Tag: 1989

More on Menéndez

As Lyle Menéndez creates a Facebook page about the case against him and his brother Erik, a juror contacts ‘The Steeple Times’ and brands their conviction for killing their wealthy parents “imperfect self-defence”

Renewed interest in the 1989 murders of the multi-millionaires José and Mary ‘Kitty’ Menéndez by their sons, Erik and Lyle, has accompanied NBC’s screening of their fascinating new eight-part Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders.

Consequently discussion has intensified and aside from Lyle Menéndez creating a Facebook page this month where interested parties can read about the slayings and the alleged abuse he and his brother were subjected to, a juror in the first trial contacted The Steeple Times to share her thoughts on the eventual outcome.

In an email to editor-in-chief Matthew Steeples, a juror in the first case brought against Erik Menéndez and author of Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror Hazel Thornton remarked:

We were given the choice of:

– First degree murder (what the men wanted)

– Second degree murder

– Voluntary manslaughter (what the women wanted)

– Involuntary manslaughter

It was widely reported that the women were 1) in love with the M brothers, 2) enamored with defense attorney Leslie Abramson (that part is true; I consider her to be a hero and am thrilled that LOTC [Law & Order True Crime] Menendez is focused on her character), 3) voting emotionally, not logically, and 4) too stupid to understand the jury instructions.

Also, that we wanted to let them go free. No one voted to acquit. Acquittal was not on the table. We didn’t even vote for Involuntary manslaughter.

But we did think the defense was strong enough that it may have happened exactly as they said –that they were in fear of their lives, rightly or wrongly, at the very moment of the killings. It’s called ‘imperfect self-defense’.

Elsewhere in today’s The Steeple Times, we interview Zach Tinker – the actor who plays Erik Menéndez’s classmate, Craig Cignarelli.

Lyle Menéndez (left) and Erik Menéndez (right) in prison photographs in more recent years

The brothers continue to allege they were abused by the wealthy parents they slayed, Kitty and José Menéndez

722 North Elm Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 – The home where the Menéndez brothers committed their crimes on 20th August 1989; the house had previously been the residence of both Elton John and Prince in years prior

A tweet by juror in first trial Hazel Thornton containing a Facebook post by Lyle Menéndez about his views on her book

Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders is available to watch in the UK on Sky Living and below an unedited Facebook post from Lyle Menéndez follows:

I thank my family for helping me with this page. I don’t have internet access so this site depends on them. I have been told that setting up this page will open me up to ridicule and criticism. That’s probably true, but it’s something I’m already used to. It is very hard to accept that sexual assault can be the punchline of jokes or the subject of ridicule, but it has occurred–to me–and to many others. If I am mocked for this page, the shame of that belongs on the mocker and not on me or anyone who shares their story here. There is, quite simply, nothing funny about child rape or other abuse.

The purpose of this page is not to debate the clearly wrong actions that I took. The purpose is to provide a safe place for people to talk about their similar experiences and find comfort in others who have suffered in silence in the same way. Those of us who have suffered abuse understand the healing power of sharing our experiences.

I have received thousands of letters from people all over the world who have heard about my experiences and connected with them or simply had empathy for me and my brother. When I first started to receive the letters, I answered every one. But, eventually, I became overwhelmed. Still – whether I answered them or not – I read all the letters and my heart ached for each person brave enough to share, and I was inspired by the strength it took every person to take pen to paper and pour out their hearts.

In fact, I testified every day at my trial in 1993 with a letter of an abuse survivor in my pants pocket to give me courage. The letters I receive to this day continue to give me courage and strength.

With the resurgence of interest in our case and the prevalence of social media, I’m now in a better position to be able to create a place for those of you who want to reach out to me. Even more, this format gives us all the opportunity to create a community of compassion, empathy, inspiration and strength. I hope you will share your stories here and that we can build something positive from something so negative. I hope that we can all be survivors, lift each other up when we need it, and show everyone that by supporting each other, we can not just survive but thrive.

