At year's end, two juries were considering the cases of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers accused of killing their wealthy parents.
Jose and Kitty Menendez were killed Aug. 29, 1989. Initially, the two brothers said they discovered their parents had been killed when they returned from a night out.
Eventually they admitted shooting their parents, but said they feared they would be killed. Their attorneys said Lyle and Erik were sex abuse victims who feared for their lives.
Prosecutors accused the two of acting out of greed.
Lyle and Erik were arrested in March of 1990 and have been in jail ever since. Lyle was 21 at the time of the shootings. Erik was 18.
Their trial lasted five months with 101 witnesses testifying.
One of the most controversial witnesses was Dr. Jerome Oziel, who was once a therapist for the brothers. He said that they had admitted the killings and said they wanted to rid themselves of their domineering parents.
The defense attacked Oziel as an unethical therapist who had slept with some of his patients.
The two brothers have been charged with killing their parents and with conspiracy.
The two would inherit their father's millions if they are acquitted. They could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.
