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Erik Menendez slams Ryan Murphy, Netflix for 'dishonest portrayal' of his parent's murders
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Date:2025-04-10 20:41:56
Erik Menendez is slamming Netflix and a Hollywood producer for a new series based off of his life.
Menendez, one-half of the Menendez brothers who were convicted of killing their parents at their Beverly Hills, California home in 1989 alongside brother Lyle Menendez, spoke out about the series. In a statement shared by his wife, Tammie Menendez called out "a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies" on social media Thursday night.
“I can only believe they were done so on purpose," he said in the statement. "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 continued: "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."
Menendez added in his statement that “those awful lies have been disrupted and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out" and "mow Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander." He later asked "is the truth not enough?" and thanked people for their support.
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The brothers' trial captured the attention of the U.S. at the time. The brothers, who argued that the killing of José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, was a result of years-long abuse, were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
The second installment of Netflix's "Monster" true-crime anthology series was released on Thursday and follows the success of last year's similarly controversial "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," which ignited backlash from some of Dahmer's victims' families.
Release date, cast, where to watch:'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'
What happened in the Menendez family murders?
The Menendez brothers' murders sparked controversy and curiosity about the nature of their crimes.
August marks three decades, 35 years to be exact, since the killings. The brothers were convicted of taking the lives of their affluent parents with shotguns at the family's Beverly Hills mansion. Lyle Menendez, then 21, and his brother Erik Menendez, then 18, fired at Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez several times, including at point-blank range to the head.
At the time, Lyle and Erik claimed their father, a former executive at RCA Records, abused them physically, sexually, and emotionally during their childhood. In "Monsters", Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch portray Lyle and Erik Menendez, respectively.
Oscar-winner Javier Bardem plays José Menendez in the Murphy series, while Oscar nominee Chloë Sevigny stars as Kitty.
Contributing: Erin Jensen
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