The Menendez brothers and OJ Simpson were once prison friends

The Menendez brothers first met Simpson at the height of his fame

The Menendez brothers and Simpson met in the mid-1970s when he was setting NFL records as a running back for the Buffalo Bills. Lyle and Erik's father, José Menendez, was an executive at the Hertz car rental company at the time and helped the famous athlete get an endorsement deal.

The business connections led to a more personal connection when Simpson became a guest at the Menendez home. Lyle later recalled People Playing catch in the backyard with the larger-than-life sports hero and the signed footballs Simpson gave him and his younger brother.

More than a decade later, Lyle met Simpson in a Los Angeles restaurant with his tennis teammate from Princeton University. A few months later, Lyle's life was turned upside down by the shotgun blasts he and his brother fired at Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Erik became Simpson’s cellmate

When they all reconvened at the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail, it was the Menendez brothers who were able to offer advice. By this point, Lyle and Erik had already been in prison for more than four years and were preparing for a retrial after the jury failed to reach a verdict at their first trial.

As described in Robert Rand’s 2018 book The Menendez MurdersSimpson ended up in the cell next to Erik after his infamous chase ended. The former NFL star was treated “like a king” by the awestruck guards, but was also shocked by the abrupt change in his lifestyle and despairing over his tarnished reputation.

Erik warned his neighbor about the relentless media scrutiny and advised him not to discuss his case with fellow inmates or guards. He also earned Simpson's gratitude for a letter urging him to think more about his life and his future. “When you cry – think of those tears,” Erik wrote. “Hold them tight, because you are crying for your children, you are crying for everything you are losing.”

In addition, the 2018 A&E documentary series showed The Menendez murders: Erik tells allIt was the younger brother who used his connections to bring the athlete together with Johnnie Cochran, the lawyer who would have an outsized influence on the upcoming Simpson trial.

Lyle advised Simpson to admit his guilt

Lyle himself had frequent contact with Simpson. The two men had over 100 conversations while waiting to meet with legal representatives in the prison's attorney's office.

Lyle was convinced that Simpson was guilty of the murders and suggested that he take a plea deal. He also explained the difference between murder and manslaughter charges. But Simpson again seemed too concerned with his reputation to consider admitting guilt.

Lyle also wrote Simpson a letter urging him to reveal the whole story. “I told him I thought the public would understand,” older brother Rand reported for The Menendez Murders“I have expressed my concern that [lawyer] Robert Shapiro wouldn't let him tell the truth. I said I knew it was obviously not planned and that he had lost his temper in the heat of the moment.”

Erik believes the Simpson verdict influenced his own trial

While Simpson and the Menendez brothers developed friendly relations during their time together in prison, they soon parted ways due to the outcome of their controversial, widely reported trials.

On October 3, 1995, Simpson was found not guilty of the double murder. The retrial of Lyle and Erik began just eight days later and ultimately ended with their conviction for premeditated murder and a double life sentence. Today, 56-year-old Lyle and 53-year-old Erik are behind bars, once again trying to gain their freedom. Simpson died in April 2024 at the age of 76.

While the brothers have largely avoided speaking publicly about their old prison confidant, it is clear that some resentment remains over the perception that Simpson's victory is bad news for their chances of acquittal.

“OJ’s verdict had a very negative impact on our case,” said the younger brother in The Menendez murders: Erik tells allHe said the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office needs to recover from missing out on convicting Simpson.

“Because this verdict was so shocking, there was a feeling that an extreme injustice had been done here and that we now have to make amends to every defendant who comes to court,” said Erik. “We were the next defendants.”

Regard Monster: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendezthe latest dramatized version of the brothers' crime saga, on Netflix