IF YOU PLAN ON
VISITING BEVERLY HILLS,
YOU BETTER BRING YOUR GOLD CARD,
AND IT BETTER HAVE A LIMIT
OF AT LEAST $100,000.
THE TOWN MAY BE
AS FOPPISH AND TRENDY
AS A LUKE PERRY HAIRDO,
BUT BEVERLY HILLS ISN'T
COMPLETELY DEVOID OF SOUL.
IN FACT, THE EMOTIONAL FUEL THAT
DRIVES MANY BEVERLY RESIDENTS
IS AS BASE AND INSTINCTIVE
AS THE QUEST FOR FIRE.
IT'S THE DESIRE TO BE HEARD,
TO BE NOTICED, TO BE SOMEBODY.
AND IN THE SUMMER OF 1989,
A STRUGGLING YOUNG SCREENWRITER
AND HIS BROTHER
WOULD GARNER MORE THAN
THEIR SHARE OF NOTORIETY.
THEIR STORY HAD IT ALL:
THE FAMILY TURMOIL
OF A GREEK TRAGEDY,
THE LEGAL WRANGLINGS
OF A COURTROOM DRAMA,
AND ALL THE BLOOD
OF A GOOD SLASHER FLICK.
BUT THEIR STORY
WAS NO MOVIE SCRIPT.
IT WAS REAL LIFE.
AND IT HAD EVERYONE
IN BEVERLY HILLS
TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING:
MURDER.
(woman)
TO THINK ABOUT IT
WAS LIKE A MOVIE.
(man)
IT'S A VERY UNIQUE COMMUNITY--
THE LAST PLACE
YOU'D EXPECT A MURDER.
Captioning provided by
A&E Television Networks.
SET B,
SHADOWED BY THE FAMOUS HILLS
OF HOLLYWOOD,
BEVERLY HILLS
IS, PERHAPS, THE RITZIEST,
MOST OPULENT SLICE
OF THE AMERICAN PIE.
HOME TO THE WELL-HEELED,
WELL-TANNED,
AND WELL-AUGMENTED MOVERS
AND SHAKERS OF THE MOVIE BIZ,
BEVERLY HILLS IS THE PLACE TO BE
IF YOU'RE IN THE BUSINESS
OF PRESSING FLESH,
PEDDLING A SCREENPLAY,
OR GOING GA-GA
OVER SOME CELEBRITY YOU SAW
SIPPING CHARDONNAY AT SPAGO'S.
RALPH LAUREN, LOUIS VUITTON,
AND A MYRIAD OF OTHER
HIGH-DOLLAR FASHION DEPOTS,
BEVERLY HILLS
DOESN'T JUST HAVE ITS FINGER
ON THE PULSE OF FASHION.
IT'S GOT ITS ARMS, LEGS, FACE,
NECK, CHESTS,
AND MIDRIFFS ALL OVER IT.
WHETHER YOU'RE
A HIGH-PRICED POODLE-WALKER
IN SEARCH OF
A DIAMOND-STUDDED DOG COLLAR,
OR A SEX AND THE CITY WANNABE
LUSTING FOR A PAIR
OF MANOLO BLAHNIKS,
BEVERLY HILLS,
SPECIFICALLY RODEO DRIVE,
IS THE PLACE
TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST.
HAIRSTYLIST JOSE EBER
HAS BEEN CONTOURING THE COIFS
OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
FOR 25 YEARS.
JOSE HAS SEEN A LOT OF STYLES
AND STARS COME AND GO,
BUT ONE THING NEVER CHANGES:
IF IT'S
THIS SEASON'S "IN" FASHION,
IT'LL BE WORN IN SPADES
ON THE STREETS OF BEVERLY HILLS.
(Eber)
GLAMOUR AND BEAUTY--
I MEAN, THE WHOLE WORLD
LOOKS TOWARDS BEVERLY HILLS.
EVERY DESIGNER AROUND THE WORLD
WANTED TO HAVE
ONE OF THEIR FLAGSHIP STORES
HERE ON RODEO DRIVE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE
THE HARRY WINSTON OF THE WORLD.
YOU GO TO TIFFANY'S.
I MEAN, IT'S DREAMLAND IN A WAY,
BECAUSE YOU CAN WINDOW-SHOP,
AND IT'S VERY ATTRACTIVE
TO THE EYE.
YOU SEE THINGS THAT
YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD,
BUT AT LEAST
YOU LOOK AT THEM.
AND THEN YOU WATCH SOMEBODY
INSIDE BUYING THEM,
AND IT'S KIND OF A DREAM.
(La Russa)
THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE
IN THE WORLD LIKE BEVERLY HILLS.
IT'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT
HAVE COME TOGETHER TO LIVE HERE
THAT WANT TO LIVE
A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE
AND DO LIVE A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE.
