Inside Monsters’ Erik, Lyle Menendez Inaccuracies: Incest Claims, More

Netflix’s Monsters sequence is going through backlash for the way it depicted Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez — particularly inaccurate particulars in regards to the occasions main as much as their homicide case.

The restricted sequence, which was launched on September 19, centered round Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), who have been convicted for the 1989 homicide of their mother and father. Season 2 of Monsters introduced totally different views about what led the siblings to kill their mother and father, José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty (Chloë Sevigny), together with their claims that it was in self-defense following years of alleged bodily, emotional and sexual abuse.

Earlier than Monsters debuted on Netflix, viewers began to query how the present would possibly sensualize facets of the high-profile case. Some followers particularly known as out how the trailer and poster for the present hinted at an incestuous relationship between Lyle and Erik.

Whereas Monsters didn’t immediately declare that on display screen — past two or three out-of-context moments — the present did get some issues flawed in regards to the occasions that led to Lyle and Erik being sentenced to life with out the potential for parole.

Erik subsequently launched a press release slamming Ryan Murphy‘s manufacturing in the future after it was launched.

“I believed we had moved past the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, making a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant likes rampant within the present,” learn a press release from Erik that was shared on Lyle’s Fb web page. “I can solely consider they have been performed so on function. It’s with a heavy coronary heart that I say, I consider Ryan Murphy can’t be this naive and inaccurate in regards to the info of our lives in order to do that with out unhealthy intent.”

Erik expressed frustration with how his and Lyle’s views have been portrayed, including, “It’s unhappy for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths a number of steps backward — again by means of time to an period when the prosecution constructed a story on a perception system that males weren’t sexually abused, and that males skilled rape trauma otherwise than girls. These terrible lies have been disrupted and uncovered by numerous courageous victims during the last twenty years who’ve damaged by means of their private disgrace and bravely spoken out.”

He continued: “So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative by means of vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander. Is the reality not sufficient?”

Maintain scrolling for among the inaccuracies seen in Netflix’s Monsters:

Jose and Kitty’s Homicide

In August 1989, the police arrived on the Menéndez household’s mansion in Beverly Hills, after Lyle reported coming residence to seek out his mother and father useless. José was shot six instances whereas Kitty was shot 10 instances.

Netflix’s Monsters featured a recreation of Lyle and Erik opening hearth on their mother and father after strolling in on them watching TV. Followers rapidly took to social media to level out that reviews on the time of the homicide investigation famous that José was shot level clean behind the pinnacle, which meant he wouldn’t have seen who killed him.

The sequence, in the meantime, made it a degree to indicate José and Kitty instantly seeing that it was their very own sons capturing them. Monsters did precisely seize Lyle going again outdoors to the automobile to get extra bullets to kill their mom after she was considerably injured and nonetheless making an attempt to flee.

The Fact About Erik and Lyle’s Relationship — And These Incest Insinuations

Within the first episode, Lyle and Erik spoke in regards to the aftermath of their mother and father’ loss of life. Lyle — who was on medicine — subsequently kissed Erik on the lips. The second has since obtained excessive scrutiny on social media.

The present later featured a sequence the place author Dominick Dunne (Nathan Lane) talked about totally different explanation why Erik and Lyle determined to kill their mother and father. Along with theories about buying the Menéndez fortune, Dunne recommended that the brothers have been hiding a secret that was uncovered earlier than José and Kitty’s deaths.

The episode lower to a scene of Kitty opening the lavatory door to find her sons in a compromising place whereas having a shower collectively. Neither Erik nor Lyle ever claimed to have been concerned in a romantic or sexual relationship.

Dunne, who was an precise creator who lined the excessive profile case, by no means expressed the speculation in his protection. He wrote an article for Vainness Truthful in 1990 the place he famous that sources instructed him the brothers had been sexually abused.

Monsters’ choice to drift the speculation of incest was criticized much more as a result of each brothers accused José of abuse. Lyle claimed his father began to molest him when he was 6 years previous and stopped two years later. Because of the trauma, Lyle revealed that he had sexually assaulted Erik as effectively. Erik additionally allegedly began getting abused by José when he was 6— and it continued till weeks earlier than the homicide.

Erik’s Sexuality

Nearly all of Monsters’ third and fourth episodes are dedicated to overlaying Lyle and Erik’s particular person historical past with sexual abuse. Throughout Erik’s episode — a one-shot sequence that spans over half-hour — the youthful Menéndez brother defined how the abuse affected his understanding of relationships and sexuality. The fictional Erik confirmed he had a consensual romance along with his male buddy and he was seen exhibiting curiosity in males on the jail.

Whereas Erik within the present denied that he’s homosexual, he did query his means to label his attraction after being abused since he was a toddler. Monsters subsequently leaned into the implication that Erik has an attraction to males that he isn’t in a position to totally acknowledge.

The actual Erik was beforehand requested in regards to the rumors throughout a tell-all interview with Barbara Walters.