If you write to me here, I will be read your posts, through my family, and I will respond sometimes. We can help each other. But this page is less about me and more about all of us helping each other. There is a community here. But please keep in mind that neither I nor anyone in my family is a professional counselor, therapist, or any type of professional equipped to deal with the psychological and/or emotional issues that child abuse causes. I will be offering my support and advice as a fellow sufferer and survivor and not as any type of expert.

Like I said, I do not have the internet. This site depends on my family. If you see an “-a” after a comment that means that the administrator is the one commenting. And many conversations will be started by the administrator.

One final note: I have heard that social media can be the opposite of what I just described. Please know that hateful posts will not be approved and hurtful/hateful comments will be deleted by an administrator. Let’s make this a safe space.

For more information Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror about by Hazel Thornton, click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVcw6H2MA8E

October 16, 2017
Great Minus Garden

San Francisco landmark mock Tudor house with stunning ‘Great Room’ for sale for £12.2 million – in spite of no longer having its garden

Built in 1909 as a wedding gift from Morris Meyerfeld, a partner in San Francisco’s Orepheum Theatre, to his then 19-year old daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband Leon Roos – of Roos Brothers Men’s Clothing – 3500 Jackson Street in the city’s Presidio Heights district has been placed on the market for £12.2 million ($16 million million, €14 million or درهم58.8 million).

Consisting of 10,313 square foot of accommodation and constructed in half-timbered, mock Tudor style, Roos House at 3500 Jackson Street is a listed architectural curiosity that includes 6 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. It centres around a ‘Great Room’ with 20-foot ceiling heights and also has 2 terraces, a wine cellar, a double garage and off-street parking.

The house, which was designed by Bernard Maybeck (1862 – 1957) – an Arts and Crafts architect responsible for the domed Palace of Fine Arts, a “vision of how Roman style could fit in a California context” – is being sold by Dr. Jane Schaefer Roos, the widow of Leslie Roos, son of Leon Roos. It sadly lacks a rear garden as this was sold off “after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake to raise funds for repairing the rest of the house” according to the Curbed San Francisco blog.

In 1992, in her book Bernard Maybeck: Visionary Architect, Sally Woodbridge described the interior of Roos House. She remarked:

“Panels of mauve plush edged with gold gimp harmonize with redwood walls. Redwood battens and moldings have Gothic profiles. Indirect lighting and diffused light from wall fixtures softly illuminate surfaces and details, while hanging chandeliers sparkle against the dark heights of the roof timbering. Tables of dark oak and chairs cushioned with rose velvet supplement the furnishings selected from the owner’s collection of medieval pieces. Wall coverings, light fixtures, and furniture – even the heraldic crest of the owner’s initial ornamenting the entrance door – were fashioned from designs by Maybeck.”

Launched to the market last week, Nina Hatvany has the listing.

July 18, 2017
Bob Marshall-Andrews QC

A “libertarian-left” Labour MP between 1997 and 2010, distinguished barrister and novelist Bob Marshall-Andrews defected to the Liberal Democrats in 2017. Described as “an irritant” to his former party whilst they were in government, multi-millionaire Marshall-Andrews built and owns “one of the most innovative houses of the 20^th century – the famed ‘Teletubby House’ in Druidston, Pembrokeshire – and is chairman of the George Adamson Wildlife Trust. In 2013, of him, Chambers Legal Directory remarked: “Juries love him… I’ve never seen a jury eat out of anyone’s hand as much” whilst he amusingly references himself as “the complete antidote to political humbug”. Of Labour, this “intellectually brilliant” individual added: “They’re a basket case…They effectively abdicated all responsibility [on Brexit]”.

May 13, 2017
A Marmite Aston

One-of-one left-hand drive 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage convertible in ‘Fury Yellow’ to be sold; it is a prime example of 1980s excess and a car you will either love or loathe

A 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante Zagato that was the only left-hand drive example produced is to be sold by auction in May. It is a car that you’ll either love or loathe and given it is presented in ‘Fury Yellow’, it certainly reflects the era when “greed was good” in terms of its brashness and noticeability.

Capable of speeds of upto 183 miles per hour, the car offered was upgraded from a standard V585 V8 fuel-injected engine to a V580X Vantage engine by its original owner and also features a five-speed ZF manual gearbox. It has a specially styled black leather interior and a black mohair hood and is described as being “the essence of 1980s machismo”.

