Who is journalist Robert Rand and what is his connection to Menendez brothers?

A new documentary coming to Netflix about a high profile murder case could include apparent new evidence which has been previously put forward by a journalist who has reported on the matter for more than three decades.

The Menendez Brothers documentary will be added to the streaming platform later in October, and it follows the the latest series of the Monsters anthology which dramatised many events surrounding the killing of Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were eventually found guilty of first degree murder and jailed for life but one reporter who wrote stories from the courtroom at the time, maintains that they should now be freed.

So who is this journalist, Robert Rand and what is his experience with the case?

Who is Robert Rand?

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Robert Rand is a journalist and author who has been a part of investigative journalism teams for multiple outlets.

He won a local Emmy in 2001 for the reporting on a wrongly convicted illegal immigrant, which led to the man's release from jail.

Rand has worked for CBS affiliates KCBS and in Los Angeles and KYW in Philadelphia. According to his website, he is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Los Angeles.

He was not involved in the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, neither in the creation of the show or mentioned in any episodes itself.

What is Robert Rand's connection with the Menendez brothers?

Rand reported on the Menendez murders in 1989 for the Miami Herald more than 30 years ago.

He also attended each day of both trials from 1993-94 and 1995-96 and provided analysis for Court TV, CNN, ABC News and CBS News.

Stories Rand wrote about the case included 'Who killed the next U.S. Senator from Florida?' for the Miami Herald in December 1989 and 'A Beverly Hills Paradise Lost' for People magazine in March, 1990 after the brothers were arrested.

Rand also produced articles for Playboy and in 2017, had a book published titled The Menendez Murders, which served as a primary source for the NBC limited series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders.

The journalist went on to serve as an executive producer and star in a documentary series streamed on Peacock in the US, called Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.

In the documentary, Rand, alongside singer Roy Rossello suggest new evidence that Jose Menendez sexually assaulted Rossello.

Rand keeps in contact with the brothers through phone calls and regular visits and chronicles those conversations and other updates surrounding their fight for freedom on his blog.

What does Rand say about the Menendez brothers now?

While Rand does not dispute that the brothers killed their parents, he regularly shares his belief that they should be released from prison and believes that they were abused by their father.

He also states that they should never have been locked up for murder, as he says they should have been found guilty of manslaughter instead.

Speaking to The Sun earlier this year he said: "The correct sentence for the Menendez case should have been manslaughter and not murder. You can’t get around the elephant in the room which is that Erik and Lyle killed their parents.

"The defence put on 50 witnesses - teachers, coaches, family and friends that told a very detailed story about a family that was dysfunctional and spinning out of control.

“If the brothers had been convicted of manslaughter, they would serve 11 years on each count in California, so they would have been in jail for 22 years and now they have been in jail for 34 years and six months.

"In other words, they would have gotten out 12 years ago.”

The Menendez Brothers documentary is available on Netflix from October 7