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The Menendez brothers' case took an unexpected turn with the revelations made by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo. Rosselló claimed that he was sexually abused by Jose Menendez, the father of Lyle and Erik Menendez, in the 1980s. Jose was a high-ranking RCA Records executive who had connections to Menudo because of having signed the band to a record deal.
Rosselló alleges that during his time in Menudo, he was drugged and raped by Jose on multiple occasions, including in his home in New Jersey and a New York hotel. The disturbing accusations have provided new context to the brothers' defense that they were victims of ongoing sexual abuse at the hands of their father.
On top of everything, the new evidence has fueled the brothers' latest petition for a retrial, potentially bolstering their claim that they acted in self-defense when they murdered their parents in 1989.
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Menudo Roy Rossello speaks up about the assault done by the Menendez brothers' father
Roy Rosselló broke his silence on the traumatic experiences he allegedly endured at the hands of Jose Menendez, the father of the infamous Menendez brothers. His revelations were part of the 2023 Peacock docuseries Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
During this series, Rosselló detailed the assaults that purportedly took place in the mid-1980s, which sheds light on a darker aspect of his past and draws a grim parallel to the abuse claims made by Lyle and Erik Menendez.
Rosselló recounted that his first disturbing encounter with Jose Menendez occurred in 1983 when Menudo was negotiating a contract with RCA Records, where Jose was an executive. According to Rosselló, he was asked by the band's manager to "do a favor" and meet Jose Menendez in a limousine parked downstairs at their hotel. He was then driven to Menendez's New Jersey home.
"He gave me wine to drink, and I lost consciousness," Rosselló shared in a harrowing segment of the docuseries. "I woke up back in my hotel with no memory of returning there."
The abuse did not stop after this initial incident. Rosselló claimed he was assaulted a second time in a New York City hotel room. Both instances, he alleged, involved being drugged and r*ped by Jose Menendez. These accusations are crucial, considering they echo the defense the Menendez brothers used during their murder trials that they had been s*xually abused by their father for years.
Rosselló's decision to come forward was driven by a mixture of personal healing and the hope of lending credibility to the Menendez brothers' claims.
"It's time for the world to know the truth," Rosselló said in the series, pointing to a photo of Jose Menendez and labeling him "the pe*ophile."
These moments in the documentary are intense because Rosselló visibly struggles with the emotions of recounting his past trauma.
During the docuseries, Rosselló also made it clear that his speaking out was about his own experiences and aimed to challenge the silence surrounding s*xual abuse in the entertainment industry involving powerful figures like Jose Menendez.
"I know what he did to me, and I can't stay silent anymore," Rosselló stated.
The public revelation has spurred discussions about the broader implications of such high-profile abuse allegations and their intersection with the entertainment industry's often glossed-over histories of exploiting young stars.
Rosselló's bold move to share his story has been met with a mix of support and skepticism, which is about the complicated nature of historical s*xual abuse claims and their impact on public figures.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a biographical crime drama, a part of the Monsters series currently streaming on Netflix. This season features the true story of the Menendez brothers.
More details about the Menendez Brothers' story will feature in a documentary, The Menendez Brothers, where they will share their experiences through interviews. It will be released on Netflix on October 7, 2024.
