Leslie Abramson, a name synonymous with high-stakes criminal defense, etched her place in legal history representing Erik Menendez in the infamous 1990s trial. Her fierce advocacy for one half of the Menendez brothers captivated the nation and remains a landmark case in American true crime.
The case, revolving around Lyle and Erik Menendez’s brutal murder of their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989, became a media sensation. Abramson, the New York-bred attorney, stood firmly by Erik through two gripping trials. Ultimately, despite her efforts, both brothers were convicted and continue to serve life sentences for the double homicide that shocked the affluent community.
This sensational case is now revisited in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, a series streaming on Peacock. Edie Falco, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress known for The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie, delivers a compelling portrayal of Leslie Abramson, Erik Menendez’s unwavering legal champion.
But what happened to the real Leslie Abramson after the media frenzy of the Menendez trials subsided? Let’s delve into the career and current status of this formidable legal figure.
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Leslie Abramson, the Menendez lawyer, steps out of the courthouse during the intense trial in Los Angeles.
What is Leslie Abramson Doing Now?
Now in her early eighties, Leslie Abramson, age 81, maintains a discreet presence. According to the State Bar of California records, Abramson was admitted in 1970 and practiced law actively until 2013. After a brief period of being listed as active again in 2018, her status shifted to inactive on June 1, 2023.
Her last known practice was with the Law Office of Leslie H. Abramson, located in Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California.
In a rare public appearance on October 9, 2024, Abramson spoke with Entertainment Tonight. She expressed strong disapproval of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, labeling it disparagingly and stating she chose not to watch the series.
When questioned about the Menendez case itself, Abramson firmly stated, “I will make no comments about my client. None whatsoever,” upholding her professional commitment to client confidentiality.
Leslie Abramson’s Illustrious Career Before Menendez
Leslie Abramson, a renowned criminal defense attorney, passionately argues her case in the Los Angeles courtroom during the Menendez brothers trial.
Born in 1943 in Queens, New York City, Leslie Abramson’s early life was shaped by her mother and grandmother after her father’s departure, as detailed in The Washington Post. Before relocating to Los Angeles in 1964, she married and had a daughter, later divorcing.
Her second marriage was to Los Angeles Times reporter Tim Rutten, with whom she adopted a son, according to People. They divorced in 2007.
Abramson’s legal journey began with a law degree from UCLA. She honed her courtroom skills as a public defender for six years, gaining recognition for her assertive style and unwavering advocacy, often described as “take-no-prisoners tactics,” before transitioning to private practice, as reported by The Washington Post.
Her legal prowess earned her significant accolades. In 1985, she became the first woman to be named Outstanding Trial Attorney by the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Bar Association, as highlighted in a June 23, 1989, Los Angeles Times article published shortly before the Menendez murders. The article itself was titled “The Defender: Some Say Leslie Abramson Is the Best Female Criminal Defense Lawyer Around. Others Say She’s the Best, Period.”
Prior to the Menendez case, Abramson successfully defended Brian Hale, whose murder conviction was overturned due to mental incompetency. She also represented Dr. Khalid Parwez, a gynecologist acquitted of the gruesome murder of his son, a case also covered by the Los Angeles Times.
Known for her passionate stance against the death penalty, The Washington Post characterized Abramson as a “4-foot-11, fire-eating, mudslinging, nuclear-strength pain in the legal butt,” reflecting her tenacious approach.
In 1990, journalist Dominick Dunne, writing for Vanity Fair, lauded Abramson as “considered to be the most brilliant Los Angeles defense lawyer for death-row cases.”
In 1988, Abramson’s skillful defense led to a voluntary manslaughter conviction and probation for 17-year-old Arnel Salvatierra, initially charged with first-degree murder, after allegations of abuse surfaced, as detailed by Dunne.
It was this reputation for fiercely defending her clients, especially in challenging and emotionally charged cases, that preceded her representation of Erik Menendez.
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Leslie Abramson: Lead Attorney for Erik Menendez
A side-by-side comparison of Edie Falco, who portrays Leslie Abramson in “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders,” and the real Leslie Abramson in court.
Leslie Abramson’s career reached a new level of national attention when she took on Erik Menendez’s defense in 1993. This pivotal moment thrust her into the center of a media storm and even led to a parody on Saturday Night Live. During the initial trial, where the brothers were tried together but with separate juries, Abramson presented a controversial defense. She argued that the brothers were driven to kill their parents after enduring years of severe physical and sexual abuse.
This defense strategy deeply divided public opinion. Erik Menendez’s jury, composed of six men and six women, resulted in a hung jury. The female jurors favored manslaughter charges, while the male jurors leaned towards murder, according to The Washington Post.
Reflecting on the complexities of the case, Abramson stated to the outlet, “I’ve represented people charged with murder for 27 years, and these guys just don’t measure up to anybody else I’ve ever represented. These are not murderers. These are troubled kids in a very difficult and grotesque home environment, and they cracked.”
Following two hung juries in 1993, a retrial took place in 1995. However, in this second trial, evidence related to the alleged abuse was significantly restricted. In 1996, both Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, where they remain.
Abramson reacted to the verdict by telling The Washington Post, “It’s a grotesquely disproportionate verdict and punishment for what happened here. When children kill their parents, something is wrong in that family. It’s a different moral mix for a sexual predator, those who kill strangers. They really are a scourge of society… This is a different degree of moral awfulness.”
In the aftermath of the trial, Abramson faced scrutiny when she was investigated for allegedly asking a psychiatrist to alter his notes. However, the District Attorney’s Office declined prosecution due to insufficient evidence, as reported by The New York Times. Subsequently, the California Bar also chose not to pursue misconduct charges, as noted by The New York Times.
Nearly three decades later, renewed interest in the Menendez case has emerged, fueled by new evidence potentially supporting the brothers’ allegations of abuse.
A hearing concerning this new evidence is scheduled for December 11, 2024, bringing the Menendez case back into the spotlight and prompting re-examination of Abramson’s passionate defense.
Life and Career After the Menendez Trial
Erik and Lyle Menendez in court during pre-trial proceedings in Beverly Hills, California, in 1990.
In 1997, Leslie Abramson authored her memoir, The Defense is Ready: Life in the Trenches of Criminal Law, published by Simon & Schuster.
The book offers readers “a stunning firsthand account of how the courage and timidity, wisdom and folly, selflessness and venality of real lawyers, judges, victims and defendants are interwoven into the complex fabric of our often frustrating criminal justice system.”
Abramson returned to the courtroom spotlight in 2004, taking over the defense of record producer Phil Spector after a mistrial in the murder case of Lana Clarkson. She replaced Robert Shapiro, famously part of O.J. Simpson’s defense team, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. Although Abramson later withdrew, Spector was eventually convicted with another defense attorney, as reported by NBC News.
In October 2024, the documentary The Menendez Brothers revealed an email from Abramson indicating her reluctance to publicly revisit the case that propelled her to national fame, according to Entertainment Tonight.
“30 years is a long time,” she wrote regarding the Menendez brothers’ trial. “I’d like to leave the past in the past. No amount of media, nor teenage petitions will alter the fate of these clients. Only the court can do that, and they have ruled.”
To understand more about Leslie Abramson’s pivotal role in the Menendez case, watch all eight episodes of Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, now streaming on Peacock.
