Menendez Brothers Detail Decades of Isolation And Violent Prison Attacks: 'Lyle Got His Jaw Broken'

Erik and Lyle Menendez endured severe assaults during their initial incarceration period, but their circumstances have significantly transformed over the past three and a half decades.

The brothers participated via phone in TMZ's 2 Angry Men podcast, hosted by Harvey Levin and their attorney, Mark Geragos. They recounted their survival and personal growth throughout their 35 years in prison.

Erik detailed multiple violent attacks he faced, noting he chose not to retaliate. The siblings were housed in separate facilities for the first 21 years of their sentences. Erik vividly recalled receiving news that Lyle had been assaulted, resulting in a fractured jaw.

"I remember the day that I was told Lyle just got assaulted and got his jaw broken, and it was, I'm thinking, he's over there, I'm going through this over here, and at least we could protect each other maybe if we were together, but we were not even allowed to be together," Erik said. "So it was difficult."

Erik also recounted his prison experiences during the interview, stating, "Prison was hard for me. I faced a lot of bullying and trauma. There was... It was a dangerous environment."

When Levin inquired about the specifics, Erik explained, "I was picked on, bullied violently, and it was traumatic. And it was continual. And, you know, there's the things that a lot of inmates in prison go through. And when they're not part of a gang structure and they come in and they're basically lone wolves, you know, they just have to be by themselves."

He continued, "And prison can be hard. And there's a lot of suffering in prison. So, and I wasn't, you know, I'm not going to fight back. I'm not going to, you know, engage. And I had no one really to turn to for help. And I was separated from Lyle."

During the podcast, Erik and Lyle discussed their evolution from what they described as "spoiled brats" to compassionate individuals. They also acknowledged the influence of Ryan Murphy's limited series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, on public opinion.

Now aged 54 and 57 respectively, Erik and Lyle have outlined plans for their lives should they be released, following their 1996 conviction for the murder of their parents.

Reflecting on his time in prison, Erik acknowledged the changes within the system. "You have to find yourself in prison. And I will say that prisons, I believe, that corrections is doing their best and I want to work with them. I know Lyle is really changing that culture today. They're really trying. But 25 years ago, it was an even darker, more dangerous place."

They expressed apprehension regarding their upcoming resentencing hearing in March, which will determine whether they remain incarcerated or gain their freedom. If their resentencing is successful, they would be eligible for immediate parole as "youthful offenders," PEOPLE reported, since they were aged 21 and 18 at the time of their crimes.

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