November 15, 2017 – This Friday, “Dateline NBC” will air a special two-hour episode on the Menendez brothers, who were convicted more than two decades ago of murdering their parents in Beverly Hills. During an interview with NBC’s Keith Morrison, the older brother, Lyle Menendez, argues from behind bars that despite admitting to the brutal shotgun killing of his parents, he believes he should have received a plea deal. Lyle tells him, “There are, like, two to three hundred parricide cases a year, where a parent is killed by a child. And they are almost all related to abuse. And they are almost all settled. This case, they picked out as different.” He added, “And I think that it was very easy, because it was Beverly Hills, and my father had a lot of money, to sort of sell this headline that these brothers killed for money.” To watch a preview, click here. “Unthinkable: The Menendez Murders” airs Friday, November 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, 8.p.m CT.
Friday’s broadcast features a comprehensive look at the Menendez case, including an interview with former detective Les Zoeller, a rarely seen letter from Lyle to Erik, and an interview Erik did shortly after the murders. Zoeller, who worked on the case, tells Morrison of an incident when Lyle and Erik showed up at their house hours after the murder, looking for their tennis equipment: “He [Lyle] said, ‘We want to get our tennis equipment.’ And I said, ‘Well, where is that?’ He said, ‘It’s in the library where my parents were murdered.’” Zoeller added, “he was matter of fact and didn’t seem very upset to me.” To watch a preview, click here. Both interview excerpts are included below.
“Unthinkable: The Menendez Murders” also includes interviews with key players, such as: Lyle and Erik’s cousin Diane Hernandez, former prosecutor Pamela Bozanich, tennis coach Bill Kurtain, former neighbor Alicia Hercz, Dr. William Vicary, jury members Hazel Thornton and Andrew Wolfberg and criminal defense lawyer Cliff Gardner.
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Interview Excerpts:
Lyle Menendez: This case should have been settled. There are, like, two to three hundred parricide cases a year, where a parent is killed by a child. And they are almost all related to abuse. And they are almost all settled. This case, they picked out as different.
Keith Morrison: Yeah, but Lyle, it was different. Guys like you in places like you live and acts like you committed. I mean, this– it’s– this is a big, splashy deal.
Lyle Menendez: Exactly. And I think that it was very easy, because it was Beverly Hills, and my father had a lot of money, to sort of sell this headline that these brothers killed for money.
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Lez Zoeller: He said, “We want to get our tennis equipment.” And I said, “Well, where is that?” He said, “It’s in the library where my parents were murdered.”
Keith Morrison: What was their demeanor?
Les Zoeller: He was matter of fact and didn’t seem very upset to me.
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ABOUT DATELINE NBC
Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history. Now in its 26th season, Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, Dateline reaches more than 20 million people every week through its broadcast, and millions more through its social media platforms. David Corvo is the senior executive producer and Liz Cole is the executive producer. Follow “Dateline NBC” on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @datelinenbc.
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Dominique Cuce
NBC News
212-664-6192
dominique.cuce@nbcuni.com
