Erik Menéndez has publicly expressed his strong disapproval of Netflix‘s latest true-crime series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, concerning its depiction of him and his brother Lyle. In a statement shared on social media, Erik accused the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, Glee), of misrepresenting their lives and intentions surrounding the 1989 murders of their parents.
“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,” Erik said in a statement shared on X by his wife, Tammi Menendez. “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.”
Netflix Series Revisits High-Profile Case
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story is part of Ryan Murphy’s anthology that explores notorious true-crime stories. The series aims to delve into the complex family dynamics and events leading up to the murders that captured national attention. According to Netflix’s description, it “dives into the historic case that took the world by storm… and in return asks those audiences: Who are the real monsters?”
The show stars Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menéndez and Cooper Koch as Erik Menéndez, with Javier Bardem portraying José Menéndez and Chloë Sevigny as Kitty Menéndez. The series has sparked conversations about its portrayal of the brothers and the ethical considerations of dramatising real-life tragedies.
Erik’s Concern of How Male Trauma is Represented
A central point of Erik’s criticism is the series’ handling of male sexual abuse and trauma. He contends that the show revives outdated beliefs that undermine the recognition of male victims. “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime has 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,” he remarked.
During their trial in the early 1990s, the Menéndez brothers claimed they had endured years of physical and sexual abuse by their father, José Menéndez, with their mother, Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez, allegedly aware of the situation. They argued that this abuse led them to fear for their lives, culminating in the fatal shooting of their parents. Despite these claims, both were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Erik concluded his statement by questioning the necessity of altering their story and emphasized the importance of truthful representation. “Is the truth not enough? Let the truth stand as the truth,” he implored. He expressed concern that the series could undermine the progress made in acknowledging and understanding childhood trauma and male victimisation.
Their attorney, Mark Geragos, has indicated optimism that new testimonies from family members might lead to a reassessment of their convictions, potentially reducing the charges to voluntary manslaughter. As debates continue over the portrayal of real events in media, Erik’s remarks highlight the challenges of balancing storytelling with accuracy in true-crime adaptations.
Here is Menendez’s full statement:
“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.
“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. Those awful lies have been disputed and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out. So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander.
“Is the truth not enough? Let the truth stand as the truth. How demoralizing to know that one man with power can undermine decades of progress in shedding light on childhood trauma. Violence is never an answer, never a solution, and is always tragic. As such, I hope it is never forgotten that violence against a child creates a hundred horrendous and silent crime scenes darkly shadowed behind glitter and glamor and rarely exposed until tragedy penetrates everyone involved. To all those who have reached out and supported me, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
