Netflix’s Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story has sparked renewed interest in the notorious Menendez brothers’ case.
While the show attempts to dramatize the shocking events surrounding the 1989 murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez, it has drawn criticism for taking several creative liberties.
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, Erik Menendez also criticized the accuracy of the series in a letter released on social media.
Despite the criticism, the Netflix series has been a success, raking in over 12 million views this week.
It has also reignited the investigation into their imprisonment in 1990 and the highly debated motive behind the murders.
The Menendez brothers are currently serving life sentences for the murder of their parents.
Lyle and Erik Menendez did not have an incestuous relationship
One of the most contentious elements of the Netflix series is its portrayal of Erik and Lyle Menendez’s relationship in an incestuous light. This aspect has stirred controversy, echoing unsubstantiated rumors that circulated during the brothers’ real-life trial.
In reality, both Lyle and Erik testified in court that they never engaged in any form of sexual relationship with one another. While Monsters thrives on dramatizing elements of the Menendez brothers’ lives, there is no evidence to support the notion of an incestuous relationship, making the claim a contentious creative liberty.
The police wired Craig Cignarelli before Erik’s confession to his therapist
The series accurately depicts the police asking Erik Menendez’s close friend, Craig Cignarelli, to obtain a confession. However, in the show, this happens after Erik confesses to his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel, which is a significant deviation from actual events.
In reality, the police used Cignarelli before Erik ever admitted the crime to his therapist. Erik refused to confess to his friend, but his later admission to Oziel eventually led to the brothers’ arrest.
Lyle and Erik were not jailed together after their arrest
After Erik’s taped confession leads to their arrest in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the show depicts the brothers being held in the same facility, with adjacent cells. This portrayal, however, diverges from reality.
In real life, the Menendez brothers were kept in separate facilities following their initial arrest. They were reunited in 2018 after over 20 years in separate prison units.
Leslie Abramson supported fundraising for Erik’s legal fees
In the show, Erik’s attorney, Leslie Abramson, reacts furiously when the brothers suggest fundraising to cover her fees, fearing it would tarnish her reputation and theirs.
However, in real life, Abramson supported the idea. According to The Los Angeles Times, she hoped to raise $1 million and welcomed donations to help cover her costs.
Lyle and Erik also accused Kitty of abuse
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story portrays the brothers’ mother, Kitty, as an enabler who turned a blind eye to the abuse her husband, Jose, inflicted upon them. However, the show omits an important detail: Lyle and Erik also accused their mother of abuse.
The brothers claimed that Kitty was not just complicit but actively abusive toward them. This omission from the Netflix series significantly alters the narrative and detracts from the full complexity of the case.
Despite the inaccuracies, Netflix’s Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story provides an engaging retelling of the infamous case.
Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story is currently streaming on Netflix.