Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror

by Hazel Thornton

Hazel Thornton takes us behind the scenes of one of the highest profile murder cases of all time. More than two decades after serving as a juror on the seven-month murder trial People v. Erik Galen Menendez, Hazel updates her book Hung Jury with a new preface and a postscript essay of observations about the Menendez brothers’ second trial. Includes psychological commentary by Lawrence S. Wrightsman and Amy J. Posey, and legal commentary by Alan Scheflin.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 1995

About the author

Hazel Thornton was working as a telecommunications engineer in Pasadena, California in 1993 when she was summoned to jury duty. She served for 7 months as Juror #9 on the 1st Menendez brothers' murder trial, which ended with two hung juries. Her 1995 book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror, was republished in 2018 with updated material.

She is now a retired professional organizer and active genealogist living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her 2021 book, What's a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy, will help you tell the stories of your photos, family, and things at your choice of effort level. Her 2023 book, Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook, will help clutter FLOW right out of your home, office, and life!

Reviews

[Hazel Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greetings from Juror #9!

This 20 Years Later edition includes a new preface, and an old essay I wrote right after the second trial ended in 1996. The essay compares the two trials and explains how it was possible, after 2 hung juries, for Lyle & Erik to be found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

What changed? Read it and find out!

For interviews, photo albums, upcoming events, etc. visit me on http://www.MenendezJuror.com

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight into what it was like to be a juror on a high-profile double murder case.

[aryah · Rating 4 out of 5]

why did this make me feel like I was there

[Jenn Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing example of how to be a juror

This is a true account of what being a juror in a high profile case is like and how you should act as a juror.

[ivana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into the workings of the American judicial system.

[Janet Barclay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've known the author personally and professionally for several years, so I was eager to read something about her life before we connected. Living in Canada, I may have been aware of the Menendez trial, but if so, I had forgotten all about it until I learned that Hazel had been on the jury.

Most courtroom stories (true or fictional, in print or on screen) are from the point of view of one of the lawyers or perhaps the defendant, but rarely the jury, so it was very interesting to get this different perspective and to learn what it's like to be involved with a major trial. I thoroughly enjoyed the diary portion of the book, because it was so real. Even though it's just one person's perspective (as another reviewer pointed out), it doesn't claim to be representative of jurors in general or even the entire jury in this case.

The psychological and legal commentaries at the end show the value of the diary in understanding not only this case, but the entire trial by jury system. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about crime or psychology!

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel Thornton, Thank You for sharing your experience with us. It is so refreshing to see a strong, educated and analytical woman reflecting on the case. You stood your ground despite the aggressive manner in which the men tried to bully you into changing your views. That is very commendable in general and especially years ago during a time where women may not have felt as confident. Years ago, it appears that people were not open minded and refused to acknowledge that men could be abused. You were very ahead of your time regarding open minded views and awareness of the impact trauma can have on a people.”

[Lina Hershberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching a show on this trial, I found that one of the jurors from the Erik trial had written and book and thought it would be interesting to see what she said about it.

This was a kind of diary of what happened during the days of the trial, what happened during testimony, and her feelings and thoughts about that day. It was interesting to go back into the jury room to read how deliberations went.

It also contained a psychological commentary and a legal commentary on her diary. I found these interesting because that's the kind of stuff I'm into.

I have to say, though, that if I wouldn't have seen the special, this is not something that I would have read. It was just another bit of information concerning the Menendez trial.

[lauren]

i feel like i can’t give this a hard rating just because it’s someone’s actual diary and that’s so hard to give an amount of stars to. that being said, this was a really great read! i think hazel gives really interesting insight from the perspective of a juror and it was fascinating to see what things people in the jury really focused on. i think it is absolutely worth it to read this book if you care at all about the menendez case.

[emma hledam adu · Rating 4 out of 5]

the psychological and legal commentaries at the end of the book were remarkably insightful!

