Netflix has teamed up with creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan to continue their Monster anthology series about true crime. This time, they focus on one of the most infamous crimes of the 20th century.
The nine-episode series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, tells the chilling details of the brutal murders of Beverly Hills residents Jose (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) by their two sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), in 1989.
The show shows the murders, the premeditated plans behind them, and the trial of the brothers, who were ultimately found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. It raises the question of what happened to the brothers after this true story was adapted by Murphy and Brennan.
The Menendez Brothers’ Guilty Verdicts
The series shows how the first trial ended in a mistrial. The final episode, titled “Hang Men,” focuses on the second trial from 1995 to 1996, which led to the brothers’ guilty verdicts. Leslie Abramson (Ari Graynor) takes on the case for Lyle and Erik without charging them since they have run out of money.
The close relationship between the brothers begins to weaken after spending over five years in jail awaiting a verdict. They start to blame each other for their situation, and it seems they will both be charged with first-degree murder.
Erik takes the stand again and faces tough questions from the prosecution about the planning that went into killing their parents. He claims that they acted out of self-defense because of the sexual and emotional abuse from their father, Jose, while their mother, Kitty, ignored it.
Erik continues to insist that he was defending himself. The courtroom is tense as witnesses and lawyers engage in heated exchanges. Evidence against the brothers keeps growing, and Abramson, who had previously been strong in defending them, appears overwhelmed by the amount of evidence against her clients.
A memorable moment happens when Abramson and Erik play “Hangman” together during the trial, but they are asked to stop by the judge. Murphy shows the defeated expressions of the brothers and Abramson at their table, effectively creating a sense of doom.
Was the Murder Premeditated?
Dominick Dunne (Nathan Lane), a well-known writer for Vanity Fair, tells the story while speaking with his friends. Lyle and Erik are found guilty and face sentencing. For the first time, Murphy captures the jury as they discuss whether to sentence the brothers to death or life without parole.
A standout moment occurs when an older female juror strongly argues that the Menendez brothers should receive the death penalty.
However, a more sympathetic juror convinces the others not to sentence them to death. She points to family members who speak on behalf of Erik and Lyle. The brothers are sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Abramson continues to believe that they are innocent victims and defends them passionately.
The song “Don’t Go” by Milli Vanilli plays in the background during their transfer and separation, a fitting choice since the duo was exposed as frauds for lip-synching.
The last scene of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story shows a touching moment between Jose and Kitty during a family shark-fishing trip.
They laugh and express their love for each other. Meanwhile, Lyle and Erik, at the front of the boat, agree to kill their parents, revealing that they planned the murders during this trip. This creates a powerful sense of irony, showing how they made decisions that would change their lives forever.
New Evidence Surfaces in the Menendez Trial
The last time the Menendez brothers saw each other was in 1996, when they were kept in separate prisons and could not communicate. After their convictions, Erik and Lyle were sent to different facilities. On April 4, 2018, after many of Lyle’s appeals, they were finally reunited when Erik was moved to Lyle’s unit.
Journalist Robert Rand shared with ABC News that when Lyle saw Erik, they both “burst into tears immediately.” They embraced for several minutes without speaking, and then the prison officials allowed them to spend an hour together in a room.
In January 2017, Lyle expressed acceptance of his situation, stating, “I am the kid that killed his parents, and no river of tears has changed that and no amount of regret has changed it.”
He adds, “You are often defined by a few moments of your life, but that’s not who you are in your life, you know. Your life is your totality…You can’t change it. You just, you’re stuck with the decisions you made.”
However, new evidence has emerged that could support the brothers’ claims of abuse from their parents. A letter from Erik to his cousin Any Cano from 1988 has been presented by their attorney, Cliff Gardner. In this letter, Erik hints at his father’s abusive behavior.
Cano testified during the brothers’ trial, but the prosecution dismissed his testimony as a lie. Additionally, Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican band Menudo, has claimed that Jose Menendez sexually abused him as a teenager in 1983 or 1984.
Gardner presented this new evidence in May 2023, and according to CBS News, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is investigating these claims. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is currently available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