(Winfield)
AND THAT LIFESTYLE, FOR MANY,
IS ONE OF UNBELIEVABLE LUXURY.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST
THE SUPER-FLY DESIGNER THREADS
OR SWANKY NEW HAIRDOS
THAT PEOPLE IN BEVERLY HILLS
PAY TOP DOLLAR FOR.
THE CITY HAS MORE SURGEONS
PER CAPITA
THAN ANYPLACE ELSE
IN THE COUNTRY,
AND MOST OF THOSE SURGEONS
ARE OF THE PLASTIC VARIETY.
BOOB JOBS, TUMMY TUCKS,
A COUPLE OF FACE-LIFTS
HERE AND THERE,
IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY
TO LOOK LIKE A MOVIE STAR
WHICH IS THE OCCUPATION,
REAL OR IMAGINED,
OF PRACTICALLY EVERYONE
WHO LIVES IN BEVERLY HILLS.
(Eber)
IT'S VERY COMPETITIVE
IN THIS CITY.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO LOOK
AS GOOD AS YOU CAN LOOK.
WHEN SOMETHING HAS TO BE TUCKED
AND DO A LITTLE PLASTIC SURGERY,
WHY NOT?
I'M TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF IT.
I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE OBVIOUSLY SPENDING
A LOT OF MONEY
ON PAMPERING THEMSELVES.
(Winfield)
IT'S TRUE.
IN BEVERLY HILLS,
LIVING THE EXCESSIVELY GOOD LIFE
IS A TRADITION,
ONE AS TIME-HONORED AND AS OLD
AS THE ORIGINAL HOLLYWOOD STARS
THAT MADE THE TOWN FAMOUS.
AT THE DAWN OF THE 20th CENTURY,
THERE WAS NO SUCH THING
AS BEVERLY HILLS.
SURROUNDED BY ACRE UPON ACRE
OF BEAN FIELDS,
THERE WAS ONLY
A SCRUFFY LITTLE TRAIN DEPOT
CALLED MOROCCO JUNCTION,
A PLACE MORE COW PASTURE
THAN COSMOPOLITAN.
THAT ALL BEGAN TO CHANGE
IN 1906,
WHEN A FAST-TALKING OIL BARON
NAMED BURTON GREEN
CAME TO MOROCCO JUNCTION
WITH THE HOPE
OF UNEARTHING SOME CRUDE.
(Wanamaker)
BURTON GREEN DRILLED
AND DRILLED AND DRILLED
AND FOUND WATER.
THEY KEEP FINDING WATER
ALL THE TIME,
AND THEY COULDN'T FIND OIL.
AFTER A WHILE,
THEY DECIDED
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO INVEST
IN DRILLING--NOT FINDING OIL,
SO THEY DECIDED,
BECAUSE WE'RE FINDING
SO MUCH WATER,
THIS IS AN IDEA--
I WOULD SAY A BASIS--
FOR A GOOD BUSINESS PROPOSITION
TO DEVELOP A CITY
BECAUSE CITIES
ALWAYS NEED WATER.
SO THEY STARTED A CORPORATION
CALLED THE BEVERLY LAND
AND WATER COMPANY
AND STARTED TO DEVELOP THE AREA
AS A COMMUNITY.
(Winfield)
TO JUMP-START
HIS FLEDGLING COMMUNITY,
GREEN DECIDED TO BUILD A HOTEL,
BUT NOT JUST ANY HOTEL.
GREEN FELT BEVERLY HILLS
NEEDED A PLACE ELEGANT ENOUGH
TO DRAW THE EAST COAST ELITE
TO SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
YET LAID-BACK ENOUGH
TO LURE L.A.'S HOLLYWOOD TYPES
TO THE UNDEVELOPED
WESTERN SUBURBS.
AND WITH THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THE IMMACULATE
BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL,
BURTON GREEN GOT EXACTLY
WHAT HE ASKED FOR.
(Wanamaker)
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL
WAS OPENED IN 1912,
AND IT HAD
UNOBSTRUCTED PANORAMAS
OF THE OCEAN
ALL THE WAY TO DOWNTOWN,
ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTH
FOR MILES.
IT WAS QUITE A VIEW,
VERY IMPRESSIVE.
SO WHEN ANYBODY CAME
FROM THE MIDWEST OR SOMEPLACE
AND STAYED AT THE HOTEL,
AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT THIS,
THEY WOULD THINK,
"OH, MAN, I HAVE A CHANCE
TO BUY PROPERTY HERE."
(Winfield)
WELL, THAT WAS THE IDEA
IN THEORY,
BUT TOURISTS
WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN
IN THE EARLY YEARS
OF BEVERLY HILLS.
AND HOLLYWOOD'S WELL-TO-DO
WASN'T EXACTLY
BEATING DOWN THE DOOR
OF GREEN'S HOTEL.
