Kim Kardashian is keeping up with her criminal justice reform advocacy work. In a personal essay published on Oct. 3 by NBC News, she used her leverage as a celebrity and aspiring lawyer to declare her support for the justice system to consider vacating the life sentences of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
The high-profile case of the brothers who killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989 has garnered renewed media attention as new evidence has surfaced in the case.
Prosecutors announced that the findings are being reviewed by District Attorney George Gascón and that it may corroborate the siblings’ claims that their heinous crimes were the result of them being subjected to sexual abuse from their father.
The men stood trial in 1993, but a deadlocked jury was unable to reach verdicts, resulting in a mistrial. A second trial began in 1995 as they faced first-degree murder charges for their parents’ deaths.
In March 1996, they were convicted, and weeks later, the two were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors say their bar actions were motivated by money, noting that the brothers were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate. Erik and Lyle have long argued they killed in self-defense. Kardashian seems to believe them.
The brothers’ story has been a divisive topic following the release of “American Horror Story” creator Ryan Murphy’s Netflix drama “Monsters,” which is about the murders. Kardashian and Murphy are friends and collaborators.
She appeared in Season 12 of his hit horror series and has been announced as a cast member for his upcoming show “All’s Fair,” where art will imitate life as her character practices law.
I don’t support #kimkardashian fighting for justice for yhe #MenendezBrothers 🤷🏾♀️ they’re cold clean killers who deserve life in jail there were a slew of things they cld have done in retaliation to their abuse and they chose the worst option let’s not normalize crimes
— Ginger Bush (@MSGINGERBUSH) October 4, 2024
In her letter, she wrote, “I have spent time with Lyle and Erik; they are not monsters. They are kind, intelligent, and honest men. In prison, they both have exemplary disciplinary records,” adding that “the killings are not excusable. I want to make that clear. Nor is their behavior before, during, or after the crime. But we should not deny who they are today in their 50s.”
The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star said their sentencing is “more befitting a serial killer than two individuals who endured years of sexual abuse by the very people they loved and trusted. I don’t believe that spending their entire natural lives incarcerated was the right punishment for this complex case…We owe it to those little boys who lost their childhoods, who never had a chance to be heard, helped or saved.”
The businesswoman has been a part of several prisoner release conversations since aligning with former President Donald Trump on the First Step Act, a bill allowing some inmates with a good behavioral record and nonviolent drug offenses to be considered for truncated sentences.
She also publicly lobbied for the clemency of inmates such as Alice Johnson. But her connection to the Menendez brothers has come under fire.
Kim Kardashian wrote a whole thesis end of the term paper/ MLA FORMATED essay to demand the Menendez boys to be freed. When asked for help about an innocent male named Marcellus before his execution she was radio silent.. hmm interesting
— RightSwipeOnTinder 🇭🇹 (@RollinWithCardi) October 4, 2024
“Now Kim did you even graduate LAW SCHOOL…” wrote one person on Instagram. The reality star did not attend law school; instead, she opted to study for the California bar exam and sought tutoring in the law. She failed the grueling test three times before finally announcing her passing score in 2022.
“Tell kim to hang it up. We needed her last week,” said another fan.
In February, a purported source for The Sun claimed that Kardashian contemplated a break from her legal studies. The individual alleges the SKIMS founder was concerned with the hit her public image would take.
“She can’t drop it without looking bad, looking like she couldn’t pass it [the bar] after all the work and all of her talk about how passionate she was about pushing for prison reform,” they claimed.
Someone else suggested the letter was a PR ploy. “I always wonder if her and her team sit around and go ‘what can I jump on and make it about me,” read one remark. A third person believes Kardashian has shown support for the wrong case.
“So she couldn’t do this for Marcellus Williams,” read one such comment. A second reaction similarly read, “But she sat quiet when that innocent black man was put to death 2 weeks ago ?????”
Marcellus Williams, a Black man, was executed by the state of Missouri on Sept. 24 after serving 23 years for a conviction in the 1998 slaying of newspaper reporter Felicia Gayle. Williams maintained his innocence for two decades.
Multiple appeals were made to overturn the conviction, including last-minute attempts for a stay of execution as prosecutors cast doubt over his guilt.