Followers Tear Into Rosie O’Donnell for Name to Free Menendez Brothers After Parole Denials

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, O’Donnell wrote, “Free the Menendez brothers,” per Us Weekly. The brothers had admitted to killing José and Mary Louise “Kitty,” however have additionally maintained it was a choice made in desperation and self-defense because of alleged bodily, emotional, and sexual abuse from their dad and mom. They have been every convicted of first-degree homicide in 1996.

O’Donnell has beforehand spoken about growing a reference to Lyle, after he wrote a letter to thank her for defending the brothers throughout an look on Larry King Reside within the Nineties. The comic then bought the prospect to fulfill them in jail in 2023.

Sharing what occurred with Selection final yr, O’Donnell stated, “I noticed Lyle and gave him a hug. Then Erik came to visit to me, hugged me, and whispered in my ear, ‘Thanks for loving my brother.’ It was very, very shifting to me.”

Whereas there was some assist within the feedback to Rosie’s submit calling for the brothers to be freed, many commenters blasted the comic for her take — or for even taking the time to speak about this situation amid the present political local weather.

“Yeah No this I don’t agree wit 🤦🏽‍♀️😳 come on Rosie,” wrote one, whereas one other commented, “I agree with you on most issues however not this.” Nonetheless one other wrote, “No Rosie I’m sorry. I imagine they have been abused however I don’t imagine it was self protection. I imagine it was revenge.”

Nonetheless, one fan informed her, “With all the pieces occurring in America. Its actually the very last thing I care about proper now.” One other agreed, writing, “Nahhh, there’s extra essential issues for you people to deal with.”

Many famous that the brothers may have solved their issues so many different methods. “They have been adults. They may have moved out. They’re the place they’re presupposed to be for murdering their dad and mom,” wrote one, whereas one other added, “You do not homicide individuals. There have been plenty of methods they might have left the abusive family with out murdering their dad and mom. I do not agree with you on this one.

One fan jumped into the feedback to name out Rosie herself, writing, “Lifelong fan however your entitlement is exhibiting.” One other appeared shocked by her take, commenting, “Critically??? Nope! I am kinda hoping you will take down this submit.”

There have been some supporters of Rosie’s stance, in addition to these agreeing with it, however the overwhelming sentiment was that the Menendez brothers are proper the place they belong — behind bars.

“There’s a purpose why they’ve been repeatedly denied parole,” one fan argued. “Let’s work on releasing the entire black and brown people who find themselves serving inequitably lengthy sentences for petty offenses that their white counterparts get off with a slap on the wrist for.”

Whilst O’Donnell continues her clarion cry for the Menendez brothers to be launched, Erik’s daughter stated that the “struggle is just not over” after her uncle Lyle was denied parole simply sooner or later after her adoptive father bought the identical information about his personal sentence.

“Extraordinarily saddened that the parole board failed as soon as once more with an entire completely different commissioner,” she wrote on her Instagram Story on Friday, per Us Weekly. “Mentally torturing these 2 by forcing them to relive the trauma they’ve endured for 10+ hours simply to inform them no and to strive once more in 3 years. You all can decide me for being indignant. I’m standing 10 toes for our household.”

Talia has turn out to be maybe probably the most vocal supporter of the brothers, whilst she got here into their household a full decade after the murders. Erik adopted her after his marriage to her mom, Tammi Saccoman-Menendez, in 1999 whereas he was incarcerated.

“We is not going to cease till they’re free,” she insisted in her newest Instagram submit, speaking about feeling “let down repeatedly.” After this newest denial, CNN notes that the brothers obtained three-year denials, however may very well be eligible for an administrative evaluate in a yr, placing them earlier than a parole board once more as early as 18 months from now.

Talia’s newest feedback come on the heels of her scathing remarks after Erik’s parole denial on Thursday the place she requested the place all these movie star voices have been now that the second was upon them.

Regardless of celebrities, akin to Kim Kardashian, being vocal about their assist for the Menendez brothers’ launch, Talia claimed Cooper Koch — who portrayed Erik in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix sequence, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story — is the one star being there for her household.

“The place are the celebrities that have been ‘advocating’ for them???? It has been WAY TOO QUIET,” Talia wrote. “The one one which I can say has been checking in on my household is Cooper and we completely adore him.”

“To those that went to the jail with none background checks to movie their present however are staying quiet now,” she continued, seemingly referring to stars who visited Erik, 54, and Lyle, 57, in jail. Although she did not identify anybody, Kim, her sister Khloé Kardashian, and their mother, Kris Jenner, went to see the brothers — and different inmates — on the Richard J. Donovan Correctional facility final September.

“You despise me past measure,” Talia added. “Simply say your views are down and maintain it PUSHING.”

n August 20, 1989, Erik and Lyle brutally murdered their dad and mom, Jose and Kitty Menendez, with two 12-gauge shotguns. The brothers have been each discovered responsible of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life in jail with out the chance for parole.

Their testimony, in addition to testimony from a lot of their family, alleged years of bodily and psychological abuse from each dad and mom, however primarily by the hands of their father. Erik and Lyle claimed their father sexually molested them for years, one thing which they have been prohibited from testifying about of their second trial, after the primary led to a hung jury.

Former L.A. County District Lawyer George Gascón requested in October 2024 that they be resentenced after serving practically 35 years behind bars. He really useful having their sentences modified to 50 years to life — which implies, if the decide agreed, they’d be eligible for parole instantly since they have been below 26 on the time of the crimes.

Erik and Lyle have been resentenced in Might, and have become eligible for parole.

Following Erik’s practically 10-hour listening to on Thursday, the California Board of Parole denied his parole, deciding that Erik would proceed to “pose an unreasonable threat to public security,” in keeping with TMZ.

The board cited his prison conduct on the time of the 1989 murders, the character of the killings of his dad and mom, and what it described a “severe violations” of jail guidelines — the latter of which Board of Parole Commissioner Robert Barton stated was the “major purpose” for his denial.

Each brothers have been cited for contraband cell telephones, which they argued was primarily to remain in communication with their wives. However, this can be a “severe violation” to prisons as cell telephones can be utilized to coordinate exterior violence, gang hits, and different prison exercise.

Equally, the board declared on Friday that “there are nonetheless indicators” that Lyle additionally poses a threat to the general public, in keeping with USA In the present day. Parole Commissioner Julie Garland stated in asserting his parole denial that the board believes that whereas he’s sorry for the homicide of his dad and mom, he nonetheless reveals indicators of anti-social conduct.

Referring to his work mentoring different prisoners and founding a beautification undertaking for jail inexperienced areas, Garland stated, “Don’t ever not have hope … this denial is just not … it’s not the tip. It’s a manner so that you can spend a while to display, to apply what you preach about who you might be, who you wish to be. Don’t be any person completely different behind closed doorways.”

Speaking on his 2 Offended Males podcast with TMZ’s Harvey Levin after the choices, the Menendez’s legal professional Merk Geragos slammed the board for making such an enormous deal in regards to the brothers’ use of cell telephones to justify holding them. He referred to as the listening to a “s–t present,” per TMZ, and vowed to attraction to California Governor Gavin Newsom to overrule the board.