THAT IS UNTIL
AMERICA'S CELLULOID SWEETHEARTS,
ACTORS MARY PICKFORD
AND DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS,
BOUGHT SOME REAL ESTATE
NEXT DOOR TO THE HOTEL.
IT WAS THERE, ON SUMMIT DRIVE,
THAT PICKFORD AND FAIRBANKS
BUILT PICKFAIR,
THE ORIGINAL MOVIE STAR MANSION.
ONCE THE KING AND QUEEN
OF HOLLYWOOD'S A-LIST
HAD GIVEN BEVERLY HILLS
THEIR STAMP OF APPROVAL,
THE REST OF THE MOVIE INDUSTRY
STARTED FLOCKING TO TOWN
LIKE STARLETS TO A CASTING CALL.
WILL ROGERS, CHARLIE CHAPLIN,
GLORIA SWANSON,
THE HOLLYWOOD ELITE
BUILT MANSION
AFTER FABULOUS MANSION
IN THE HILLS OF BEVERLY.
THIS CULTURE OF GLITZ, GLAMOUR,
AND HOLLYWOOD SCHMOOZE
SPAWNED A HOST
OF BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES
THAT PAID TRIBUTE TO
AND POKED FUN AT
THE BEVERLY HILLS LIFESTYLE.
SOME OF THOSE FILMS,
LIKE SUNSET BOULEVARD,
BECAME CLASSICS.
ALL RIGHT, MR. DeMILLE,
I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP.
(Winfield)
OTHERS, LIKE BEVERLY HILLS COP
 AND PRETTY WOMAN,
USED THE TOWN'S FANCY BACKDROP
AS A MEANS TO RAKE IN BIG BUCKS
AT THE BOX OFFICE.
THE TREND CONTINUED
INTO THE EARLY 1990s.
THAT'S WHEN BEVERLY HILLS
AND ITS ZIP CODE
BECAME SYNONYMOUS
WITH ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
AND INSIPID TV SHOWS
OF THE DECADE:
THE OPENLY MOCKED
YET HIGHLY RATED
 BEVERLY HILLS, 90210,
A PRIME-TIME MELODRAMA
THAT PLACED MORE EMPHASIS
ON WELL-GROOMED SIDEBURNS
THAN A WELL-CRAFTED SCRIPT.
THERE'S AN OLD EXPRESSION
IN SHOW BUSINESS WHICH IS,
"DON'T COME UP WITH A NEW IDEA.
COME UP WITH A GOOD IDEA."
SO I THINK WE SEE THAT
WITH BEVERLY HILLS A LOT.
THEY'LL TAKE AN IDEA OF
A TV SHOW THAT'S BEEN COVERED,
AND THEY'LL JUST TAKE
A BEVERLY HILLS SPIN ON IT,
AND VOILA,
WE HAVE A NEW TV SHOW.
THE 90210 TV SERIES
DID THE SAME THING.
IT TOOK
BEVERLY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL,
WHICH WAS KNOWN BY SOME PEOPLE,
AND MADE IT FAMOUS TO EVERYONE.
(Winfield)
ABOUT THE SAME TIME
AMERICA WAS GETTING WRAPPED UP
IN THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
OF LUKE, JASON,
AND THE REST OF THE GANG,
ANOTHER PAIR
OF REAL-LIFE BEVERLY TEENAGERS
WERE ALSO BECOMING
HOUSEHOLD NAMES.
BUT THEIR
PICTURES WEREN'T SMILING OUT
FROM SOME GLOSSY
TEENYBOPPER POSTER
OR THE COVER OF TV GUIDE.
INSTEAD, THEIR STORY
WAS PLASTERED
ACROSS THE EVENING NEWS,
THE GRUESOME DETAILS
OF THEIR CRIMES LAID BARE
FOR ALL OF BEVERLY HILLS TO SEE.
■■H.
 90210 WAS ON THE CUSP
OF MAKING THE TOWN
AN ICON OF POP CULTURE.
AND AT ALMOST ANY RESTAURANT
YOU WENT TO,
FROM MASTRO'S TO CRUSTACEAN,
YOU WERE BOUND TO SEE
A MOVIE STAR.
IN THOSE HALCYON DAYS,
NO ONE IN BEVERLY HILLS
HAD EVER HEARD
OF LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ,
BUT SOON THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS
WOULD BE AS SYNONYMOUS
WITH BEVERLY HILLS
AS ANY MOVIE STAR
OR BIG-TIME PRODUCER,
WHICH, IRONICALLY, IS EXACTLY
WHAT LYLE AND ERIK'S FATHER,
ENTERTAINMENT EXECUTIVE
JOSE MENENDEZ,
HAD ALWAYS WANTED.
