Post-release Erik Menendez, creator of Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story, released a statement slamming the show for “disingenuously portraying the tragedy surrounding our crimes.”
In 1996, Eric and Lyle Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. To this day, the brothers maintain that their motivation stemmed from a lifetime of physical, mental and sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of their parents.
In a statement shared on social media by his wife, Tammy Menendez, on Thursday, Eric wrote, “He believed he had risen above Lyle’s lies and destructive character portrayal by creating a caricature of him that was rooted in the egregious and blatant lies that permeated the show. I can only believe he did so on purpose. I wholeheartedly submit that Ryan Murphy could not be so ignorant and inaccurate about the facts of our lives without malicious intent.”
Murphy has previously faced criticism for his depiction of violence and trauma surrounding true crime stories: 2022’s Monster attempted to dramatize the origins of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, but families of Dahmer’s victims claimed the series exploited their trauma without their knowledge.
“We are saddened to learn that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedy surrounding our crimes has taken several steps back from the painful truth, returning us to a time when prosecutors built their story on the belief system that men are not sexually abused and that men experience the trauma of rape differently than women,” the statement continued. “This terrible lie has been debunked and exposed over the past two decades by countless brave victims who have overcome their personal shame to bravely speak out.” Eric went on to accuse Murphy of “constructing his horrific story through his vile, appalling characterization and disheartening smears of Lyle and me.”
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He added: “Is the truth not enough?”
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During their highly publicized trial in the ’90s, attorney Leslie Abramson argued that Lyle and Eric had been sexually abused by their father from an early age, and that this terror led to the murders in 1989. Later, former Menudo member Roy Rocero claimed that her father, Jose Menendez, an RCA Records executive who had signed Menudo to a multimillion-dollar contract at the time, had raped her.
“Let the truth remain the truth. How demoralizing that one man in a position of power can undermine progress shining a light on decades of childhood trauma,” Eric concluded his statement. “Violence is never the answer or the solution – it is always the tragedy. So let us never forget that violence against children creates hundreds of horrifying, silent crime scenes hidden behind the glitter and glamour, often uncovered until the tragedy permeates all involved. To all who have reached out and supported us: a heartfelt thank you.”
