The Person Who Ultimately Brought the Menendez Brothers Down Was Their Therapist — Kind Of
Dr. Jerome Oziel went for a walk around the block with Erik Menendez when he looked at his therapist and said, "We did it."
Published Sept. 5 2024, 2:53 p.m. ET
For anyone not alive in the early 1990s, you will never know the drama that accompanied the Menendez brothers trial. There is a good reason why it was very loosely spoofed in the Jim Carrey movie The Cable Guy. Watch it if you're into Ben Stiller playing versions of both siblings. It really had everything. From rich defendants to emotional testimonies, down to a prophetic screenplay written by one of the brothers. Erik and Lyle Menendez were captivating.
At the heart of this trial was how the Menendez brothers were caught. It's just as wild and disjointed as the rest of the story surrounding the murder of their parents. Ultimately it was their therapist who was partially responsible for the siblings' arrest, though it was not by his choice. So, how did Dr. Jerome Oziel factor into their demise, and where is he now? Here's what we know.
Where is Dr. Jerome Oziel now? He is no longer a licensed therapist.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Oziel lost his license in January 1997. The good doctor, or should we say bad doctor, was "accused by a state panel of breaking confidentiality rules and having sex with female patients." By that time, Oziel had moved out of the state of California and was no longer working. His lawyer told the outlet, "It just made no sense to come back to California and spend many thousands of dollars defending a license he doesn’t use in a state he doesn’t reside in."
As of September 2024, Dr. Oziel is living in Albuquerque, N.M., and is employed by an organization called Marital Mediation. He now goes by Jerry and if the company website is to be believed, he helps people work through issues in their marriage as an "alternative to getting divorced." The website does look a little outdated and has a Twitter that links to a newer site that no longer lists Dr. Oziel on it.
In November 2017, Dr. Oziel spoke with Bustle where he claimed that he didn't surrender his license as a result of the accusations against him. "The fact is, I had phased out my practice because I had a major business offer that was highly lucrative and moved to be the CEO of a large business in another state A YEAR AND A HALF PRIOR to the surrender," he said. Dr. Oziel also commented on the Menendez brothers case and appeared to be quite annoyed with the fact that he is connected to it.
How did Dr. Oziel aide in the Menendez brothers arrest?
Journalist Robert Rand covered the Menendez brothers trial for Court TV, then went on to write a book about the murders and the legal proceedings that followed. Rand devoted a chapter to the moment Dr. Oziel found out what Lyle and Erik Menendez did. The author also concedes that there are four versions of events from this time. One is by way of Dr. Oziel, two are from Erik and Lyle, and the fourth is told by Dr. Oziel's mistress, who has a prominent role in the confession.
Dr. Oziel was treating Erik, who frantically left a message on his machine the evening of Oct. 30, 1989, two months after the murders. Erik demanded to see the therapist the next day, so Dr. Oziel set up a 4 p.m. appointment on Halloween. When Erik arrived they spoke for an hour, during which the depressed younger Menendez sibling said he was having nightmares about his parents. They decided to go for a walk and before returning to the office, Erik simply said, "We did it."
The two of them decided Lyle needed to know that Erik confessed, so Dr. Oziel called him at home and shared what his brother had told him. Lyle rushed over in a panic. While waiting for his arrival, Dr. Oziel instructed his mistress to listen in outside the door once Lyle was there. Judalon Smyth later told authorities what Dr. Oziel asked her to do, but he denied making this request.
Lyle wouldn't listen to Dr. Oziel and instead, stormed out of his office with a helpless Erik trailing behind. After this, Dr. Oziel moved Smyth into his house with his family in order to keep everyone safe from the brothers. Thankfully nothing happened but when he broke things off with Smyth a few months later, she went to the police to tell them what she knew, plus a few extra accusations.
Not only did Smyth reveal what the Menendez brothers had confessed, but she lodged a couple of allegations against Dr. Oziel. She said he "played mind games with her and dispensed drugs to her, which he was not licensed to do," per Vanity Fair. The Menendez brothers were arrested soon after, in March 1990.
