After the dictatorship ended in 1983, Menéndez (as a top officer) fell outside the purview of the "Ley de Obediencia Debida" ("Law of Due Obedience") and was accused of nearly 800 crimes. In 1988 he was indicted with 47 homicides, 76 instances of torture (4 of them followed by death) and 4 kidnappings of minors.