[Kathy Vines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm about the same age as Eric Menendez (he's a month or so younger than me) so when all this was going on back then, it was gripping to watch people my age going through this. I wanted to read this book when I knew the Law and Order True Crime series was coming out, and to get ahead of it so that I could evaluate how accurate I thought the show was as it treated the story. Hung Jury was such a unique way to learn the story, not just of the murders and the trials, but of the perspective that so very few people had in their front row seats, with the decision-making responsibility they had. This book is its own type of historical non-fiction... even though on every page, you're still in disbelief that it is not actually fiction! If the trial or the story has become interesting to you because of watching Law and Order, you'll definitely appreciate this companion to it!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thrilled to see readers getting another shot at Hazel Thornton's book on the Menendez Brothers, especially with new material included for the 20th anniversary, and now in a version for Kindle! I became interested in books about juror experiences during the highly televised Menendez brothers and O. J. Simpson cases, and was surprised that there didn't seem to be much readily available. All I could manage to find was a plethora of courtroom fiction, along with the occasional autobiographical volume by legal professionals using more technical jargon than I could handle. What I really wanted, was something that dealt with the unimaginable day to day struggles of someone who'd actually served on a jury.

Finding Hazel Thornton's book was a revelation. What fascinated me most was that it was compiled from actual notes taken throughout her seven-month long experience. Her book records the journey of an eyewitness who attempted to process emotionally difficult, confusing, and often conflicting testimony, on a day to day basis. Thornton’s book gave me deeply personal insight into her experience as a juror; this was exactly what I'd been looking for, and I found it nearly impossible to put down.

Now that an eight-part television series has been made about the case (Law & Order: True Crime, The Menendez Brothers) this book becomes even more important to those interested in the Menendez brothers themselves. The series not only completely vindicates Thornton's experience, but also brings to the public - for the first time - evidence that has been previously unavailable. Most importantly, it reveals the impetus behind the murders, and addresses the unspeakable horrors inflicted on the Menendez brothers by their parents, testimony which Thornton heard in the courtroom and addresses in her book.

I am proud to say that many years later I discovered that my friend Hazel, an organizing professional in New Mexico, was the author of the book that had satisfied my curiosity. If you have even the slightest interest in this case, you owe it to yourself to read Hazel Thornton's book 'Hung Jury'. Although I am the proud owner of a signed paperback copy, I am excited to add the Kindle version to my library.

[Cindi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book showed no respect for those who were murdered. The author is extremely silly in her journal writing so I do not see the big purpose for to be published as it was and the commentators afterwards were extremely biased and once again show little to no respect for the deceased. The main focus was alleged abuse, which may or may not, have occurred to the boys. But since the prosecution did not sway away from the “blame the victims” mentality presented by the defense, their case was weak & apparently the reason there was a split jury. I still struggle with the fact that these were grown men and felt that driven to murder their parents in cold blood even though they could live on their own and away. I understand that mental and physical abuse is very powerful to victims, but to me, the defense was weak, but they were not left with burden of proof.

[Susan Liston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at a famous trial from the inside. I had always assumed that some of the original jurors believed the brothers should have been acquitted but that was not the case, the jury hung because of widely differing views on the degree of murder, with additional differences regarding each parent.

[Kathy Stinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to see how a juror's diary differs from a more dramatic fictional portrayal of a trial, and most interesting to read the psychologist's and lawyer's analyses of the diary and what it revealed about how trials by jury work. I'd be curious to know if there are differences between the US court system and the Canadian.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching the Law & Order: True Crime series on the Menendez Murders, I was desperate to learn more. I LOVE true crime and this book did not disappoint. This book created such great insight from inside the courtroom to inside the deliberation! A must read for any fans of true crime or anyone interested in this case in particular.

[Scott Hunziker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look from a unique perspective with a most infamous case. I am not sure how I would have decided this if I had to choose. You have to be able to sleep with yourself at night so you had better get the decision right as many people lives depend upon it. The pages just flew by and before I knew it I was done. It was a good read!