JOSE MENENDEZ
WAS A CUBAN-BORN IMMIGRANT
WHO MADE HIS WAY
TO THE UNITED STATES
DURING FIDEL CASTRO'S RISE
TO POWER.
AFTER SHORT STINTS
IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO,
JOSE MOVED OUT TO THE LEFT COAST
TO SEEK HIS FAME AND FORTUNE
IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.
EVENTUALLY,
JOSE'S GRITTY WORK ETHIC
LANDED HIM A JOB
AS A DISTRIBUTOR
AT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT.
LIVE WAS THE HOME VIDEO ARM
OF CAROLCO,
ONE OF THE LARGEST MEDIA
CONGLOMERATES OF THE 1980s,
AND JOSE MENENDEZ SOON BECAME
THAT ARM'S BIGGEST MUSCLE.
JOSE MENENDEZ
WAS A VERY AMBITIOUS EXECUTIVE
WHO WORKED HIS WAY UP
TO THE TOP,
AND HE DID THAT
THROUGH HIS RUTHLESSNESS,
HIS INTELLIGENCE.
(La Russa)
HE WORKED HARD.
HE DEMANDED A LOT OF HIMSELF
FROM WHAT I COULD TELL
JUST IN WORKING WITH HIM,
THAT HE BELIEVED
THAT IF YOU WORK HARD,
YOU CAN LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM,
WHICH IS WHAT HE WAS DOING.
(Winfield)
JOSE QUICKLY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF
AS A DEAL-MAKER
WHOSE CUTTHROAT STYLE
COULD MAKE OR BREAK
THE SUCCESS OF ANY NEW RELEASE.
MENENDEZ WAS A WORKAHOLIC TYPE,
REAL TOUGH,
I MEAN, NEVER LEFT THE OFFICE
PRACTICALLY,
WAS ALWAYS--HAS THIS AMBITION
THAT BURNED IN HIM
THAT OTHER PEOPLE
JUST COULDN'T HANDLE.
AND THE REPUTATION HE HAD,
I HEARD ABOUT,
WAS EITHER YOU HATED HIM
OR LOVED HIM
OR YOU'D WANT TO
STAY AWAY FROM HIM.
(Winfield)
ACCORDING TO SOME,
JOSE'S HARDBALL APPROACH TO
BUSINESS WASN'T THE ONLY THING
THAT MADE HIM DIFFICULT
TO WORK WITH,
AT LEAST ACCORDING TO
THE RUMORS.
WORD ON THE STREETS WAS
THAT JOSE HAD TIES
TO ORGANIZED CRIME.
WHATEVER JOSE'S
BUSINESS CONNECTIONS WERE,
THEY WERE PROFITABLE.
HE BOUGHT HIS WIFE, KITTY,
THE FINEST CARS AND JEWELRY.
JOSE ALSO JOINED
SEVERAL PRESTIGIOUS TENNIS CLUBS
WHERE HE PUSHED HIS
TWO YOUNG SONS, LYLE AND ERIK,
INTO THE UNFORGIVING WORLD
OF COMPETITIVE YOUTH TENNIS.
(Schoop)
YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE
AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PLAYED
AT A NATIONAL LEVEL
PRETTY MUCH FROM THE TIME
YOU'RE 12 YEARS OLD,
EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL
PRETTY MUCH,
TOURNAMENTS ON THE WEEKEND.
IT KIND OF FORCES KIDS
INTO A DEDICATION TYPE MODE
THAT'S MAYBE
A LITTLE BIT UNNATURAL
FOR KIDS THAT ARE
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 16.
(Winfield)
JOSE MENENDEZ DESPERATELY WANTED
HIS SONS TO SUCCEED AT TENNIS,
AND TO ENSURE THAT SUCCESS,
HE MADE THE BOYS
PRACTICE CONSTANTLY.
JOSE WROTE CHECK AFTER CHECK,
SHELLING OUT BIG BUCKS
FOR PRIVATE LESSONS
AND PERSONAL INSTRUCTORS.
(Schoop)
I THINK YOU CAN BUY
GOOD TEACHERS.
I THINK YOU CAN, YOU KNOW,
BECOME A MEMBER
OF A GOOD TENNIS CLUB
AND SURROUND YOURSELF WITH
PEOPLE THAT ARE PLAYING TENNIS,
BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IT TAKES,
IN TERMS OF THE FIBER
OF WHAT IT TAKES,
THERE'S NO WAY IT CAN BE BOUGHT
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT IN
THE TIME.
YOU HAVE TO PUT IN
THE DEDICATION,
AND--AND THAT CAN'T BE
PAID FOR WITH MONEY.
(Winfield)
NOT THAT JOSE
DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TRY.
HIS WORK AT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
HAD HELPED HIM
BUILD A NET WORTH
IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS,
AND IN 1988, JOSE PLUNKED DOWN
FOUR OF THOSE MILLIONS
FOR THE DEED TO A RITZY ESTATE
ON ELM STREET
IN THE HEART OF BEVERLY HILLS.
