variety: "We gave them their moment in the court of public opinion. Basically, we did give them a platform. I think they can be out of prison by Christmas. I really believe that."
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