SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A resurgence in public interest in the Menendez brothers kept prison staff busy as obsessed supporters of the men tried to send the convicted killers hot meals and gifts, documents obtained by Team 10 show.
The brothers, who will appear before the parole board in hearings this week, have amassed a large new following of supporters over the past year thanks to TikTok and the release of a Netflix drama and series that has touched a generation unfamiliar with the infamous case.
“The Netflix shows have peaked a lot of interest from the public and are bringing a lot of attention to (Richard J Donovan prison), a correctional lieutenant wrote in an email last October.
The lieutenant sent an email labeled IMPORTANT to prison staff alerting them to a fan who was trying to send packages to the brothers and had inquired about sending a “nice hot meal like soup.”
“She appears to be an obsessed civilian trying to send a package and "Uber eats" for the Menendez Brothers. Please notify both staff entrances and the OP sergeant to keep a look out,” the lieutenant wrote.
The supporter, from Brooklyn, New York, wrote she bought the men gifts from approved vendors online.
“I wanted to send Lavazza caffe but the websites didn't have it,” she added.
Erik and Lyle Menendez murdered their parents in 1989 in Beverly Hills. The men claim they were sexually abused by their father.
In May, a Los Angeles judge agreed to resentence the men to life sentences with parole, calling their efforts to rehabilitate “remarkable.”
The bombshell decision passed the buck to members of the parole board, who will decide if the brothers should be released from prison.
Documents obtained by Team 10 through a public records request from the prison show the Menendez brothers have a list of supporters wanting to donate to their volunteer projects.
While at Donovan, the men have spearheaded a greenspace project to improve the look and feel of the prison yard.
Real estate developers asked to donate a large amount of funding and have their contractor assist in the work on the yard, according to one document.
The CEO of a major streaming company was in touch with the prison and initially requested to come in and play pickleball with the Menendez brothers, according to a memo released to Team 10.
“The PIO denied this request, however since Pickleball has become a very popular sport in RJDCF to include recent staff/incarcerated tournaments, we are considering facilitating a tournament between the incarcerated population and public donors who are processed and approved,” the document states.
Emily Humpal, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told Team 10 pickleball has become a popular sport at Donovan prison and is part of many prisoners' "rehabilitation as they come together for camaraderie and friendly competition.”