IT HAD A SWIMMING POOL,
A TENNIS COURT,
AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE
YOU'D EXPECT THE HOME
OF A BIG SHOT
ENTERTAINMENT EXECUTIVE TO HAVE.
(La Russa)
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR,
AND YOU GET A LOT HERE:
A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE.
IT'S RIGHT
IN THE BEVERLY HILLS FLATS.
AND WHAT DO YOU GET
WHEN YOU BUY A HOUSE LIKE THAT?
YOU GET EVERYTHING.
IT'S AMAZING.
(Winfield)
MORE IMPORTANTLY TO JOSE,
THE HOUSE ON ELM STREET
HAD A 90210 ZIP CODE,
WHICH MEANT LYLE AND ERIK
WOULD NOW BE GOING
TO PRESTIGIOUS
BEVERLY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL,
THE FINEST HIGH SCHOOL,
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE,
IN ALL OF L.A.
(Wanamaker)
THE MENENDEZ FAMILY,
WHEN MOVING TO BEVERLY HILLS,
MOVED TO A PLACE WHERE JOSE FELT
HIS CHILDREN WOULD HAVE
THE BEST EDUCATION,
OF COURSE,
THE BEST SOCIAL INTERACTION.
HE WANTED HIS KIDS TO FOLLOW
IN HIS FOOTSTEPS,
WANTED THEM TO MAKE
A LOT OF MONEY,
WANTED THEM TO BE
SOCIALLY CONNECTED.
(Winfield)
WHICH WASN'T HARD
FOR AGGRESSIVE, OUTGOING,
OLDER BROTHER LYLE.
YOUNGER BROTHER ERIK, HOWEVER,
WAS A LITTLE ON THE QUIET SIDE,
BUT JOSE WASN'T AS CONCERNED
WITH ERIK MAKING FRIENDS
AS HE WAS WITH ERIK MAKING
THE HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TEAM.
BEVERLY'S KNOWN
FOR HAVING EXCELLENT ATHLETICS,
INCLUDING
A VERY GOOD TENNIS TEAM,
SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE
THAT THEY'D MOVE HERE
AND WANT TO SEND HIM
INTO THE TENNIS TEAM.
(Winfield)
THAT FALL, ERIK MENENDEZ
DID MORE THAN JUST MAKE
THE BEVERLY HILLS HIGH
TENNIS TEAM.
HE WAS THE STAR.
AND LATER,
WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT
OF HIS DAD
AND SOME HELP FROM
HIS GO-GET-'EM OLDER BROTHER
WHO HAD JUST BEEN ACCEPTED
TO PRINCETON,
ERIK ALSO TRIED HIS HAND
AT SCREENWRITING.
MOTHER KITTY
EVEN GOT IN ON THE ACT,
HELPING TYPE
ERIK'S EARLIEST SCRIPTS.
WITH A SWANKY NEW HOUSE,
ONE SON IN THE IVY LEAGUE,
AND ANOTHER ON HIS WAY
TO BOTH HOLLYWOOD STARDOM
AND A PRO TENNIS CAREER,
IT SEEMED LIKE
THE MENENDEZ FAMILY
HAD FINALLY ARRIVED.
BUT BEHIND THE HIGH, GATED WALLS
OF THEIR NEW ESTATE,
THINGS WEREN'T QUITE AS
PICTURE-PERFECT AS THEY SEEMED.
FOR STARTERS, FATHER JOSE
RAN A MUCH STRICTER
AND MORE ABUSIVE HOUSEHOLD
THAN MOST FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
IN BEVERLY HILLS EVER KNEW.
HE WOULD PUSH THEM
OVER THE LIMIT,
AND HE WOULD BROWBEAT THEM
AND PHYSICALLY ASSAULT THEM,
ET CETERA,
IF THEY DIDN'T DO RIGHT,
AND THIS LED THEM INTO A PATH
WHICH WAS NOT
THE NORMAL FAMILY LIFE
OR SOCIAL LIFE
THAT SOME KIDS HERE
IN BEVERLY HILLS WOULD FOLLOW.
(Winfield)
A PATH THAT INCLUDED
PETTY THIEVERY
AND THE VANDALIZING OF
SEVERAL UPSCALE BEVERLY HOMES.
THE CRIMES LANDED ERIK AND LYLE
IN JUVENILE COURT
AND LANDED
THE WHOLE MENENDEZ FAMILY,
MOTHER KITTY INCLUDED,
IN THERAPY.
ERIK AND LYLE MENENDEZ
GOT INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE
IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THEY COMMITTED
RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES.