A total of thirty-six right hand drive examples of this especially angular convertible were built. Two sold in 2013 and 2014 at Bonhams at their Aston Martin Works Sales at Newport Pagnell in England. Though each achieved just £135,900 ($176,000, €161,000 or درهم646,000), RM Sotheby’s estimate the ‘Fury Yellow’ version they are to sell at a much more ambitious £379,000 to £464,000 ($491,000 to $600,000, €450,000 to €550,000 or درهم1.8 million to درهم2.2 million). They will sell it at their Villa Erba sale on the shores of Lake Como in Italy on Saturday 27^th May.

April 30, 2017
Taking the Tito

Ex-Marshal Tito Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet for sale for staggering sum 1,598% higher than similar examples owned by other dictators

“Benevolent communist dictator” Marshal Josip Tito, 1^st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980) had use of a Boeing 727 plane, a private train and a 55-foot yacht but now the 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman ‘Presidential Landaulet’ he travelled around in from 1971 to 1980 is for sale for the staggering sum of £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. in Derbyshire, England.

Tito with the car in the background

Tito used to take his dog for rides in the vehicle

And apparently he used to shave in it too

Capable of achieving 0 mph to 100 mph in 10 seconds, this 2.5-tonne, 6.3-litre limousine was built to Tito’s personal specification. The ‘dictator-mobile’s’ bespoke features numbered not only a drinks cabinet but also a shaving kit in its rear centre console and despite having covered 17,012 miles and having passed through various owners, is in remarkably good condition.

Justifying the punchy price sought, in November 2016, Tom Hartley Jnr. told Car Dealer magazine:

“I’ve always been in love with the car. It’s a very significant and very important car – all of the Landaulets are, and only nine of them were built in the long roof, six-door configuration. Of those nine, this is probably regarded as the most original, the most unmolested car and it also has great provenance”.

A 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman owned by China’s Foreign Minister, Chen Yi, sold for just £147,200 ($182,800, €172,500 or درهم671,400) in 2014 whilst just £225,000 ($279,400, €263,700 or درهم1.03 million) was sought for a 1977 example originally owned by Bokassa I of Central Africa in 2015.

Naturally, the needs of drinkers was a prime consideration when it came to bespoke fittings

Luxurious rear seating

The glass partition between the passengers and the driver

The driver’s seating

And hood down

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with Tito in 1972

April 10, 2017
Billionaire Battersea

Historic Battersea mansion for sale for the same sum it was marketed for in 2011; it has been mostly empty throughout the intervening period and was renovated by the late billionaire Malcolm Forbes

Billionaire publisher Malcolm Forbes was a man who liked to live large. He had a huge yacht named The Highlander, threw lavish parties across the globe and counted Gianni Agnelli, Gordon Getty, Calvin Klein, Robert Maxwell, Rupert Murdoch, Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump as friends. This “mysterious collector” also owned numerous residences and one of these, Old Battersea House in London, is for sale for the same sum as it was marketed for in 2011.

Often seen with Elizabeth Taylor at his side and described as “living life in the fabulous”, Forbes purchased Old Battersea House in 1971. It had previously been home to and saved from demolition by Battersea Council by the eccentric author and ghost hunter Wilhemina Stirling. She took up a lifetime tenancy on the building in 1931 and used it to house artworks by her sister, Evelyn de Morgan (1855 – 1919).

Businessman and publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990) with seven times married actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor DBE (1932 – 2011) at his lavish 70th birthday party at the Palais Mendoub, Tangier, Morocco in 1989

Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom

A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) owned the house prior to Malcolm Forbes

Christopher ‘Kip’ Forbes (born 1951) assisted his father restore Old Battersea House and later oversaw the family selling its art collection in 2003 and 2009

Grade II* listed since 1954 and adapted during Forbes and subsequently his son Kip’s ownership to showcase a vast collection of Victorian art and antiques, Old Battersea House was built on Tudor foundations in 1699 and was at first known as ‘Terrace House’. It originally had gardens extending down to the River Thames and is rumoured to have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren (1632 – 1723).

