Beverly Hills, California – Convicted murderer Erik Menendez has spoken out against the new Netflix series, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which revisits the infamous trials that led to him and his brother, Lyle, being found guilty of killing their parents. In a statement shared by his wife, Tammi Menendez, Erik criticized the show for its alleged misrepresentation of the events and characters involved, calling it full of “blatant lies.” He specifically accused co-creator Ryan Murphy of distorting the facts surrounding their crime and creating a narrative that tarnishes their reputation.
Erik expressed disappointment in the way Netflix’s portrayal of the tragic events surrounding their crime have regressed the understanding of male sexual abuse, highlighting the importance of acknowledging such experiences. The series delves into the murders of José and Kitty Menendez, who were killed in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989 when their sons were in their early twenties. Initially, authorities suspected mafia involvement, but the brothers later confessed to the murders, citing years of abuse as the motive.
During the highly-publicized trial in 1993, the defense argued that the men were driven to murder due to the abuse they suffered, while prosecutors maintained that the claims were fabricated and the brothers were motivated by greed. Subsequent legal proceedings resulted in the brothers being sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996, following a retrial where their abuse claims were not fully considered by the court.
Now, almost 30 years after the convictions, Netflix’s new drama series explores the complex narratives surrounding the case, portraying the brothers’ differing perspectives and motives. Starring Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle and Cooper Koch as Erik, the series aims to shed light on the question of “Who are the real monsters?” This installment serves as the second season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s true-crime anthology, following the exploration of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the first season.