Sometimes people become famous for all the right reasons or for doing something great. Others, like Dr. Oziel, the disgraced therapist of the Menendez Brothers, are infamous for all the wrong ones. Dr. Jerome Oziel will go down in history as one of the most problematic and well-known health professionals ever. Where is the doctor now, and how is he blessing the world with his ‘talents’ after losing his license? We’ll dive into it below!
Dr. Oziel And The Menendez Brothers
The disgraced therapist was hired by the Menendez family in 1988 to work with Erik after the brothers burglarized homes. The younger brother was still a minor, so the crimes were strategically pinned on him. Oziel provided an evaluation of Erik Menendez for the ensuing burglary trial.
With the encouragement of family, Erik reached out to Dr. Oziel again in 1989 when he was struggling with his mental health after the double-homicide. In one of the visits, the Menendez brothers admitted to taking the lives of their parents in a taped session. Oziel alleges that Lyle also threatened his life, but there is no evidence substantiating that claim.
The therapist told his mistress and patient, Ms. Smyth, about the Menendez brothers confessing to him on tape. In post-breakup rage she went to the police and told them about the recordings. Initially, Judalon Smyth said she heard the confession herself but cleared that up in court. Those tapes, and the wrath of a woman scorned, is what got the Menendez brothers arrested. They weren’t on the radar of the police at all.
A Problematic Record
Before meeting with the Menendez brothers, Dr. Oziel already had his license on probation. The California State Board of Psychology considered a dual relationship he had with his client to be problematic. Oziel had a construction worker doing work around his home in exchange for visits. Therapists have to be very careful about not mixing up relationships of any kind with clients, something he seemed to struggle with in general.
Oziel officially lost his license due to the Menendez brothers case. The courts allowed tapes to be entered in the trial as evidence because Dr. Oziel claimed the brothers threatened him. The California State Board of Psychology felt like he had inappropriately shared private information about his clients. In addition, the therapist was also sleeping with his clients, such as Judalon Smyth. Ms. Smyth was a very mentally vulnerable individual, and Oziel slept with her anyway, which is incredible and unethical. Dr. Oziel denies all charges and said he did not contest the loss of his license because he was moving to another state.
Where Is The Doctor Now?
Dr. Jerome Oziel now goes by ‘Jerry’ in New Mexico. He lost his license to practice in 1997 in California and appears to never have gotten another one in any other state. Dr. Jerry works with couples and helps married individuals meditate together in the hopes that they can avoid divorce. His methods include couple’s retreats and sessions. It’s closer to the world he once was occupying as a therapist, but at least he’s not a licensed mental health professional.
Unsurprisingly, he is not with Judalon Smyth or his ex-wife. Ms. Smyth was an EMT in Los Angeles, California, over a decade ago, but she is now 72 years old and appears to be living in a small town in Colorado. She has mostly stayed out of the public eye and laid low over the years. Thankfully, she is not conducting meditations with unhappy couples like her former lover.
Conclusion
Dr. Oziel was a problematic therapist that the Menendez brothers were unfortunate to cross paths with. Oziel was not an ethical therapist and lost his license in California. Now the 78-year-old lives in New Mexico and goes by Jerry while he meditates with couples that have a marriage on the rocks. The now divorced, disgraced mental health professional likely has helpful personal experience to offer to his clients. Good riddance!
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