Insights from Three Decades as a Therapist to Killers: Challenging the Concept of Innate Evil

Warning – this article contains details that some readers may find disturbing On the evening of 20 August 1989, brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez entered the den of their Beverly Hills residence, where their parents were viewing the film, The Spy Who Loved Me, and fatally shot them at close range with a shotgun. They received sentences of life imprisonment without parole, and for many years, their narrative largely receded from public attention. Subsequently, in September, their case re-emerged in the news following the debut of a Netflix drama series and documentary detailing the events. Currently, their case is undergoing review due to the presence of new evidence that was not presented during their original trial. Last Monday, 28 years after their previous courtroom appearance, the brothers participated in a hearing via teleconference from prison, during which their aunt advocated for their release. She stated, “I think it is time for them to go home.” Conversely, their uncle has characterized the brothers as “cold-blooded” and maintains they should remain incarcerated for life. As I observed these developments, I was struck by the contrasting portrayals of the brothers by different individuals, including members of their own family. Are the Menendez brothers, to use the title of the Netflix drama, truly “monsters”? Or is it conceivable that they have undergone a transformation, as their aunt asserts? Throughout my