«The Menendez brothers continue to serve a life sentence for the murder of their parents»
27 september 2024 в 21:37
Lyle and Erik Menendez continue to serve a life sentence for the brutal murder of their parents on August 20, 1989, when the brothers, then 21 and 18 years old, shot them in the family mansion in Beverly Hills.
Initially, the Menendez brothers were not the main suspects. However, seven months after the crime, Lyle and Erik, now 56 and 53 years old respectively, were arrested after Judalon Smyth told the police that the younger brother had confessed to the murders during therapy. Smyth, who was the mistress of the brothers' psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel, learned about the confession after Oziel shared confidential information with her, including the existence of audio recordings of the confession.
Now, 35 years later, the Menendez brothers' case has become the latest topic of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s anthology «Monster». Titled «Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story», the series starring Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch as Lyle and Erik, and Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny as their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
Here’s everything you need to know about Oziel, played by Dallas Roberts, including his current whereabouts.
Yes. As of September 2024, Dr. Oziel, now known as Jerry Oziel, lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He currently works at the Family Mediation Center, where he helps couples improve their relationships through mediation as an «alternative to divorce».
In 1997, Oziel lost his psychologist license after being «accused by state authorities of violating confidentiality rules and engaging in relationships with female patients», according to the Los Angeles Times. By that time, Oziel had already moved out of California and stopped practicing. His lawyer explained to the publication: «It just didn’t make sense to return to California and spend thousands of dollars defending a license he wasn’t using in a state where he wasn’t living».
Later, Oziel commented on the situation in a statement to Bustle, clarifying: «I did not surrender my license because of the allegation, which implies that I stopped practicing because I did what is alleged in the initial accusation. This is flat and completely false».
He added with irritation: «I gradually stopped practicing because I had a major business offer that was very profitable, and I moved to become the CEO of a major business in another state a YEAR AND A HALF AGO before surrendering… No agency found that I did anything wrong or improper».
But Smith, besides revealing the confession of the Menendez brothers, also claimed that Oziel «played psychological games with her and prescribed her medication, which he was not authorized to do», according to Vanity Fair.
Oziel played a key role in the Menendez brothers' case as the therapist to whom Erik confessed to killing his parents. In October 1989, two months after the murder, Erik left an agitated message for Dr. Oziel, leading to a therapeutic session on Halloween. During the session, Erik, who was depressed and had nightmares about his parents, talked to Dr. Oziel for about an hour. Later, during a walk, Erik simply confessed: «We did it».
Only after Oziel ended his extramarital affair with Smith, several months later, did she turn to the police and disclose what she knew about the confession.
Dr. Oziel’s involvement went beyond just listening to Erik’s confession. His testimony became crucial in court, despite issues regarding doctor-patient confidentiality. Oziel claimed that the brothers threatened his life, allowing his testimony to be admitted.
Throughout the trial, Erik’s lawyer, Leslie Abramson, worked to discredit Oziel, accusing him of manipulation and exploitation of patients. She promised to expose him «in every known way to man and God» and accused him of «exploitation, manipulation, sexualization» of relationships with patients and other women, according to the Los Angeles Times
Initially, the Menendez brothers were not the main suspects. However, seven months after the crime, Lyle and Erik, now 56 and 53 years old respectively, were arrested after Judalon Smyth told the police that the younger brother had confessed to the murders during therapy. Smyth, who was the mistress of the brothers' psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel, learned about the confession after Oziel shared confidential information with her, including the existence of audio recordings of the confession.
Now, 35 years later, the Menendez brothers' case has become the latest topic of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s anthology «Monster». Titled «Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story», the series starring Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch as Lyle and Erik, and Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny as their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
Here’s everything you need to know about Oziel, played by Dallas Roberts, including his current whereabouts.
Yes. As of September 2024, Dr. Oziel, now known as Jerry Oziel, lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He currently works at the Family Mediation Center, where he helps couples improve their relationships through mediation as an «alternative to divorce».
In 1997, Oziel lost his psychologist license after being «accused by state authorities of violating confidentiality rules and engaging in relationships with female patients», according to the Los Angeles Times. By that time, Oziel had already moved out of California and stopped practicing. His lawyer explained to the publication: «It just didn’t make sense to return to California and spend thousands of dollars defending a license he wasn’t using in a state where he wasn’t living».
Later, Oziel commented on the situation in a statement to Bustle, clarifying: «I did not surrender my license because of the allegation, which implies that I stopped practicing because I did what is alleged in the initial accusation. This is flat and completely false».
He added with irritation: «I gradually stopped practicing because I had a major business offer that was very profitable, and I moved to become the CEO of a major business in another state a YEAR AND A HALF AGO before surrendering… No agency found that I did anything wrong or improper».
But Smith, besides revealing the confession of the Menendez brothers, also claimed that Oziel «played psychological games with her and prescribed her medication, which he was not authorized to do», according to Vanity Fair.
Oziel played a key role in the Menendez brothers' case as the therapist to whom Erik confessed to killing his parents. In October 1989, two months after the murder, Erik left an agitated message for Dr. Oziel, leading to a therapeutic session on Halloween. During the session, Erik, who was depressed and had nightmares about his parents, talked to Dr. Oziel for about an hour. Later, during a walk, Erik simply confessed: «We did it».
Only after Oziel ended his extramarital affair with Smith, several months later, did she turn to the police and disclose what she knew about the confession.
Dr. Oziel’s involvement went beyond just listening to Erik’s confession. His testimony became crucial in court, despite issues regarding doctor-patient confidentiality. Oziel claimed that the brothers threatened his life, allowing his testimony to be admitted.
Throughout the trial, Erik’s lawyer, Leslie Abramson, worked to discredit Oziel, accusing him of manipulation and exploitation of patients. She promised to expose him «in every known way to man and God» and accused him of «exploitation, manipulation, sexualization» of relationships with patients and other women, according to the Los Angeles Times
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