It was an infamous case and one of the first trials to be televised across the country. The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, 21 and 18 at the time of the crime, killed their mother Kitty and father José in their Beverly Hills mansion on Aug. 20, 1989.
Now, 30 years later, Ryan Murphy, creator and writer of the widely known TV series “American Horror Story,” is shining the light on their case again with Netflix’s “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” The show dives into the dramatized story of the brothers’ crime and why they did it.
The series was released Sep. 19th and has already created a storm of controversies across the media, all while shooting to the top of Netflix’s top 10 streaming chart. “Monsters” has started new conversations regarding the accuracy of the show and the truth of the details of the case.
Murphy did not speak to either Lyle or Erik Menendez before, during or after the creation of the show. So, some are saying the accuracy of the story is weak.
Chloë Sevigny, who plays Kitty, spoke out about her hardships when playing the role.
“We’re playing interpretations of her, so I’m not necessarily playing her truth, which I’ve found very difficult,” said Sevigny earlier this year prior to the release of the show.
The Menendez family was quick to release a statement on their own thoughts about the show.
“The character assassination of Erik and Lyle, who are our nephews and cousins, under the guise of a ‘storytelling narrative” is repulsive,” the family said.
And the media agrees.
A lot of details throughout the show have been questioned since hitting Netflix. For example, the show insinuates the brothers had a sexual relationship throughout their childhood. But, family members and the brothers deny this claim.
Since the show has been released, younger generations have flocked to TikTok, Instagram, X and other social media platforms to defend the brothers and slam Murphy as more statements are released from the brothers and their family.
Even Kim Kardashian, reality star and prison reform advocate, visited the Menendez brothers on Saturday at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in southern California to hear their story and discuss prison reform.
With celebrities hopping on the train, Netflix has announced a documentary, The Menendez Brothers, to release Oct. 7. The trailer includes actual phone calls from the two brothers as they tell their story together for the first time in over 30 years.
The new movement to free the brothers and bring them justice has only begun.
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