Rosie O'Donnell's Bond with Lyle Menendez Deepens

Rosie O'Donnell has formed a close friendship with Lyle Menendez, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his parents, a crime he and his brother Erik committed in 1989. O'Donnell first connected with Lyle in 1996 after publicly supporting the brothers' defense claim that they killed their parents in self-defense due to years of abuse. Although she initially did not respond to Lyle's letter, they reconnected in 2022, leading to regular communication and a friendship that O'Donnell describes as her first 'straight' love affair. Despite concerns from friends, O'Donnell feels safe and vulnerable with Lyle, who has inspired her work on a documentary about autism. This relationship comes amid other life changes for O'Donnell, including a move to Ireland and estrangement from her daughter Chelsea. The Menendez brothers are currently seeking a resentencing hearing, which could potentially make them eligible for parole.