1989 vs. 2025: How changing views are shaping the way many see the Menendez brothers’ case

“We as a society really have this new urge to understand why people do bad things,” said criminologist and retired NYPD officer Jillian Snider. “There were not a lot of families or people in the late 80s or early 90s sitting around feeling comfortable enough to talk about sexual abuse, let alone sexual abuse against young boys.”

Snider says if the brothers’ case unfolded today, their allegations of abuse at the hands of their father, José, would be taken more seriously.

In the 80s, the philosophy was “you do the crime, you do the time,” while today, the “why” behind the crime counts.

“Hold them accountable, but with an understanding, a realization that something must have triggered this,” Snider said.