AS A RESULT, OF COURSE,
THEY WERE PUT INTO
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM,
AND THEIR FATHER,
BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING
TO HELP THEM AS BEST HE COULD,
MADE INQUIRIES
OF ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN
AND WELL-RESPECTED COUNSELORS
IN THE BEVERLY HILL AREA,
DR. OZIEL.
(Winfield)
DR. JEROME OZIEL'S SERVICES
WERE USUALLY RESERVED
FOR FOLKS
WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE,
THE KIND USUALLY TOTED AROUND
BEVERLY HILLS
BY THE LIKES OF COURTNEY LOVE
OR ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.
BUT IN A TOWN
WHERE JET-SETTING MOVIE STARS
SPEND SIX FIGURES
TREATING THEIR PET CHIHUAHUA'S
SEPARATION ANXIETY,
THE MENENDEZ FAMILY'S
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
DIDN'T SEEM THAT DYSFUNCTIONAL,
AT LEAST NOT AT FIRST.
BUT BY THE SUMMER OF 1989,
IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT JOSE MENENDEZ
WAS MORE THAN JUST SOME
BALL-BUSTING SHOWBIZ EXECUTIVE
WHO PUSHED HIS KIDS TO SUCCEED.
AND JOSE'S SONS WEREN'T BOUND
FOR A SPOT
ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
OR A SPOT ON
THE PRO TENNIS CIRCUIT EITHER.
RATHER, THEY WERE BOUND
FOR THE BIG HOUSE,
AND JOSE MENENDEZ
WAS BOUND FOR THE MORGUE.
>> narrator: Elvis wasER.
THEY WERE PLOTTING A MURDER.
AS FOR JOSE MENENDEZ,
LIFE LATELY HAD BEEN
A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE.
ON THE UPSIDE,
JOSE HAD A BRAND-NEW,
$4 MILLION ESTATE
IN BEVERLY HILLS.
AND HIS SONS WERE
ON THE INSIDE TRACK FOR SUCCESS.
LYLE, NOW 21, WAS FINISHING UP
HIS SECOND YEAR AT PRINCETON.
AND WITH A LITTLE PUSH
FROM POPS,
YOUNGER SON ERIK, NOW 18,
WAS ON HIS WAY
TO A CAREER AS A TENNIS PRO,
OR AS A FAMOUS SCREENWRITER,
OR SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
THEY HAD MONEY.
THEY WERE GOOD-LOOKING.
THEY WERE ATHLETIC.
THE FATHER WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THE MOTHER
WAS SUPPOSEDLY SUPPORTIVE
OF THE FATHER
AND THE TWO KIDS,
AND ON THE SURFACE,
IT APPEARED THAT
THEY DID HAVE EVERYTHING.
(Winfield)
BUT APPEARANCES
CAN BE DECEIVING,
ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE
AS IMAGE-CONSCIOUS
AS BEVERLY HILLS.
AND JOSE MENENDEZ'S DRIVE FOR
SUCCESS HAD A STEEP DOWNSIDE.
IN MAY OF 1989,
IT HAD LANDED THE BOYS
IN JUVENILE COURT
AND THE WHOLE FAMILY IN THERAPY.
STILL, BY THE END OF THE SUMMER,
IT LOOKED LIKE ALL THE THERAPY
WAS HELPING.
JOSE'S TEMPER HAD SUBSIDED.
MOTHER KITTY WAS STILL HELPING
OUT WITH THE SCREENPLAYS.
LYLE WAS GEARING UP
FOR HIS THIRD YEAR AT PRINCETON.
AND ERIK HAD PLANS
OF ATTENDING UCLA TO FURTHER
BOTH HIS SCREENWRITING
AND PRO TENNIS CAREERS.
BUT ON AUGUST 20th,
THE MENENDEZ FAMILY'S RIDE
TO THE TOP
WOULD DERAIL CATASTROPHICALLY,
AND THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
WOULD BE LEFT TO SORT
THROUGH THE WRECKAGE.
THE DAY STARTED OUT
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER.
JOSE LEFT AT 5:00 A.M.
FOR WORK IN SANTA MONICA,
AND ERIK AND LYLE
GOT IN A FEW SETS OF TENNIS
DOWN AT THE CLUB.
LATER THAT EVENING,
THE BROTHERS TOOK IN
OPENING NIGHT
OF MICHAEL KEATON'S NEW MOVIE,
 BATMAN.
AFTER THAT, THEY DINED ON
THE CHI-CHI CALIFORNIA CUISINE
AT TASTE OF L.A.
BY THAT TIME,
JOSE AND KITTY
WERE AT HOME
WATCHING TELEVISION.
THEN SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT,
BEVERLY HILLS
EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS
RECEIVED A BIZARRE 911 CALL
FROM THE MENENDEZ ESTATE.
THE CALLER WAS LYLE MENENDEZ.