[Christy Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It wasn't a dramatization of the trial but the diary of a juror which gave great insight not only into this case, but to the court system overall and the role of a juror. I enjoyed the updates as time has passed. This book led to great discussion by my book club for the impact not only a trial can have on a juror, but how the court system works in general in this country.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because it left me feeling even more annoyed at how horrendous our criminal justice system is. I’ve always been really passionate about this case and this was such a unique book that really encompassed the first trial wonderfully. I won’t get into my thoughts about this case but I will say #freeerik

[Kathy Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Well written and an insider's look not only at the Menendez trials, but also the inside workings of a jury.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hazel Thornton never intended to publish her diary, let alone write about her experience as a juror in one of the most controversial, high-profile cases of the 1990s, or perhaps even the 20th century. It began as an outlet for her, so she could unload after her days as a juror. The jurors (in the first Menendez trial, anyway) were not sequestered, but they were, of course, told not to discuss the case with anyone and to avoid any news coverage, which had to have been extremely difficult because it was all so publicized. I'm grateful that Ms. Thorton wrote and published this because it gives you both a closer look at the trial and the day-by-day existence of jurors.

Thorton is very honest about her experience and shares her opinions on the case freely. It was refreshing to see a book that didn't perpetuate the pro-prosecution propaganda (as at least two other books, published between the trials did). Now that the full first trial is available to watch on Court TV's website, this book is a fitting companion, as Thornton points out the over-confidence of the prosecution, their lack of preparation, their questionable and at times unethical tactics, and ineptness. (It does make you wonder how one of the prosecutors, in particular, even passed the bar, to begin with). The truth is, despite what most books, TV movies, and documentaries (a few exceptions here and there) will have you believe, the prosecution's case was extremely weak, many of their witnesses were unreliable or dishonest, and they did not present any contradictory expert witnesses, yet they seemed to think that they were superior to the defense and had presented enough evidence to get a conviction. The defense did their homework and provided corroboration (in terms of the abuse the brothers suffered at the hands of their parents, and how it led to their fear that their parents would kill them, which led to the crime that occurred). Thorton (who was a juror for Erik Menendez), along with her fellow female jurors, voted for manslaughter, as that was what they thought had been proven in terms of guilt (acquittal wasn't really on the table) but the men, who were swayed by the homophobia and prejudice of the prosecution voted for first-degree murder. She and the other women on the jury dealt with sexism from the men, and ultimately, they deadlocked (the jury for Lyle Menendez did the same). It ended in a mistrial. In the second trial, the judge who presided over both granted the prosecution's motion to block or limit defense evidence to ensure a conviction, due to the embarrassing losses that the D.A.'s Office had dealt with previously. The Menendez brothers were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and after being allowed to hear more about the family history in the penalty phase, the jury sentenced them to life without parole.

Along with Robert Rand's "The Menendez Murders" this is the best book on the case itself. The 20th Anniversary edition contains an update from Thornton (she states that while she is proud to have been a juror in this case, she never wants to serve on a jury again, which I can't blame her), and her thoughts on the case years later. Alan W. Scheflin provided both commentaries on the case and the psychotherapy privilege, which also makes this book well worth reading.

[ShiShi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book itself is quite blandly written but it had never been intended as anything other than a journal for one juror to reflect upon during a long and difficult case. At times I found the writer quite flippant and was frustrated when they did not go deeper in their critiques of what was happening around them – but again this was not the intent and why I gave this three stars instead of two. It does what it set out to do and that's all you can really say.

I didn’t find the additional expert essays particularly helpful, but then again, I’m an academic in psychology so the content was superficial and outdated. I assume the intention was to translate decades of research for a lay-audience, but I think they vastly underestimated the sophistication of their readers and what they can absorb. On that note, it was interesting to see the widespread derision of psychology as a discipline and practice (is there anything more appalling then trying to educate a public that reduces the impacts of CSA to an 'abuse excuse'). The legal additions were interesting (e.g. the juror system being the best and worst example of legal justice in western democracies).