“No [I am not gay]. The prosecutor introduced that up as a result of I used to be sexually molested and he felt in his personal considering that if I used to be sodomized by my father that I should have loved it and subsequently I have to be homosexual,” he stated in footage from 1996. “And folks which can be homosexual on the market have to be sexually molested or they wouldn’t be. It was upsetting to listen to, however I’m not homosexual. However a variety of homosexual individuals write and really feel related to me.”

Off display screen, Erik has been married to Tammi Ruth Saccoman since 1999. Lyle, in the meantime, exchanged vows with Anna Eriksson in 1996 however they divorced 5 years later. He later discovered love with Rebecca Sneed and so they acquired married in 2003.

Key Moments From the Trial

Lyle and Erik have been arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree homicide every. Three years later, the primary trial started the place the brothers have been tried individually. The prosecution — led by district attorneys Pamela Bozanich and Lester Kuriyama — questioned Lyle and Erik individually, which was proven on Monsters.

The present had Bozanich catch Erik in a lie about how he and Lyle tried to buy two handguns days earlier than they killed their mother and father. This was a mistake since Kuriyama was the one asking Erik questions that led to the most important lie of the trial.

The actual-life case finally led to a mistrial after the jury was unable to achieve a unanimous choice. A retrial started in 1995 however the prosecution efficiently objected to a lot of the proof surrounding the abuse which meant Erik and Lyle — who have been now being tried collectively — wanted to current a brand new protection.

Lyle refused to take the stand in the course of the second trial to stop cross examination following the discharge of The Personal Diary of Lyle Menendez: In His Personal Phrases! The Menéndez brothers have been finally discovered responsible of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life with out parole in 1996. They proceed to attraction the choice however have been denied.

The Manner Lyle Was Portrayed

After watching Monsters, it appears apparent that Erik is supposed to be introduced as probably the most sympathetic of the Menéndez brothers. Lyle, in the meantime, is depicted in a extra unflattering gentle as he dabbled in medicine, was typically centered on the cash they might obtain from José’s will and didn’t deal with Erik or others very effectively.

Viewers took to social media to query why Lyle got here off so negatively in comparison with Erik. They particularly pointed to character testimonies from the Menéndez brothers’ household and pals that described them very otherwise than the present made it appear. This isn’t precisely an inaccuracy, however the pointed narrative choice nonetheless stood out to some as not being very neutral.

Their Points With Their Lawyer

Erik and Lyle have been arrested after their therapist Dr. L. Jerome Oziel (Dallas Roberts) recorded their conversations the place they mentioned the murders. On the time, Oziel was having an affair with Judalon Smyth (Leslie Grossman) and instructed her about his classes with the Menéndez brothers. Smyth was the one to report what she knew to the police after Oziel ended their relationship. (Oziel subsequently misplaced his license to follow in 1997 for violating affected person confidentiality.)

Erik’s legal professional Leslie Abramson (Ari Graynor) appointed Dr. William Vicary (Gil Ozeri) to judge and deal with her consumer. Vicary later testified that he believed Erik’s claims of abuse. Nevertheless, it was additionally revealed in the course of the trial that Abramson allegedly had Vicary delete and rewrite passages of his notes to stop doubtlessly incriminating info from being talked about.

Abramson invoked her Fifth Modification proper in opposition to self-incrimination in the course of the trial however an investigation was launched. The case was closed three years later attributable to inadequate proof. Vicary, in the meantime, was positioned on probation twice earlier than dropping his license to follow medication in California in 2019.

Monsters didn’t embrace any of these particulars within the sequence, which might have been attributable to time constraints. However the Menéndez brothers later petitioned for mistrials primarily based on the actions of Abramson and Vicary so the lacking info supplied extra context.

Sure Specifics In regards to the Proof

Monsters largely tried to not decide sides when it got here to the case. Whereas Erik and Lyle appeared extraordinarily sympathetic in sure scenes, different moments have been launched to query whether or not they have been actually motivated to homicide their mother and father out of concern for their very own lives.

José was one other instance of somebody who was accused of sexually abusing his youngsters. However separate fictional moments from the present launched the concept José was allegedly molested by his personal mom when he was a toddler. He claimed his mom skilled sexual assault when she was younger by her uncle — and it was a steady sample inside the household.

As for Kitty, Monsters included scenes that have been meant to make viewers assume she knew what was allegedly taking place to her youngsters by the hands of her husband. The precise Lyle and Erik accused Kitty of abusing them as effectively, which wasn’t talked about on the present.

A selected instance of the onscreen omission can be in the course of the trial scenes. Erik and Lyle have been proven photographs their father took of them in varied states of undress from once they have been youngsters. Throughout the true trial, it was identified that the envelope containing the photographs was labeled with Kitty’s handwriting.

Monsters selected to not lean closely into the accusations that Kitty was immediately enabling José’s abuse and doubtlessly partaking in it

In case you or somebody you realize has been sexually assaulted, contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).