(Winfield)
WITHIN MINUTES, SCORES OF COPS
ARRIVED AT ELM STREET.
THEY QUICKLY SEALED OFF
THE EXTERIOR
AND ENTERED THE HOUSE.
THERE POLICE DISCOVERED
THE BODIES
OF JOSE AND KITTY MENENDEZ
FACEDOWN IN THEIR OWN BLOOD,
THE APPARENT VICTIMS
OF A BRUTAL DOUBLE MURDER.
(Conn)
THE CRIME SCENE, OF COURSE,
WAS A VERY GORY SCENE
WITH JOSE MENENDEZ
SLUMPED ON THE COUCH DEAD
AND THEIR MOTHER LYING
ON THE FLOOR
WITH NUMEROUS WOUNDS
ALL OVER HER BODY.
IN FACT, JOSE MENENDEZ,
AS HE WAS BEING TAKEN AWAY
BY THE CORONER'S OFFICE,
HAD A HOLE IN THE BACK
OF HIS HEAD THAT WAS SO LARGE
THAT HIS BRAIN
ACTUALLY FELL OUT.
(Winfield)
AS THE CORONER'S OFFICE
TENDED TO THE GORY DETAILS
AT THE CRIME SCENE,
THE COPS INTERVIEWED
LYLE AND ERIK.
THEY BOTH TOLD THE SAME STORY.
UPON RETURNING HOME
FROM THE MOVIES,
THE BOYS HAD DISCOVERED
THEIR PARENTS
AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911.
UNSUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING BACK
THE TEARS,
THE BOYS' GRIEF SEEMED GENUINE,
OR AT LEAST OSCAR-WORTHY.
(Conn)
THEY WERE OVERWHELMED
WITH GRIEF,
RUNNING OUT ONTO THE FRONT LAWN
AND SCREAMING INTO THE NIGHT AIR
FOR HELP FROM ANYONE.
(Winfield)
DESPITE THE THEATRICS,
THE BOYS' STORIES SEEMED TO GEL.
SO INSTEAD OF FOCUSING
THEIR INVESTIGATION
ON LYLE AND ERIK,
THE BEVERLY HILLS P.D.
FOCUSED ON FATHER JOSE'S
ALLEGED TIES TO THE MOB.
(Conn)
YOU WOULDN'T ORDINARILY TEND
TO THINK
THAT ONE'S SONS
WOULD KILL THEIR OWN PARENTS,
SO THE POLICE DID LOOK
IN OTHER DIRECTIONS,
INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY
OF A MOB HIT.
(Winfield)
THE MOB ANGLE
HAD THE LOCAL PAPERS
FLOCKING TO THE STORY IN DROVES.
BUT WHILE THE COPS
AND THE PRESS
WERE CHECKING OUT
JOSE'S MOB TIES,
ERIK AND LYLE GOT BUSY
SPENDING A HEFTY CHUNK
OF DADDY JOSE'S MONEY.
LESS THAN FIVE DAYS
AFTER THEIR PARENTS' MURDERS,
THE BOYS
HAD ALREADY BOUGHT THEMSELVES
SOME SLICK NEW ARMANI DUDS,
A PORSCHE 911, AND A NEW JEEP.
THEY ALSO BOUGHT THEMSELVES
A SECOND HOME.
THERE WAS AN ESTATE,
A GREAT DEAL IN THAT ESTATE,
AND TO TWO YOUNG MEN IN
THEIR LATE TEENS AND EARLY 20s,
IT WAS A VAST FORTUNE.
THEY STARTED ACTING--
BASICALLY GIVING IN
TO ALL THEIR IMPULSES.
IF THEY WANTED SOMETHING,
THEY BOUGHT IT.
IF THEY WANTED TO GO SOMEWHERE,
THEY WENT SOMEWHERE.
IF THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING,
THEY DID IT.
(Kidd)
ERIK AND LYLE WERE DEFINITELY
PART OF THE SCENE
AFTER THE KILLINGS
BECAUSE THEY DID,
FOR THE FIRST TIME, I THINK,
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY
AT THEIR DISPOSAL
TO REALLY GO OUT
AND MAKE A SPLASH.
(Winfield)
DROPPING A FEW MILLION BUCKS
IN LESS THAN A WEEK
WILL MAKE
A PRETTY BIG SPLASH ANYWHERE,
EVEN ON RODEO DRIVE,
BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY
THE BEHAVIOR
ONE ASSOCIATES WITH GRIEF.
STILL, THIS WAS BEVERLY HILLS,
AND IF LYLE AND ERIK DECIDED
TO BLOW THEIR BIG SHOT DADDY'S
WELL-EARNED CASH
ON FINE CARS
AND EXPENSIVE CLOTHES,
IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME
IT HAPPENED HERE.
