Ana García on “a different result” that the Menéndez brothers would have today

Ana Garcia is laying down the law when it comes to a fair chance at justice.

What led to the events of the night of August 20, 1989, when Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez, has long fascinated the public. Now, the Emmy Award-winning reporter and host of the new TV series “True Crime News” is revealing why she thinks the case would have played out differently if it had been tried today.

“I always say that time is the most interesting lens through which we can review something.” Garcia told The Post exclusively at Warner Brothers’ Fall Season Celebration on Thursday. “Think about it: the first case where they presented the defense that they had been abused by their father, that jury was a hung jury. DA tries again, this time, any testimony and defense about sexual abuse was very limited, even if it was actually allowed.”

Erik and Lyle have long claimed that their father sexually abused them, which they say led to the shooting of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion. The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 when they were just 21 and 18.

“It was a totally different trial. They were two radically different versions of what happened in that house,” Garcia continued. “And that’s how they are condemned, I understand. They didn’t just act on the murders because they have admitted they killed their parents. I think this is where the evolution has taken place. They killed his parents. There is no doubt about it. Was it awful? Absolutely. A police captain once told me that if all the young people who were abused by their parents killed their parents, we would have a lot of dead parents. I can understand the fear.”

Garcia noted that in 1989, “there was not much compassion for them. They were just seen as rich kids from Beverly Hills.”

“But they clearly suffered. So I think if this trial had happened now, with the way we’re more sensitive to child abuse, to understand and have that context, I think the trial might have had an outcome different,” he reflected. “It might have been manslaughter. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. And they’ve been in prison for about 30 years. They’re in their 50s.”

As for why the Menendez case returned to the news cycle all these years later?

“What I appreciate is this movement: prosecutors, former prosecutors, are people who don’t want to hear this. They discount what they call the TikTok movement. You know what? The TikTok movement in the case of the Menendez brothers is valid. There are several generations that they’ve never heard of this case they have a different perspective on it, and they have a different view of what they think justice is. And they’re looking at justice through a current lens. we should check.”

Taking a moment to touch on the new evidence that has come to light, Garcia added, “There’s the letter that Erik wrote to his cousin nine months before the murders, referring to how scared he was, he didn’t want the father to come to his room anymore. This is clear evidence. Then you have one of the former members of the boy band Menudo, saying that he was sexually assaulted by his father. very similar and independently explained. So I think it’s worth revisiting.”

Just like Kim Kardashian. The 43-year-old penned an emotional letter calling for Lyle and Erik’s release, which the podcast host has high praise for.

“I think Kim Kardashian’s essay on her perspective and opinion on this case is very well done,” the news personality said. “She’s asking people to have some compassion and think about justice for these two people. Look, should they be released? I don’t know the answer to that. Not really. If this is really going to be manslaughter, maybe yes, at 30 that’s enough.”

Garcia concluded: “There’s a spectrum, isn’t there. How do the Menéndez brothers fit in? I think we should talk about it. I really do. And I’m very grateful to the cause on social media, whether it’s TikTok or Instagram or wherever someone has decided they want to have it. We’re having a conversation on social media about what everyone thinks is right.”

The Menéndez brothers are not the only polarizing case that Garcia has investigated; they are far from it. The journalist is prepared to cover a large number of cases, some of which have received generous media attention and some of which have not.

“Every day, and that’s five days a week, so every day we do a deep dive into two big cases in addition to letting you know what’s going on in court. But those cases are high profile or cases that you’ve never heard of. And I think we’re really giving a voice to the survivors, to the victims, to their families,” he expressed. “I always try to say survivors more than victims because it’s a way to take your power back, especially in one situation where someone is taking something from you. So vital, whether it’s your health, your safety, your life, the life of a loved one. And I think it’s very important that we listen to them and that we hear the stories of the survivors.”

True crime doesn’t stop for Garcia when the cameras are off, admitting that “there’s a case I covered as a young reporter when I was working for a television station in Philadelphia, and it happened in South Jersey” that it stuck all these years later.

“This case is unsolved. I was there the day the boy disappeared. They thought he had run away. His name is Mark Himebaugh and he was 11 at the time. It happened right before Thanksgiving. And then they realized he hadn’t escaped. He was probably kidnapped and presumed dead. But of course his parents are holding out hope that he’ll come through that door one day.”

Garcia shared, “The fact that we never solved this case just annoys me to no end. So, in my spare time, I work on this with two retired cops, one who was working on the case at the time, and then a who’s a teammate of mine and he’s just trying to do a defense job. So I’m trying to give back that way.”

But the correspondent ago have a confession about his career, revealing: “People will tell me or stop and say, have you seen this documentary, that documentary? Unless it’s for work, I honestly can’t watch True Crime. I really can’t. I get very upset. I need a break.”

And everyone can relate to what Garcia’s breaks are all about.

“My favorite thing is, I know it’s ridiculous, on TikTok and Instagram I love watching little animals and listening to animals eating. And so any video that has a little animal, squirrels eating a hamburger, the hedgehog that’s mine. I’ll send it to my friends. That’s how I’m on a break. Oh God there she is. The chickens!'”

“True Crime News” airs weekdays and new episodes of “True Crime News The Podcast” are released every Tuesday and Friday.