>>> BROTHERS LYLE AND ERIC MENENDEZ, IN 1989, THE BVERLY
HILLS BROTHERS MURDERED THEIR PARENTS AND WERE SENTENCED TO
LIFE IN PRISON. NOW THE CRIME SERIES FROM NBC IS
BRINGING RENEWED ATTENTION TO THEIR STORY.
IN AN NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE, I SPOKE DIRECTLY TO LYLE A FEW
DAYS AGO AND AGAIN LAST NIGHT TO GET HIS REACTION TO THE SERIES
AND ALSO TO DISCUSS HIS CRIME. DID YOU WATCH THE MENENDEZ
SPECIAL, THE DICK WOLF SPECIAL LAST NIGHT?
>> I DID DECIDE TO WATCH IT, YES.
>> WHAT'D YOU THINK? >> I THOUGHT IT WAS PAINFUL TO
WATCH. >> WHAT'D YOU THINK OF HOW YOU
WERE PORTRAYED? >> I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO,
WITHOUT HAVING TALKED TO ME, TO KNOW KIND OF HOW I WAS AT THAT
TIME. BUT IT'S PRETTY, SURPRISINGLY,
ACCURATE THROUGHOUT. >> DURING THE FIRST TRIAL IN
1993, LYLE TOOK THE STAND. >> IN THE BATHROOM.
I WOULD HAVE ORAL SEX WITH HIM. >> DID YOU TELL YOUR MOM?
YES. >> WHAT DID YOU SAY TO YOUR MOM?
>> I TOLD HER TO TELL DAD TO LEAVE ME ALONE, AND HE KEEPS
TOUCHING ME. >> IN HIS FIRST PHONE INTERVIEW
WITH ME -- YOU TESTIFIED AT TRIAL SHE KNEW
BECAUSE YOU TOLD HER. YOU TOLD HER ABOUT THE ABUSE.
>> I DIDN'T TELL HER ABOUT THE ABUSE.
AN ADULT COUSIN TOLD HER. >> BUT ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU
NEVER TOLD YOUR MOTHER DIRECTLY ABOUT YOUR FATHER'S ABUSE?
>> MY ADULT COUSIN TOLD MY MOTHER.
>> SO, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP, BECAUSE THERE APPEARS
TO BE A DISCREPANCY. >> IT'S NOT A DISCREPANCY.
I NEVER FELT THAT I TOLD MY MOTHER ABOUT THE ABUSE.
SOME THINGS WERE HAPPENING THAT I WAS CRYING ABOUT AND UPSET
ABOUT, AND I COMPLAINED TO MY MOTHER IN A VAGUE WAY ABOUT IT.
MY FATHER WOULD UNDRESS US TO BEAT US WITH THIS BELT, AND HE
WOULD UNDRESS ME TO DO THESE SPORTS MASSAGES.
AND SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY -- SHE WAS THINKING THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS
REFERRING TO. >> THIS DISCUSSION HAPPENS ON
THE TAIL END OF YOU TELLING THE COURT ABOUT THE ABUSE YOU
SUFFERED AT HIS HANDS. ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE.
>> I DID NOT TELL MY MOTHER THAT I WAS BEING RAPED OR ABUSED IN
THAT WAY. >> IT LOOKS LIKE, AT TRIAL, WHEN
YOUR GUILT OR INNOCENCE WAS BEING DECIDED, YOU LED THE JURY
TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR MOTHER WAS TOLD DIRECTLY BY YOU, YOUR DAD
WAS ABUSING YOU IN THIS MANNER. ON THE PHONE WITH ME, YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T TELL HER. >> I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THE
PUBLIC WHO PROBABLY DIDN'T WATCH A TRIAL, IT'S EASY TO NOT
BELIEVE IT BECAUSE THE PROSECUTION WILL ALWAYS SAY IT'S
NOT TRUE. ALWAYS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE I CAN PROVE WHAT HAPPENED.
PEOPLE DON'T MOLEST THEIR KIDS ON VIDEO.
THEY DON'T DO IT IN FRONT OF COMPANY.
>> THAT IS WHAT YOU TESTIFIED TO.
>> TO ME, IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR FOR ME TO SAY, AT THAT POINT, MY
MOTHER KNEW. >> WHY KILL YOUR MOTHER, TOO?
>> MENTIONED IT WAS A COLD-BLOODED KILLING.
THIS WAS THE OPPOSITE OF COLD-BLOODED KILLING.
I THINK THAT THE CRIME SCENE DIDN'T SHOW IT WAS COLD-BLOODED.
IT WAS HOT BLOODED, VERY EMOTIONAL.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE FLOOD OF EMOTIONS THAT I HAD,
THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT EARLIER, WERE -- A LOT OF IT WAS
RELATED TO MY MOTHER. THE OUTRAGE, THE ANGER, THE
BETRAY, THE FEELING THAT SHE KNEW ALL ALONG.
MY FATHER WAS A MONSTROUS PERSON.
MY FEELINGS ABOUT HIM ARE DIFFICULT AND HARSH, OBVIOUSLY.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY MOTHER. I STILL CRY OVER MY MOTHER.
AND I -- >> WHY?
>> AND I DON'T FORGIVE HER. >> WHAT ARE THE TEARS FOR?
>> I THINK THE TEARS ARE FOR JUST HER LIFE ENDED AND OUR
LIVES ESSENTIALLY ENDED ALL BECAUSE OF THIS FATEFUL
DECISION. THERE HAD TO BE A SERIES OF
DECISIONS SHE MADE OF NOT TO TELL WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
WHAT KIND OF MOTHER LETS IT HAPPEN?
>> WHEN THE JURY COMES BACK AND YOU'RE ASKED TO STAND, YOU HEAR
THE WORD GUILTY, WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR HEAD?
WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE? >> I BELIEVED I WAS GOING TO BE
FOUND GUILTY AT TRIAL. I DON'T THINK I THOUGHT I'D BE
FOUND GUILTY FOR THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER BECAUSE THERE WAS
ZERO EVIDENCE OF PLANNING THIS AS A MURDER FOR MONEY.
>> THE SERIES GETS INTO ALL OF IT, INCLUDING THERE WERE ADULTS
WHO CLAIMED THE BOYS TOLD THEM OF THE ALLEGED ABUSE.
THERE IS AN ISSUE OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BOYS THAT WERE FOUND,
INAPPROPRIATE ONES, ALLEGEDLY TAKEN BY JOSE.
YOU'LL SEE ALL OF IT. LAW AND ORDER, TRUE CRIME, THE
MENENDEZ MURDERS, STARRING EDIE FALCO AS THEIR DEFENSE ATTORNEY,
AIRS TUESDAYS ON NBC. NEXT WEEK, I'LL SIT DOWN WITH
EDIE FALCO AND TALK TO HER ABOUT HER ROLE AS THE DEFENSE
ATTORNEY, WHO EMERGED AS THE STAR OUT OF THIS