The Menendez Brothers and the Hope of Justice

For much of evangelicalism’s existence, American Christians have been divided over how best to deal with public policy issues. While abortion was something that large numbers of conservative Christians agreed on, other issues were more difficult to build consensus around. Policy areas such as immigration, crime, and the environment continue to divide well-meaning Christians with different ideas about how to achieve complex goals.

One such multifaceted policy area is the criminal justice system. The United States is home to the largest prison population in the world. Our nation has homes for only four percent of the world’s population Sixteen percent of imprisoned individuals in the world. Not only does America imprison an extraordinary number of people, but the success of our system in delivering justice has drawn criticism for its failures. Despite the problems, safety issues remain a concern for Christians, and criminal justice reform is notoriously difficult to implement.

What is justice in an impossible situation?

It is against this background that the Netflix documentary is being screened The Menendez Brothers He was released. Director Alejandro Hartman takes viewers back to 1989 when brothers Lyle and Eric were accused of murdering their wealthy parents in their Beverly Hills home. On August 20 of that year, the brothers entered the living room where Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching television, and fired several gunshots at the defenseless parents. Despite the gory details of the crime and its investigation. The Menendez brothers It provides believers with an opportunity to think deeply about fundamental questions associated with justice. Many of these questions – such as the role of the state in punishment and the nature of redemption – are challenging. Ultimately, however, these questions challenge the simplistic, black-and-white views to which evangelicals are often drawn.

The story the documentary tells is essentially that of Lyle and Eric Menendez. While there is no dispute that the brothers killed their parents, the film explores the story behind Murders. Although the prosecution portrayed the brothers as wealthy kids restless to get their hands on their parents’ vast fortune, the truth depicted in the documentary is more complex.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the documentary is the story presented by the defense team during the trial. The novel, argued by powerful 1990s lawyer Leslie Abramson, was of a brutal father and two severely abused young men. The defense presented the story of a wealthy and powerful Cuban immigrant, Jose Menendez, who mercilessly physically and sexually abused his children. In the stories told during the trial and supported by New evidence Among other young men, Jose Menendez is described as a monster who repeatedly assaulted his children and others. In the case of the younger brother, Eric Menendez, the abuse only stopped with the death of his father. According to the brothers’ testimony, the murder was a tragic end to an impossible situation.

The Christian novel and human brokenness

Audience response to the documentary was enthusiastic. The film premiered on October 7, and was watched by more than 22 million viewers in its first six days. The film is good and paints a sympathetic picture of the brothers. While trial prosecutor Pamela Bozanich dismisses the brothers’ claims in feature interviews, family members and others involved in the trial paint a less clear and simplistic story. In many ways, the film is a reminder of how far we have come in the past 30 years. While the brothers’ allegations of sexual assault were mocked by the public during the trial, the assault is taken seriously today. And in America in 2024, we know that One in six young people They were sexually abused during their childhood and the consequences are well documented.

It is difficult to watch the film and not feel as if the system has failed the brothers. While their initial trial ended in a hung jury, The retrial severely limited the defence In not allowing them to use the “battered women” defense. According to the judge, men cannot use this defense because they cannot suffer the same emotional consequences as abused women. While Christians who watch this film will be encouraged by the progress our society has made in caring for abused people, the documentary raises some questions we must wrestle with.

The Menendez brothers He did a great job exposing the problems of society and the justice system in the early 1990s. The fact that so few people were willing to believe what these young people went through is shameful. However, for Christians, part of taking this film seriously means that we must balance this compassion with the biblical theme of vengeance. The Bible makes it clear that the government is given the responsibility to use the sword to seek justice (Romans 13:1-7). Moreover, the Old Testament establishes the principle of proportionality in punishing sin. In other words, Old Testament law allows the death penalty in cases of murder (exit. 21: 23-25; Deuteronomy. 17:6). Biblical justice is certainly not a mandate to go easy on crime.

