New Menendez Brothers Doc to Debut on ID

Menendez Brothers: Misjudged?, a new two-hour documentary special, is slated to premiere on August 8 on ID and stream the same day on discovery+.

Taking viewers back to the 1990s, the doc revists the trial of Erik and Lyle Menendez for the double murder of their parents. As the two remain in prison serving their life sentences, their case has transfixed a new generation, who harnessed the story on TikTok and are pushing for a second look at the trial and the brothers’ sentencing.

The Menendez case was originally framed as two privileged boys who were motivated to murder their by greed. However, on trial, they testified to a lifetime of sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the parents they killed. Menendez Brothers: Misjudged? features an exclusive interview with Lyle and a fresh look at the evidence, trial, the media and the public’s reaction both then and now.

Menendez Brothers: Misjudged? is produced for ID by Lion Television US.

Jason Sarlanis, president of crime and investigative content for linear and streaming at Discovery, said: “The TikTok fascination with the Menendez Brothers is not only a fascinating example of how certain cases never really leave our public consciousness, but also an interesting look at the way different generations grapple with conversations around abuse, masculinity and violence. At a time when popular culture is having fresh conversations around how we as a public approach difficult topics, Menendez Brothers: Misjudged? reconsiders this trial and the way it played out in the media. Only on ID will you hear from Lyle Menendez himself, and maybe see a different perspective that was missed in the original news coverage. This thought-provoking film is a powerful way to kick off our nostalgic month-long look back at the cases of the 1990s that shocked us then and still impact our culture today.”