**Trigger Warning: This article discusses sexual abuse **
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, has dropped and much like its predecessor based on the Jeffrey Dahmer story, it swiftly had audiences talking—albeit with a huge caveat.
The latest season of the Netflix crime-drama explores the real-life case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the Beverly Hills brothers who were sentenced to life behind bars for killing their parents, Mary Louise (better known as Kitty) and José Menendez.
Exactly how much of the story is fact versus fiction has come into question just days into its premiere after Erik Menendez spoke out about its release.
We explore the discourse around Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, below.
Is Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Based On A True Story?
In short, yes, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is based on the real-life crime and case involving the Menendez family.
José and Kitty Menendez were killed on August 20th, 1989 after they were shot multiple times in their Beverly Hills home.
Following the incident, their two sons, Erik and Lyle were arrested and charged with their murders. During their first trial in 1993, Erik’s lawyer Leslie Abramson alleged the men, who were just 18 and 22 respectively at the time, committed the crime out of fear for their lives due to years of abuse from their father and neglect from their mother.
After their first trial failed to make a decision on their conviction, a second trial in late 1995 found both Erik and Lyle guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced them to life without parole.
What Is The Controversy Surrounding Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?
Due to the abuse suffered by the brothers at the hands of their father, José, many fans online are drawing parallels between the Menendez case and that of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.
There has also been talk about how accurate the show’s portrayal is, with Erik Menendez calling the show out as ‘dishonest’.
Releasing a statement to his Facebook page, Erik slammed the series, writing: “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show.
I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
He went on to say, “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.”
Much of the discourse and commentary online has supported this comparison with people calling for their release, similar to that of Gypsy.
Did Kim Kardashian Visit Erik Menendez?
Given her work with the American correctional system and prisoner reform, as well as previous connection with Gypsy Rose, it’s somewhat unsurprising to hear that Kim Kardashian paid a visit to the prison where Erik and Lyle are held over the weekend.
The reality star wasn’t alone either, joined by one of the stars of the show, Cooper Koch who plays Erik, as well as sister Khloe and mother Kris.
According to TMZ, Kim spent the visit discussing prison reform with inmates including their Greenspace project, which encourages rehabilitation by beautifying prison yards, something both Menendez brothers have been involved in. Whether the Kim or Cooper spoke directly with the inmates is unclear.
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