Beverly Hills, a southern California city renowned for its safety and wealth, became the location of a gruesome crime that shocked thousands the night of Aug. 20, 1989. After murdering their abusive parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez were imprisoned for 35 years. They were charged for first degree murder with malice aforethought, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, news platforms have recently been spreading advocacy for a retrial, which the jury once found impossible.
New Netflix show “Monsters,” directed by Ryan Murphy, premiered on Sept. 19 of this year. Only 60 days after its release, the show surpassed one billion hours of views, remaining in Netflix’s top 10 for over two months. The show is a biographical film about the Menendez brothers’ case and despite its massive popularity, it has sparked significant controversy with the case still ongoing.
The actors of the brothers, Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch, skillfully depicted the emotions of the brothers, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Their emotional portrayal of the characters has pushed thousands of people to advocate for the real brothers, even creating a petition for their freedom. Cooper Koch mentioned in an interview that he met with Erik Menendez in order to prepare for his new role and, in doing so, learned that most of the prisoners came from dysfunctional families, gaining a deeper understanding of Erik’s motivations and background.
Said the actor in an interview for Extra TV, “In fact, it [meeting with the brothers] made my beliefs about them stronger. They’re so kind, they’re such amazing people, they’ve done so much good in prison, […] and they’re really wonderful people.” The 10 episode show investigates who the real monsters of the case are — the brothers or the parents. Lyle and Erike Menendez were taken to court for shooting their parents with shotguns, but stated that it was a gesture of self defense. Specifically, the episode “The Hurt Man” consists of a 36 minute dialogue with Erik and his lawyer, Leslie Abramson, regarding the sexual abuse he faced at the hands of his mother and father.
Moreover, in a Hollywood report, the director expressed his belief that the show has helped the case move forward with justice.
“When we were making it, Nicholas and Cooper’s performances were so empathetic that I did think they were going to change hearts and minds […] When you see episode four and five, I think we’re giving the Menendez brothers a platform to talk about their point of view of what they claim happened to them […] [Episodes four and five] are probably one of the things that has led to an understanding of this case and a move towards justice,” said Ryan Murphy.
Even American media personality Kim Kardashian, who is also an aspiring lawyer and founder of clothing brand SKIMS, has jumped in to share her opinion. “It’s time for the Menendez brothers to be freed,” Kardashian said in an Instagram post featuring a photo of Lyle and Erik. While on her journey to become a lawyer, she wrote a personal essay on the Menendez brothers, which was published in NBC News. Kardashian’s support and the empathy for the brothers portrayed through the show reflect the larger influence that media and celebrities have on public opinion.
District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office was in search of new evidence this past October to prove the alleged abuse. The office evaluated allegations from a member of the Menudo boy band about being abused by José Menendez — the brothers’ father — as well as a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin just eight months before the murders about his experience under his father’s abuse. This letter, which was revealed several years ago, is now being brought forward as evidence in the retrial.
With this generation’s better understanding that men are often also victims of sexual abuse, many social media influencers have casted their opinions regarding the case publicly. Television programs such as this have become powerful in attracting attention from the media in cases where justice might not have been fulfilled. Viewers emphasize with the stories and pursuit to action by constantly posting edits and sharing their point of view online. These personal perspectives often call for engagement in cases that had been called closed.
Menendez’s cousin, Tamara Goodell, stated, “This new generation is really putting up a fight to say, ‘This is not what should’ve been handed to them.’ […] At this point, after almost 35 years, they’ve served their time. […] Now, it’s time for them to come home.”