I do think the author provided a very balanced account of how she came to reach her decision but grew bored of the constant references to moments where people complimented her intelligence. I understood the defensiveness (the women jurors of the 1st trial were largely ridiculed as too emotional), but just wished she would get on with it. Although I found her observation that Dr. Vicary is not someone she would want to be treated by hilarious and agreeable (also not surprised to see he has recently lost his license for over-prescribing)!

Finally, societal transformation takes time and clearly this book is intended as a cultural artifact of another decade. Much has changed and much remains to be changed. It left me a little sad, for all the victims, survivors and advocates who will have to endure and sometimes lose the battle while they wait for slow incremental change. But hopeful for a future where more and more of us are saved – or even better yet, a future where this no longer exists.

[Kylie C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is uncomfortable in a deliberate way. It’s a courtroom-adjacent psychological thriller that cares less about who did it and more about why people justify what they do.

The tension doesn’t come from action-it comes from morality. Jurors trapped together, forced to examine not just the case but their own biases, grudges, and quiet hypocrisies. Every character feels a little too real, and that’s the point. Nobody here is clean. Nobody is purely right.

The pacing is slow-burn and talk-heavy. If you want twists every chapter, this will frustrate you. If you like watching pressure expose character flaws, it works. The claustrophobic setting amplifies the unease, and the psychological sparring is far more interesting than the actual crime.

The ending won’t satisfy readers who need neat resolution. It will satisfy readers who appreciate ambiguity and moral discomfort.

Read this if you like: character-driven thrillers, ethical gray areas, and stories that linger in your head longer than they entertain you.

[Rachel Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me gain great insight into what it’s like to be on a jury. This higher profile trial ended up lasting 5 months and helped highlight the specific incidents within the jury that eventually led to a mistrial. I was particularly interested in how Thornton detailed the differences in opinion between the male and female jurors (the males were more likely to give out a murder conviction and women were more likely to give out a manslaughter conviction). Although I was a bit reluctant to read this since I typically stick to fiction, i’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this!

[John Lyman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first, imo real, part of the book was great, that’s why I bought it, to read a jury member's personal opinion/diary. It gave a unique perspective on this highly publicized and documented case, of which my aunt was also a jury member, albeit on Lyle's not Erik's jury. This material gave me insights into what these jurors, and possibly others, go through during their trials. While I learned few details I wasn’t already aware of, I did learn by seeing the author's perspective.

I don’t know why the last two chapters were included, other than to make the book longer. I started to read both but finished neither.

[Stephanie (stephs_cozycorner)]

After watching the Netflix show and documentary I went down the “Menendez rabbit hole”.

I found this book to be very interesting to get a bit of the jury’s perspective.

I also went back and watched some interviews and found Hazel to be very well spoken and fair. I especially loved when she put Oprah in her place. lol

Read it if your into true crime and recently find yourself going down the Menendez rabbit hole like I did after watching the show and documentary.

[r. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting to read about the thoughts, feelings, and difficulties faced by a juror from the first Menéndez trial. I’ve always imagined what it would be like to serve on a jury so this was great to vicariously live through. Particularly, I loved Robert Rand’s feature near the end. The information and research he presented were very intriguing and helpful in understanding criminal justice and the court of law in California.

Freedom for the Menéndez brothers!

[Natalie kobakian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting perspective on what it’s like to be a juror on a high profile case. The essays after the journal added so much insight to the case from a legal perspective. Learnt about some of the choices made by the judge at the beginning of the trial and how this may or may not have led to the brothers spending their lives in jail. The legal system is… crazy.

[Lisa-Marie Elsner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the book is so good. She explains everything so briefly and good that even I (as someone who isn’t a native English speaker) can understand everything that she has told. I’ve been interested in the Menendez Case for quite a while now and this book has brought up some information that I didn’t know. So I can definitely recommend this book! 💯

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The parts written by Hazel Thornton were very interesting but barely went into any details as to which witnesses she found credible vs. which she didn’t. I’d give that part 4/5 stars.

Then the commentary from the co-author was so dry that it could likely be used by sleep clinics to help with insomnia. I’d give that a 1/5 star.