Risk Factors on the Menendez Brothers Case
Risk Factors on the Menendez Brothers Case
Enid Nieves
Regis University
MSCR 605- Criminal Psychopathology
Criminology is defined as the multidisciplinary study of crime (Bartol and Bartol, 2011). To better understand criminality and people who commit crimes, it is important to take into consideration different risk factors that influence antisocial behavior. For purpose of this assignment, I have chosen The Menendez Brothers, who shot and killed their parents. The Menendez Brothers’ legal defense argued that the brothers endured severe abuse and were in fear, which ultimately led them to commit the murders. I will try to analyze the genetic and biological factors and the situational learning of the brothers to determine any predisposition that led to their criminal behavior. On August 20th, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching television in their home. The parents were dozing off when the brothers suddenly came into the home, shooting Jose, their father, first and then aiming at Kitty, their mother, when she tried to escape. The brothers then left the home, discarded the weapons, went to the movie theater and bought tickets to use as an alibi. Upon their return to their home, the older brother Lyle called the police and told them that their parents had been killed. At the time, both brothers denied having anything to do with the murders. It was not until the younger brother Erik confessed the murders to his psychiatrist that police was able to connect them with the murders. But let’s commence by analyzing the genetic/ biological risk factors of the brothers. As learned in Chapter 3 of Criminal Behavior, A Psychological Approach (Bartol and Bartol, 2011), genetics is correlated to the behavior of human beings. Temperament is determined largely by genetics. In the case of the Menendez’s it has been well researched that the father, was a very controlling man who often incurred in violent behavior towards his
Enid Nieves
Regis University
MSCR 605- Criminal Psychopathology
Criminology is defined as the multidisciplinary study of crime (Bartol and Bartol, 2011). To better understand criminality and people who commit crimes, it is important to take into consideration different risk factors that influence antisocial behavior. For purpose of this assignment, I have chosen The Menendez Brothers, who shot and killed their parents. The Menendez Brothers’ legal defense argued that the brothers endured severe abuse and were in fear, which ultimately led them to commit the murders. I will try to analyze the genetic and biological factors and the situational learning of the brothers to determine any predisposition that led to their criminal behavior. On August 20th, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching television in their home. The parents were dozing off when the brothers suddenly came into the home, shooting Jose, their father, first and then aiming at Kitty, their mother, when she tried to escape. The brothers then left the home, discarded the weapons, went to the movie theater and bought tickets to use as an alibi. Upon their return to their home, the older brother Lyle called the police and told them that their parents had been killed. At the time, both brothers denied having anything to do with the murders. It was not until the younger brother Erik confessed the murders to his psychiatrist that police was able to connect them with the murders. But let’s commence by analyzing the genetic/ biological risk factors of the brothers. As learned in Chapter 3 of Criminal Behavior, A Psychological Approach (Bartol and Bartol, 2011), genetics is correlated to the behavior of human beings. Temperament is determined largely by genetics. In the case of the Menendez’s it has been well researched that the father, was a very controlling man who often incurred in violent behavior towards his
References: Abrahamson, A. (1993, October 30). Kitty Menendez Weighed Suicide, Former Therapist Says : Courts: Subordinate says murder defendants ' father was 'the ultimate control freak. ' Brothers could return to the stand if judge allows admission of a key audiotape. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1993-10-30/local/me-51371_1_kitty-Menendez Bartol, C. A. A. (2011). Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach (9th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Maclen, W. (n.d.). The Menendez Brothers: victims or sociopaths. Retrieved from http://wintermaclen.hubpages.com/hub/The-Menendez-Brothers Pergament, R. (n.d.). The Menendez Brothers. Retrieved from http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/famous/Menendez/index_1.html Mydans, S. (1993, November 19). Killers as Victims: Defending Menendez Brothers. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/19/news/killers-as-victims-defending-Menendez-brothers