# Law and Order True Crime - Menendez Brothers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 5, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047 "2017-10-05T18:39:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/1 "2017-10-05T18:39:41Z")
Anybody watching this? I gave up on L&O long ago, but this got some good preliminary reviews. It’s pretty good through the first two eps, and the cast is good, with Edie Falco as lead. My only beef with it is all the significant glances the cops keep giving each other because the viewer is too stupid to pick up on what’s happening and needs visual clues, dammit!
It’s been way too long since I watched anything on network TV while it’s airing, so the commercials drive me nuts. Even if you record it, you can’t fast forward through the commercials; but they can’t take away my mute button.
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### Author:  [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/2 "2017-10-09T19:04:10Z")
I’ve been watching. Good start. Always a L&O fan, and was totally sucked in by the real Menendez trial as it played out back then.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/3 "2017-10-09T20:49:19Z")
Watching here. About the only L&O I never even sampled was Conviction. We even have UK disks.
A good start so far. I remember the real case, but not enough that any differences from reality in the show will bug me.
Plus, it’s always fun to look for anachronisms. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/4 "2017-10-10T00:11:39Z")
I’m a huge L&O fan from wayyy back, so I’ve been watching it. It seems a little … staid, even by L&O standards. And I hate hate hate hate that high-pitched electronic buzzing sound they use as a “soundtrack” to increase the tension. In fact, that buzzing sound is what will make me stop watching. And soon.
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/5 "2017-10-10T02:50:20Z")
I’m not able to watch this (I’m one of those guys who proudly brags of not having a TV, remember?), but I wonder: Is the portrayal on L&O suggesting that they were railroaded in a more-or-less kangaroo court?
As I remember the real case, they were tried twice: In the first trial, the judge made a variety of rulings (on admissibility, sustaining or overruling objections, and such) that largely tended to favor the defendants. The jury hung and a mistrial was declared, IIRC.
For their second trial, a judge was chosen at random (apparently the standard procedure for all trials), and they drew the SAME judge. Of course, many of the same questions arose over admissibility, objections, and such. But this time, that same judge ruled largely in ways that favored the prosecution. I remember noticing that at the time.
From what I remember reading in the news (and remembering that the public sees a different view than what the jury sees), I kind of thought they really were abused and my sympathies were at least a little bit on their side. I never really believed that they killed their parents for the money. And I thought that at the second trial, because the same judge changed his rulings on various questions, the brothers were railroaded.
How is L&O playing it?
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### Author:  [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/6 "2017-10-10T10:57:22Z")
I’d love to watch but its on too late. I was around for the original trial but I didnt pay any attention, wish I had.
I know they went to prison but did they really do it?
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### Author:  [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/7 "2017-10-10T12:47:51Z")
> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> I’m not able to watch this (I’m one of those guys who proudly brags of not having a TV, remember?), but I wonder: Is the portrayal on L&O suggesting that they were railroaded in a more-or-less kangaroo court?
>
> As I remember the real case, they were tried twice: In the first trial, the judge made a variety of rulings (on admissibility, sustaining or overruling objections, and such) that largely tended to favor the defendants. The jury hung and a mistrial was declared, IIRC.
>
> For their second trial, a judge was chosen at random (apparently the standard procedure for all trials), and they drew the SAME judge. Of course, many of the same questions arose over admissibility, objections, and such. But this time, that same judge ruled largely in ways that favored the prosecution. I remember noticing that at the time.
>
> From what I remember reading in the news (and remembering that the public sees a different view than what the jury sees), I kind of thought they really were abused and my sympathies were at least a little bit on their side. I never really believed that they killed their parents for the money. And I thought that at the second trial, because the same judge changed his rulings on various questions, the brothers were railroaded.
>
> How is L&O playing it?
The abuse angle only works on the Dad. They murdered their Mom at close range and in cold blood. Then they went on a spending spree. I think I read that Dick Wolf thinks they were only guilty of manslaughter.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/8 "2017-10-10T19:21:30Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#):
>
> I’d love to watch but its on too late. I was around for the original trial but I didnt pay any attention, wish I had.
>
> I know they went to prison but did they really do it?
Erik at least confessed to his psychiatrist. They used an affirmative defense, that they were abused by their father.
It’s about as certain as can be that they did it.
PS in the wiki article about the case it mentions that they BOTH got married in prison, Lyle twice. Where do these women come from? Geeze.
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/9 "2017-10-11T03:37:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#):
>
> The abuse angle only works on the Dad. They murdered their Mom at close range and in cold blood. Then they went on a spending spree. I think I read that Dick Wolf thinks they were only guilty of manslaughter.
I’m still wondering, though:
– Is there any substantial body of opinion to the effect that they were railroaded by the judge at the second trial?
– How is L&O portraying that aspect?
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### Author:  [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2017, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/10 "2017-10-11T09:26:47Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Erik at least confessed to his psychiatrist.
I thought this sort of stuff was supposed to be confidential.
Unless posing a threat in the future.
> [@](#):
>
> PS in the wiki article about the case it mentions that they BOTH got married in prison, Lyle twice. Where do these women come from? Geeze.
I always think it’s a latent deathwish.
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### Author:  [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/11 "2017-10-11T16:36:07Z")
> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> I’m still wondering, though:
> – Is there any substantial body of opinion to the effect that they were railroaded by the judge at the second trial?
> – How is L&O portraying that aspect?
I can’t find any evidence of railroading. Here is a link to a review of their trials [http://amp.timeinc.net/time/3774669/menendez-brothers/?source=dam](http://amp.timeinc.net/time/3774669/menendez-brothers/?source=dam) and there is a link at the bottom of that story to reporting during the trial.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/12 "2017-10-12T02:32:24Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#):
>
> I thought this sort of stuff was supposed to be confidential.
>
> Unless posing a threat in the future.
That was more or less the rationale. Eric made threats against his Doctor, so they used that to get by privilege.
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### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2017, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/13 "2017-10-12T14:58:52Z")
This show takes us back to the time when the Law and Order franchise produced serious and intelligent television rather than the embarrassing soap opera that is SVU. It has Dick Wolf’s imprint all over it and I’m enjoying it thoroughly.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/14 "2017-10-12T17:51:02Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#):
>
> I’m a huge L&O fan from wayyy back, so I’ve been watching it. It seems a little … staid, even by L&O standards. And I hate hate hate hate that high-pitched electronic buzzing sound they use as a “soundtrack” to increase the tension. In fact, that buzzing sound is what will make me stop watching. And soon.
Yeah, I’m another hater on the “music”. There are other series that do this, and it’s annoying as hell. Let’s try using good writing and acting to create tension, shall we?
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### Author:  [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-and-order-true-crime-menendez-brothers/798047/15 "2017-10-12T19:34:47Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> PS in the wiki article about the case it mentions that they BOTH got married in prison, Lyle twice. Where do these women come from? Geeze.
[Hybristophilia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybristophilia)