Netflix's "Menendez Story" Is Getting Criticized By People, Including The Real Erik Menendez, And Here's Why

This post contains mentions of sexual abuse and child abuse.

The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story tells the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez. In 1996, they were found guilty and sentenced to life without parole.

The first trial was highly publicized in 1993 after the brothers were arrested. Notably, the brothers faced the possibility of the death penalty if they were convicted of first-degree murder. During this trial, the brothers claimed that they killed their parents in self-defense after testifying that they were sexually abused by their father and their mother knew about it.

Eventually, it was declared a mistrial, with the jury reportedly divided over whether the brothers "should be convicted of murder or manslaughter." A second trial began in 1995, with prosecutors, according to CBS News, arguing the brothers lied about the abuse, and they coined their defense, "The abuse excuse." The prosecutors claimed they killed their parents for money.

In 2023, new evidence was found reportedly corroborating Erik and Lyle's claims of abuse and killing their parents out of self-defense. A letter written by Erik to his cousin, Andy Cano, in 1988. Part of the letter reads, "I've been trying to avoid dad. It's still happening, Andy, but it's worse for me now."

The Menendez brothers' attorney filed a habeas petition in May 2023, citing the letter and Rosselló's affidavit as new evidence. According to CBS News, the petition asks that Erik and Lyle's convictions be vacated.

In the years following their 1996 sentencing, numerous documentaries, movies, and more have been made about the Menendez brothers. In 2017, the brothers and their trial were notably at the center of the limited series Law & Order: True Crime — The Menéndez Murders.

And now, Netflix has added Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story to the list of Hollywood's growing fascination with not only Erik and Lyle Menendez, but also true crime.

While the show is currently No. 1 on Netflix in the US, there has already been criticism surrounding the series, with many people calling out putting the brothers in the "monsters" series alongside the likes of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

And, while some have praised the performances in the show, particularly Cooper Koch, who is at the center of a 34-minute single shot episode as Erik, many have also called out the series for implying Erik and Lyle had an incestuous relationship and making light of the abuse allegations the brothers made against their parents.

In one moment from the show, which went viral shortly after the series dropped, Erik and Lyle are seen kissing, with the caption: "Of course, it's a Ryan Murphy production." The kiss is shown in Episode 2 when the brothers are depicted going on a spending spree after the murder of their parents.

He continued, saying, "It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward — back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women."

Many people on X, formerly Twitter, have taken to sharing real-life footage of the Menendez brothers at their trial instead of amplifying the dramatization shown in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Many hope viewers will instead seek out documentaries about the case.

Ryan Murphy and/or Netflix have yet to comment on the criticism, but we will update if they do.

What are your thoughts on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story? Tell us in the comments below.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here. 

If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453(4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.