Image Credit: Stephen Kim
Leslie Abramson is best known as the attorney who defended the Menendez brothers during their trials for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. While many believed that the brothers committed the crime for inheritance, Lyle and Erik claimed they were emotionally, physically, and sexually abuse by both parents during their childhood. Recently, the case has regained attention due to shows like Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story and the documentary The Menendez Brothers. Abramson played a significant role in defending the brothers, and in a 1996 interview with The Washington Post, she stated, “These are not murderers. These are troubled kids in a very difficult and grotesque home environment, and they cracked. … It’s a grotesquely disproportionate verdict and punishment for what happened here. When children kill their parents, something is wrong in that family. It’s a different moral mix for a sexual predator, those who kill strangers.”
Many wonder where Abramson is now and whether she remains in contact with the brothers.
Trial of the Menendez brothers in Los Angeles – From left to right : Erik Menendez with his attorney : Leslie Abramson and his brother Lyle Menendez. Los Angeles, 9th March 1994. (Photo by Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images)
Where is Leslie Abramson Now?
Abramson has stayed out of the public eye for some time. After representing the Menendez brothers, she briefly served as an attorney for producer Phil Spector but resigned before he was convicted of second-degree murder. Since then, she has kept her personal life, including details about her children, private. According to Entertainment Tonight, she stopped practicing law in 2013.
How Does Leslie Abramson Feel About Monsters?
In a video interview with Entertainment Tonight, Abramson was asked about the Menendez brothers and the upcoming court hearing. She responded, “I will make no comments about my client. None whatsoever.” When asked if she had watched the shows based on the case, she bluntly said, “That piece of s**t I heard about? No, I don’t watch any of those.”
Is Leslie Abramson in Contact With Erik and Lyle?
It is unclear if Abramson remains in contact with the Menendez brothers. Initially, they were held in separate prisons, but they were reunited in 2018 and are now both incarcerated at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. Their next court hearing is scheduled for November 29, according to Variety.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