Featuring “handsome classical proportions throughout” and standing within a 110-foot wide walled garden, the 10,100 square foot house includes 4 reception rooms, 10 double bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. It has off-street parking and a garden store but it is sadly overlooked by the adjoining housing estate that was built in its grounds in the 1930s.

Savills seek £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) for Old Battersea House.

The impressive hallway of Old Battersea House

Another entertaining space

Elizabeth Taylor and her then husband Larry Fortensky at Old Battersea House in 1992

Images of the house as it was furnished during the ownership of the Forbes family

April 6, 2017
A Performing Peugeot

Best performing classic car in terms of value gain revealed; you’ll be surprised at the result

We’ve featured several Peugeot 205s that have sold at auctions at prices as high as £156,800 and now the latest Haggerty Classic Index has revealed that the greatest classic car value gain this year has been on the 205 GTi.

This year, Peugeot 205s have risen 28.5% to an average value of £11,275 and with an immaculate yet ordinary one we featured in July having gone for £30,938 at auction, this ‘hot hatch’ is becoming a ‘must have’ for car collectors.

As examples, we select first a red 1993 1.9-litre CTi convertible. It is for sale for £7,250 ($9,100 or €8,600 or درهم‎‎33,500) through MSP Motors in Runcorn, Cheshire and has 69,000 miles on the clock. They term it “a great example of a future classic, a great investment”.

Our second choice is also presented in red and is a 1989 1.6-litre GTi. It has 69,119 miles on the clock, has an electric glass sunroof and is for sale through AMS Vehicles of Stokesley, North Yorkshire. They describe it as “a desirable vehicle at a sensible price” and offer it for £11,000 ($13,800 or €13,100 or درهم‎‎50,800).

Of the survey itself, Angus Forsyth, managing director of Hagerty remarked:

“We’ve seen confidence return to the classic car market in the last few months of 2016 after a summer of uncertainty, and we believe the Q3 results were a reflection on people holding back following the initial uncertainty of the Brexit vote in June”.

“However, now the financial markets have settled, people have bought into the car market albeit a few months later than they might have planned. Whether people still feel classics make good investments, or they just want to put their money into something fun, they are still definitely buying, and the values of the best classics are still on the rise”.

December 10, 2016
Mervyn Conn (AKA ‘Mr Music Man’)

Millionaire music promoter Mervyn Conn thought he could get away with whatever he wanted but was jailed in October 2016 for 15 years for two rapes and an indecent assault. This Wimbledon based monster, who variously represented Marlene Dietrich, Chuck Berry and Johnny Cash, was previously jailed for two months in 1989 for yet another sexual assault. He will now rightly be forever disgraced.

October 23, 2016
Moving a Metro

1990 MG Rover Metro with just 1,707 miles on the clock for sale for a pretty penny

Offered by East Lancashire Classics at their garage and on eBay also, a 1990 MG Rover Metro comes in “showroom fresh” condition and just 1,707 miles on the clock.

The immaculate 1990 Rover MG Metro on offer

The car has covered just 1,707 miles in 26 years; that’s the equivalent of just 66 miles per year

Described as “original and unmolested” and a relative bargain –compared to the 1989 Peugeot 205 GTi we recently featured (guide price: £18,000 to £22,000, sold for £31,000) – at just £12,995, the 26-year old MG Metro was purchased by an “avid car enthusiast and collector as a gift to his wife” on 1^st May 1990. On sight, she is said to have remarked: “I’m not driving a Metro” and thus the vehicle was consigned to storage and occasional outings.

After covering just 632 miles with its original owner, the MG Metro –which comes complete with its original exhaust and metric sized tyres – was loaned to the North Yorkshire Car Museum in Thornton-Le-Dale until 2012. It was sold on then and is offered again “un-messed with, unrestored, untouched and just as it left the dealership”.

The front seats are in “as new condition”

The rear seats look as if they’ve never been used also

Even the original MG mats remain in perfect condition

And there’s even a set of MG gloves in the boot

A Philips sticker is a reminder of something often seen on cars in the 1990s

From the front

And finally from the rear

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August 7, 2016
Gone fishing

Week of prime fishing on the River Tay for sale for £145,000 (more…)

May 14, 2016