were ready for the cameras. it was the first televiseda courtroom drama that captivated the united states. it was a huge deal. spoke erik and lyle menendez convicted of murdering their own parents. i shut my mom. it wasn t real. it just wasn t real. they are sociopaths. and big ones. chilling details. a letter ending in secrets, too dark to imagine. this is so out of the norm. did they kill in cold blood? or in crippling fear? it was gut wrenching. they spoke the truth about what happened. here from the brothers themselves. let s go through this bit by bit. there was no way he was going to let this secret get out. silence destroyed our s whole family. . symbol of their success. here ait was, the shining symbol of their success. here finally an address for the of their long struggle, their amazing rise, beverly hills, california. careful what you wish for. all these years later, it s still the case that has the power to shock. it s beverly hills, th
firing. in what direction? in front of me. what was in front of you? my parents. at some point was your gun empty? yes. could see somebody moving, seemed like moving in the direction of where my brother should be. reporter: lyle said he returned to the car, re-loaded, and ran back into the house. and what did you do after you re-loaded? i ran around and shot my mom. reporter: so did they act while in the mistaken belief they were defending their own lives? yes, said the defense. a classic case of imperfect self defense. perfect nonsense, said the prosecutor. she grilled lyle on cross examination. when you put the shotgun up
yes. could see somebody moving, seemed like moving in the direction of where my brother should be. lyle said he returned to the car, re-loaded, and ran back into the house. and what did you do after you re-loaded? i ran around and shot my mom. so did they act while in the mistaken belief they were defending their own lives? yes, said the defense. a classic case of imperfect self defense. perfect nonsense, said the prosecutor. she grilled lyle on cross examination. when you put the shotgun up against her cheek, and you pulled the trigger, did you love your mother? yes. and was that an act of love, mr. menendez?