Plot Synopsis

Written and executive produced by Rene Balcer, this eight-episode true-crime installment of the LAW & ORDER franchise tells the story of the notorious Menendez Brothers murder case, which changed America forever. When the Menendez brothers were defended by Leslie Abramson on national TV for brutally killing their parents in Beverly Hills, their story became a national obsession. Now, the first edition of this anthology series delves into the players, the crime and the media circus, detailing the day-to-day battles of the trial and unveiling the shocking truth of what really went down when the cameras stopped rolling. The series opens after Jose and Kitty Menendez are found murdered in their upscale Beverly Hills home, and their eldest son, Lyle, maintaining a stoic appearance, while his younger brother, Erik, struggles to deal with overwhelming grief. As detectives Les Zoeller and Tom Linehan search for the killers, evidence begins to suggest that Lyle and Erik may be the prime suspects. Meanwhile, a tenacious and energetic defense attorney, Leslie Abramson, takes an interest in the case. Later, seemingly innocuous comments Lyle previously made about his parents come back to haunt him when Zoeller and Linehan begin to interview the brothers' friends and acquaintances. Erik, overcome by guilt, makes a shocking confession to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. Having overheard a therapy session with Lyle and Erik, Oziel's mentally unhinged mistress Judalon Smyth goes to the police with a pivotal tip after Oziel tries to cut ties with her to protect his family. As Abramson learns more about the Menendez family dynamics, she makes a move to represent the brothers.
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On Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT, NBC premiered the finale of LAW & ORDER TRUE CRIME: THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS. After the first trial ends with a hung jury and the District Attorney refuses to offer the defense a deal, a second trial gets underway with Barry Levin joining the defense team. Political collusion between the District Attorney's office and Judge Weisberg reaches an apex as Garcetti fights to repair the office's reputation following a string of high-visibility losses. When Judge Weisberg disallows Lyle and Erik's family members to testify, it's up to Erik to once again recount the stories of abuse before the jury determines a verdict. As the trial comes to a close, Leslie learns revealing information about Jose and Kitty's childhoods.