JILL Lansing defended Lyle Menendez during his highly-publicized and scrutinized trial, which was broadcast to homes across America.
Lyle and his brother Erik were on trial for the murder of their parents, whom they had killed on August 20, 1989.
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Lyle Menendez’s confidant
Jill was said to be quite different in court to the brothers’ other lawyer, Leslie Abramson.
Dominick Dunne, the brother of John Gregory Dunne and brother-in-law to Joan Didion, described Leslie as “fierce”.
He added that she was “fearless”, despite having hair like “Orphan Annie”, and recalled one occasion where she raised her middle finger to a reporter.
Jill was said to be much less fearsome, but much more warm.
Lyle felt very comfortable around Jill, according to a Facebook post made by his wife Rebecca.
She wrote that Lyle felt safe enough with Jill to “reveal his most painful, deeply-hidden, humiliating secrets in front of the entire world”.
Rebecca added that Jill helped Lyle “give a voice to the multitudes of silenced victims” of sex crimes.
This close relationship was something Lyle didn’t share with his second lawyer Charles Gessler, who was an expert on death penalty litigation.
Charles managed to save Lyle from execution, despite the fact that the Menendez brother did not testify at the trial.
Lyle’s choice to not testify was largely driven by the lack of connection between himself and Charles, according to Rebecca.
She wrote: “The idea of having to retell these horror stories to the world with a person who did not provide the same emotional safety to Lyle was just not tenable.”
Ultimately, the brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole despite their claim that they murdered their parents in self-defense.
They alleged that sexual abuse by their father had made them fearful for their lives.
The prosecution, led by Pamela Bozanich, presented a case that suggested the brothers had murdered their parents for money and suggested that this was evident from their lavish spending after their parents’ deaths.
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After the trial
When Jill stepped back from one of the most high profile trials in American history, she decided to live a more private life.
When Charles Gessler retired after the brothers were jailed, she praised him as someone who had the “admiration and respect of everyone who has tried cases either with him or against him”.
By 2007, when she would have been 60, her legal license was said to be inactive according to the State Bar of California.
Jill has not commented on the recent calls to free the Menendez brothers, which have surged after a letter was found which was written by Erik to his cousin Andy Cano.
The letter details the abuse that Erik claims to have been subjected to by his father.
Also, Menudo boy band member Roy Rossello claimed in 2023 that he was sexually abused by the Menendez brothers’ father, José, which many feel adds credence to the brothers’ claims.
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The Menendez brothers’ crime
José and Kitty Menendez were murdered by their sons Erik and Lyle on August 20, 1989, at their family home.
The brothers claimed that they were not at home when the murders took place and managed to get away with their crime until their arrest in March 1990.
Lyle had been researching where to open a second branch of his new chicken wing chain Mr Buffalo when he was arrested.
Erik Menendez confessed to his therapist, Dr Jerome Oziel, whose mistress, Judalon Smyth, went to the police with the shocking revelation.
They were sentenced six years later on July 2, 1996.