Perhaps most importantly, the Bible asks sinners to take responsibility for their actions. In the Epistle of James, we are told that “Every man is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived it gives birth to sin” (James 1:14-15). The Bible is clear: We are responsible for the sins we commit. Christians do not have the option of pointing the finger at someone else’s sin as an excuse. While this is true, the Bible is also clear that situations can become morally complex when multiple mistakes are made.

in Matthew 18:6Jesus makes an important statement that is necessary for understanding the Menendez brothers. In this section of the Bible, Jesus teaches his disciples what the Kingdom of God looks like. In doing so, Jesus calls a little child and says to him: “[W]And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

The point Jesus makes is powerful. For those with power, using that power to exploit or harm a weaker individual is a grave sin. In the case of Eric and Lyle, their father used his power to inflict profound psychological and physical harm on his children. Although this does not justify murder, it should certainly be taken into account when thinking about what justice requires. Confronting responsibility and exploitation in the pursuit of justice is something I hope many Christians will do in the context of this film.

Is simplicity the enemy of truth?

Ethically complex questions are not new to humanity. I’ve always found the story of Tamar in the Bible difficult. in Genesis 38the widow Tamar tricks her father-in-law into sleeping with her when he fails to provide her with an heir (a new husband) who will give her offspring. Despite the deception and sexual immorality, the story ends with Tamar as the victim who has reclaimed her rights from her disapproving father-in-law. While the Bible is quite clear about sin, this story provides something that American Christians often fail to consider. In a world marred by sin, sometimes justice doesn’t look what we hope it will. Often times, simplicity is the enemy of a more robust view of truth.

In the context of the ancient world, Tamar’s actions become more understandable. A woman without a husband was at great risk, and a woman without an heir faced many social pressures. First and foremost, the family members were watching over their elderly relatives, and without a child there would be no one to support her. Second: Her first husband’s name and land would be lost without an heir. While the crime committed by Tamar is less heinous than that of the Menendez brothers, the point remains: context is key when assessing justice.

Complexity and grace

My hope for Christians watching this documentary is twofold. Because I am someone who sees our criminal justice reform as an area of ​​opportunity for Christians, I hope this issue will move some believers to fight for change. Although I do not have all the answers, the lack of a good defense for most perpetrators appears to be an ethical problem. Although this was not the case for the Menendez brothers, the film provides a picture of the problems of the system. At the time, the Los Angeles prosecutor was desperate to win and enormous pressure was being put on the prosecutor to obtain a guilty verdict.

Although this is important, the number of people who will be transferred to work on the repair will likely be limited. While Christians have contributed in valuable ways to conversations about… death penaltyProblems on the way Crimes are prosecutedand condition Juvenile justice In America, this movement has not yet become as widespread as other forms of Christian social advocacy. Far more Christians today devote their resources to the pro-life movement than to criminal justice issues.

Perhaps more than my hope that Christians will engage in criminal justice reform, I am optimistic that films like these can help believers develop a more comprehensive public witness. Too often, conservative Christians have neglected the plight of the persecuted. The Kingdom of God has been and always will be good news for the weak. This includes those who have been mistreated by our justice system, but it also includes those who are vulnerable in every area of ​​human life. I’m afraid we often don’t want to get into the complexities of people’s stories.

This preparation is important to our testimony. When Jesus was on earth, He was not afraid to enter into the lives of people with moral complexities. For Simon the Zealot, the political terrorist, Jesus provided redemption. For Matthew the tax collector, Jesus provided the way to a better society. In Mary Magdalene, Jesus saw a sinner worthy of love. Jesus refused to reduce people to one-dimensional personalities; It is good to follow his example in this. By treating people as multi-layered individuals with often painful stories, we are better able to communicate the grace offered on the cross.

I’m not sure if the Menendez brothers should be released from prison. The crime they committed was brutal, and their actions after the crime seemed confusing to even the most cold-blooded criminals. While that’s true, this movie at least acknowledges that there’s more to their story. The value of this documentary is that it opens the viewer to the opportunity to see these brothers as something more complex and worthy of sympathy.

Watch this film, and you may gain a greater understanding of the human experience, and become more willing to reflect on what grace looks like even in the most difficult circumstances.