Jose and Kitty were shot to death at their Beverly Hills, California, home.

Lyle and Erik Menendez then drove up Mulholland Drive, hid the guns, and then went to a movie theater to buy tickets, which they intended to use as an alibi.

They returned home and then called 911. Lyle crying: "Somebody killed my parents!"

The case proved to be a sensation and was one of the earliest cases covered by fledgling TV station, Court TV.

The brothers were not immediately suspected, however Erik's psychotherapist ignored ethical responsibilities and recorded the conversations in which he confessed to the killings. The psychotherapist then played the tapes to his mistress, presumably in an attempt to impress her. She went to the cops. The brothers were arrested.

After three years of legal wrangling, the California Supreme Court ruled that the tapes could be played in a criminal case.

The brothers claimed they had killed their parents in self defense, apparently fearing that their father would kill them once details of his sexual abuse was revealed.

A mistrial was called when the two juries (one for each brother) failed to reach a verdict.

The retrial began in October 1995 and the judge ruled that less emphasis could be given to the sexual abuse defense.

The brothers were convicted in March 1996, and sentenced to life in prison.