I just ran out of the room. I didnt want to go back in. Welcome to how it really happened. It was a Hot August Night in 1989 when media titan Jose Menendez and his wife kitty were gunned down in cold blood in their Beverly Hills mansion. The gruesome murder would trans fix a nation drawn to the lurid testimony from the courtroom. For the first several months, the world would be riveted by one of the most publicized who done its in history. How did it really happen . Beverly hills represents wealth. It represents exclusivity. The prettiest people, the fanciest cars. All over Beverly Hills but rarely here. In august, 20th, 1989, the quota was filled. Whats the problem . Whats the problem . Pardon me . The phone rang and it was the watch commander indicating that he needed to respond to the station. They had a double homicide. 722 north elm. The first patrol car pulls up. Erik is weeping hysterically on the front lawn. At this time we had two deceased persons inside. A male and a female.
dollars. they were spending money like they were drunken sailors. now lyle and erik menendez face the death penalty, first-degree murder. greedy rich kids kill ozzie and harriet on a sunday night in beverly hills, and there s much more to the story than that. the courtroom at the l.a. superior courthouse in van nuys was actually a very tiny courtroom, and so there were a dozen media people that got to see the trial in the courtroom every day. writer dominic dunn appeared to hear opening statements. i m just a writer here covering this. i had just gotten out of school and started as a cub reporter at this legal newspaper. i got one of the seats in the courtroom. there were the lawyers and the brothers. my editors and i knew from the get-go that it was going to be captivating as [bleep]. okay, now opening statements by the prosecution. thank you, your honor, and good morning. the only time i ve ever thrown up during a trial was right before opening statement
in you to shoot your mom and dad. young rich handsome in a case made for hollywood they were ready for the camera it was the first televised courtroom drama that captivated the united states it was a huge deal erik and lyle menendez convicted of murdering their own parents. i ran around and shot my mom! it wasn t real. it just wasn t real. they re sociopaths and pretty big ones. now almost 30 years late chilling new details. evidence never broadcast before! a letter, hinting at secrets too dark to imagine. this is so outside of the norm something is going on i that house did they kill in cold blood or in crippling fear oh man it was gut-wrenching i wanted to bust the door down they spoke the truth abou what had happened. tonight, hear from the brother themselves people were afraid of him let s go through this bit b bit. there was no way he was gonna let this secret get out. silence destroyed our whole family here it was the shinin s
it just wasn t real. they re sociopaths and pretty big ones. now almost 30 years later chilling new details. evidence never broadcast before! a letter, hinting at secrets too dark to imagine. this is so outside of the norm something is going on in that house. did they kill in cold blood or in crippling fear? oh man it was gut-wrenching. i wanted to bust the door down. they spoke the truth about what had happened. tonight, hear from the brothers themselves. people were afraid of him. let s go through this bit by bit. there was no way he was gonna let this secret get out. silence destroyed our whole family. here it was the shining symbol of their success. here, finally, an address worthy of their long struggle their amazing rise. beverly hills, california. beverly hills emergency. careful what you wish for. someone killed my parents! 28 years later it s still the case that has the power to shock. it s beverly hills. it s the movie bus
Now almost 30 years later chilling new details. Evidence never broadcast before a letter, hinting at secrets too dark to imagine. This is so outside of the norm something is going on in that house. Did they kill in cold blood or in crippling fear . Oh man it was gutwrenching. I wanted to bust the door down. They spoke the truth about what had happened. Tonight, hear from the brothers themselves. People were afraid of him. Lets go through this bit by bit. There was no way he was gonna let this secret get out. Silence destroyed our whole family. Im lester holt and this is dateline. Heres Keith Morrison with unthinkable the menendez murders. Reporter here it was the shining symbol of their success. Here, finally, an address worthy of their long struggle their amazing rise. Beverly hills, california. Beverly hills emergency. Reporter careful what you wish for. Someone killed my parents reporter 28 years later its still the case that has the power to shock. Its Beverly Hills. Its the movie