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Erik and Lyle Menendez
VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty ImagesRyan Murphy‘S Monsters led to divided reactions about the manner in which this was done Erik Menendez And Lyle MenendezJohn’s murder case was portrayed in the Netflix series, but it’s not the only show to tackle the controversial case.
After their parents, Jose And Kitty Menendezwere murdered in 1989, Erik and Lyle became the prime suspects. They were arrested in 1990 on two counts each of first-degree murder. What followed next were two high-profile trials that left everyone wondering what caused Erik and Lyle to kill their father and mother. The siblings, in turn, accused José and Kitty of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Their first trial began in 1993, with the brothers tried separately. The case ended in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous decision. A new trial began in 1995, but the prosecution successfully objected to most of the evidence surrounding the abuse, meaning Erik and Lyle – now tried together – had to present a new defense.
Lyle refused to take the stand during the second trial to avoid post-release cross-examination Lyle Menendez’s Private Diary: In His Own Words! The Menendez brothers were ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in 1996. They continue to appeal the decision, but this has been rejected.
Netflix’s Monsters series is facing backlash for the way it portrays Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez — specifically inaccurate details about the events leading up to their murder case. The limited series, which released on September 19, revolved around Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), who were convicted of murdering […]
Their cause received renewed support in September 2024 after becoming the focus of Murphy’s Monsters series. Nicholas Alexander Chavez brought Lyle to life while playing Erik Kuiper Koch. José and Kitty were meanwhile portrayed by Javier Bardem And Chloe Sevignyrespectively.
Monsters came under fire for several scenes that referenced an incestuous relationship between Lyle and Erik. Younger brother Menéndez publicly addressed the series when he denounced it a day after it was released.
“I believed we had moved past Lyle’s lies and ruinous character portrayals and created a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and egregious likes that were rampant on the show,” said a statement from Erik shared via Lyle’s Facebook page . “I can only believe they did this on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say: I believe that Ryan Murphy cannot be so naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives that he can do this without bad intentions.
In response, Murphy urged the Menéndez brothers to watch the show before forming an opinion.
The backlash against Ryan Murphy’s Monsters just keeps coming — and now the cast has spoken out in defense of their scripted show about Lyle and Erik Menéndez’s infamous murder case. Season 2 of the hit Netflix series debuted in September and chronicles the 1989 arrest of Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch) for the […]
“I find it interesting that he made a statement without having seen the show. It’s really hard – when it’s your life – to see your life on screen,” he said Entertainment tonight in September 2024. “If you watch the show, I would say 60 to 65 percent [of the content centers] around the abuse and what they believe happened to them. And we do it very carefully and we give them their day in court and they talk about it openly.”
Viewers are ultimately divided on whether to support how Monsters portrayed Erik and Lyle – but it is not the only project about the case. Keep scrolling for a guide to several other TV shows and documentary specials highlighting the Menéndez case:
‘Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers’ (Apple TV+)
ABC released a special in 2017 that examined the evidence that may have pointed to the cause of Erik and Lyle’s murder. Friends and family of the Menéndez brothers were interviewed Truth and Lies: The Menéndez Brothers more than ten years after their conviction.
‘The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All’ (Prime Video)
Although Erik has been less in the public eye after he began serving his time, he spoke with A&E for a five-part documentary. The conversations during several phone calls offered Erik’s perspective on the murders and their aftermath.
The Menendez murders: Erik tells all special featured never-before-seen photos and new interviews with prosecutors, law enforcement, loved ones and medical experts about the case. Erik said the information he gave to the docuseries was the most extensive public conversation he has had since the crime made headlines.
Ramey Photo/Mega Agency; Miles Crist/Netflix Ryan Murphy’s Monsters was criticized for a host of inaccuracies surrounding Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez’s murder case — but what did the show actually get right? Season 2 of the hit Netflix series, which released on September 19, featured a star-studded cast including Nicholas Chavez, Cooper Koch, Javier […]
‘Law & Order: True Crime — The Menéndez Murders’ (Apple TV+ or Prime Video)
The eight-part special was a spin-off of the Law and order franchise, which depicted the murder, investigation, arrest, and trials of the Menéndez brothers. Law & Order: True Crime – The Menéndez Murders form Miles Gaston Villanueva to play Lyle, while Guus Halper was called in to bring Erik to life. Edie Falco earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of the lawyer Leslie Abramso.
When the special premiered in 2017, Lyle’s family and friends showed their support. Lyle spoke with later Megyn Kelly And called Law & Order: True Crime – The Menéndez Murders “surprisingly accurate” even though he didn’t consult on the show.
‘Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged?’ (Max and Discovery+)
In 2022, Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged? was released as an investigation into the support the Menéndez brothers have received in the years since the murder. Erik Philips was cast to reenact certain scenes in the film as Erik.
Erik and Lyle Menéndez’s murder case was thrust back into the spotlight with Ryan Murphy’s Monsters – but is there a chance their lives could be destroyed without parole? The Menéndez brothers’ parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, were found dead in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. After Lyle called the police, they found out […]
‘Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed’ (Peacock)
Erik and Lyle Menendez
Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty ImagesThe 2023 Peacock docuseries provided a platform for former Menudo member Roy Rossello to discuss his past with Erik and Lyle’s father, José. Rosselló claimed that he was drugged and raped by José as a teenager. The singer’s allegations are included in a petition filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in an attempt to have their case overturned.
The court documents requested a new trial, citing new evidence in the case such as Rosselló’s allegations against José and a newly discovered letter Erik wrote to his cousin. Andy Kano detailing his father’s alleged sexual abuse months before the murders.
‘The Menendez Brothers’ (Netflix)
Less than a week later Monsters was released, Netflix announced that Lyle and Erik had been interviewed The Menéndez brothers documentary. The special, which will be released in October 2024, contains images of conversations with jurors Betty OldfieldKitty’s sister Joan Vander Molen and public prosecutor Pamela Bozanich.