The Menendez Brothers: Unpacking the Real Story Behind Netflix's Gripping Series

 To Save Or Not To Save: The Menendez Brothers | VALLEY Magazine   

    The Menendez Brothers. A case that has been riveting in media and has many renditions of books, movies, and TV shows for years. Not just of the brutal murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez, but the alleged abuse of the brothers. Many opinions about the case have been shared over the last 34 years since they were arrested. Some say they were driven by greed and money to kill their parents. While some say the murders were self-defense from years of verbal and sexual abuse. Now, many have relooked at the case with Netflix show, Monsters: The Menendez Brothers. Now a new generation is shedding light on the case and the same question is being asked. Are the Menendez brothers cold blooded killers that were driven by greed and money or did they act in self-defense after years of abuse? 

    Now, let's get into the story of the crime and the history of the Menendez family. Jose was originally from Havana, Cuba, but moved to the United States and believed in hard work and was self made. Jose was an entertainment executive for RCA. Jose met Kitty in college, and the two got married. The couple then had Lyle and Erik Menendez. The Menendez family was a picture perfect family who lived the American dream. A very successful family that had two successful sons. Lyle was going to follow in his father's footsteps and going to Princeton University. However, he was on academic probation and was also suspended because of plagiarism. There was Erik as well. He was an average student, but he was a pro tennis player and was a ranked player. However, this "perfect picture" was just a facade. On August 20, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were brutally killed in their own Beverly Hills home. Both had multiple shot gun wounds and the crime was thought to be a mob shooting. The police never suspected that the brothers were suspects because of Lyle's 911 call that was chilling. However, what truly happened was that the brothers killed their parents. Two days before the murders Lyle and Erik Menendez purchased shotguns and planned the crime. They crafted their alibi by buying tickets to a movie, and then they went into the house and shot their father and then their mother multiple times. Kitty and Jose were almost unrecognizable from the shots. The Menendez brothers then disposed of the weapons by throwing them in a canyon, miles away from the house. They then went home and then called 911. No one believed the brothers had anything to do with the crime. They got away with it. However, the brother then raised flags when they lavishly spent money on cars, vacations, and other expensive things. However, there was no evidence that pointed to the brothers. However, Erik started to feel immense guilt for the murders and that is when his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel reached out. Erik then confessed that him and his brother killed their parents. Little did Erik know, these sessions were recorded. Dr. Oziel did not go to the police to protect the privacy of his patients. However, he did tell the tapes to his mistress, Judalon Smith. She then went to the police in March of 1990.    

    The brothers were then arrested and put on trial. The trial of the Menendez brothers was aired on TV and was a media sensation. The defense of the brothers was shocking and highlighted supposed abuse that happened for years. Both Erik and Lyle described many times where their father would abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually abuse them. The brothers also described Kitty Menendez as a broken woman that struggled with drugs and alcohol. Also, saying that their mother did nothing to stop Jose and would sometime abuse them too. However, the prosecution said that the Menendez brothers were monsters and only killed their parents for the money. The prosecution highlighted the spending habits after their parents' death, spending over 700,000 dollars. Instead of the defense focusing on the innocence of the Menendez brothers, they pivoted and said that they killed their parents in self-defense from the abuse that happened for years. The first hearing ended in a hung jury, and would have a second hearing. In July of 1996, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life without a chance of parole. 

    The nation was engaged in the Menendez brothers case, and many different outlets of media focused on the case. There has been numerous books written about the case talking about both sides of the case. Some were saying the Menendez brothers do not deserve to be in jail for life. While others say they deserve the sentence, they got. Now, the case has been made into a Netflix series that has captured the attention of the case like it did so many years ago. The show, Monsters: The Menendez Brothers are apart of a series of shows created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. The first show Murphy and Brennan made was Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The Menendez brothers series is similar to the show. The series blends the true and somewhat true parts of the Menendez brothers side of the story. There were lots of opinions of the series and was a major series that people talked about. Erik Menendez even expressed about his thoughts on the Netflix series saying that the show was dishonest about the truth about the case. Erik also thought the portyal Lyle and Erik were based on lies and not how they truly are. Erik also responded that in the show they are undermining the sexual abuse and that the brothers had and take steps back from the truth of the case. Younger generations have been showing sympathy for the Menendez brothers and believe they should have a shot at parole. However, there are still mixed opinions about the case. There are still people that also believe that they killed their parents for money and that they should not leave jail. 

    The Menendez brothers have been a case that has been a big discussion about if they truly deserve to parole and if their crime was self-defense or not. The brother has been able to have another hearing about decreasing their life sentence to 50 years instead of a full life sentence. A hearing was scheduled in October of 2024, however it has pushed back numerous times. The case is supposed to have a hearing by the end of January. The defense for is seeking them an opportunity to have parole because they have been exceptional prisoners. Erik has lead self-help groups for prisoners that have suffered from sexual abuse, and Lyle has written multiple letters about their innocence. The Menendez brothers have also been taking college classes in prison. The two brothers will have the hearing, and it will decide wether they can walk free again. The nation is still divided on if the brothers deserve to be in jail the rest of their life. Now, it is time for you to decide. Are the Menendez brothers the cold bolded killers, or are they victims that acted in self-defense? 


References

Kallmekris. (2024, September 25). The Menendez Brothers | Victims OR Killers?? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eldILKDfWIg

Stelloh, T. (2024, November 8). Menendez brothers timeline: The murders, trials and effort to 

    free them from prison. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/menendez-brothers-         timeline-trials-murders-free-prison-effort-rcna179362

https://www.facebook.com/peoplemag. (2024). How Did the Menendez Brothers Get Caught?Why              Erik’s Private Therapy Confession Led to Their Arrest and Conviction. People.com.                                https://people.com/how-did-the-menendez-brothers-get-caught-8717554

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