'96 Menendez Trial Juror Says Brothers Benefit From White Privilege, and Kim K

A juror in the 1996 Menendez brothers' murder trial says the shotgun-wielding brothers share the benefit of being famous and having white privilege ... as well as the support of one of the most recognizable faces in the world -- Kim Kardashian!

And this is why, the juror tells TMZ, Erik and Lyle Menendez could receive clemency and ultimately get released from a California prison ... after serving decades behind bars for shootings their parents, Jose and Kitty, to death in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.

The juror, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, tells TMZ ... freedom is certainly a possibility for the brothers given the fact that Erik and Lyle are "well-known, white-looking, or attractive," despite the fact that they are Latino.

The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in their second trial -- after the first ended in a hung jury -- and they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In recent years, the siblings have made a strong push to get their sentences overturned based on a number of arguments -- including new evidence of alleged sexual abuse by their parents -- and now it seems they're creeping closer to freedom.

And they have the backing of Kim K, who the juror believes doesn't really care about other, lesser-known inmates ... despite the fact that Kim has shown support in the past for non-famous criminals.

Kim argues the trial and sentencing "were more befitting a serial killer than two individuals who endured years of sexual abuse by the very people they loved and trusted."

At trial, the brothers maintained they shotgunned their parents because of years of sexual and physical abuse throughout their childhood. But, the juror told TMZ ... the abuse allegations were not an "element of the crime" they considered when they were in deliberations.

The juror notes ... "Some jurors were mixed regarding the sexual abuse argument, but we didn't need to agree on the sexual abuse in order to agree on first-degree murder."

The juror says he does not support or oppose the brothers' potential release ... but would like to see them use their star power to help sexual abuse victims or wrongfully convicted people, if they do get sprung.

Last week, Lyle and Erik's resentencing hearing got pushed ... the judge will address the admissibility of the parole board's risk assessment report on the brothers. Their next hearing is scheduled for May 9.