(Casablanca)
YOU SHOULDN'T BE CONVICTED
FOR MURDERING YOUR PARENTS
BECAUSE YOU BUY A PORSCHE.
MANY PEOPLE DO HAVE
DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO GRIEF.
SOME PEOPLE GO OUT
AND SHOP AND SPLURGE,
PARTICULARLY IN BEVERLY HILLS.
(Winfield)
AND TO THEIR CREDIT,
THE BOYS DID STAY IN THERAPY
WITH DR. OZIEL,
A SURE SIGN THEY WERE DOING
ALL THEY COULD
TO COPE WITH THE DEATH
OF THEIR PARENTS.
WHILE ERIK AND LYLE
SOUGHT THERAPY,
AUTHORITIES CONTINUED
TO SEEK OUT
JOSE'S ALLEGED MOB CONNECTIONS.
BUT BY THAT OCTOBER,
ALL THE LEADS HAD FIZZLED OUT,
AND WITH NO SEXY GANGLAND
MURDER HEADLINES TO PRINT,
THE HYPE SURROUNDING
THE MENENDEZ MURDERS
ALL BUT VANISHED.
BUT THE BEVERLY HILLS COPS--
THE REAL ONES, BY THE WAY,
NOT EDDIE MURPHY
AND JUDGE REINHOLD--
WOULD SOON LEARN THE TRUTH
ABOUT LYLE AND ERIK'S VISITS
TO THE SHRINK.
THROUGH AN UNLIKELY SOURCE,
THEY DISCOVERED
THE BOYS' THERAPY
WAS LESS ABOUT GRIEF MANAGEMENT
THAN IT WAS ABOUT CONFESSING
DARK FAMILY SECRETS.
WHEN THOSE SECRETS
SAW THE LIGHT OF DAY,
A TOWN NORMALLY AT EASE
IN THE LIMELIGHT
WOULD BE SQUIRMING
UNDER THE HEAT
OF ONE
OF THE BIGGEST MURDER CASES
THE TOWN HAD EVER SEEN.
I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
BUT I WAS SURPRISED
TO FIND OUT
IT MIGHT LEAD TO
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW
EVERYTHING ABOUT DIABETES,
BUT NO ONE EVER TOLD
ME IT COULD LEAD TO ED.
SO, I TALKED TO MY DOCTOR.
HE SAID THAT CERTAIN
HEALTH CONDITIONS,
LIKE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE...
OR DIABETES MAY LEAD TO ED...
AND THAT LEVITRA CAN HELP.
 (announcer)
 DOCTORS KNOW LEVITRA
 WORKS FOR MEN WITH ED,
 EVEN TSE WITH HIGH BLOOD
 PRESSURE OR DIABETES.
 LEVITRA IS ONLY FOR
 MEN HEALTHY ENOUGH
 FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
 IF YOU HAVHEART PROBLEMS
 OR ARE ON ALPHA
 BLOCKER THERAPY,
 TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
 BEFORE TAKING LEVITRA.
 DO NOT TAKE LEVITRA IF YOU
 TAKE NITRATES FOR CHEST PAINS,
 AS THIS MAY CAUSE AN UNSAFE
 DROP IN BLOOD PRESSURE.
 SIDE EFFECTS MAY
 INCLUDE HEADACHE,
 FLUSHING AND STUFFY
 OR RNY NOSE.
 TO AVOID LONG-TERM INJURY,
 SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL HELP
 IF YOU EXPERIENCE AN ERECTION
 LASTING LONGER THAN 4 HOURS.
 IF YOU HAVE ANY SUDDEN
 DECREASE IN VISION,
 STOP TAKINLEVITRA AND
 CALL YOUR DOCTOR RIGHT AWAY.
TALKING TO MY DOCTOR
TOOK A LOT OFF MY MIND.
YOU SHOULD TALK TO YOUR
DOCTOR ABOUT LEVITRA.
THE MORE YOU KNOW ABOUT ED,
THE MORE YOU'LL WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT LEVITRA.
IT SAYS HERE NEW CUSTOMERS
REPORT AVERAGE ANNUAL SAVINGS
OF OVER 500 DOLLARS.
UM HUH, EASY MONEY.
EASY MONEY EH. YOU DO
HAVE TO GO TO GEICO.COM
WHICH IS LIKE WHAT, ASKING YOU
TO STAND UP. HELLO THERE...
DID YOU KNOW IF YOU STAND UP
YOU COULD SAVE LOADS OF MONEY?
I DOUBT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE
LIKE NO THANKS, I'M SO RICH...
I THINK I WILL KEEP MY SEAT.
 (MALE NARRATOR) GEICO. FIFTEEN
 MINUTES COULD SAVE YOU FIFTEEN
 PERCENT...
 OR MORE ON CAR INSURANCE.
CT A MURD.
Captioning provided by
A&E Television Networks.
