The highly anticipated second season of Monster will soon be released, shifting its attention to the infamous Menendez case. This case involves brothers Lyle and Erik, who were found guilty of the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez.
In September 2022, the Netflix anthology series by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan began with the chilling tale of infamous US serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, which was released on the streaming platform.
Despite facing controversy for its graphic violence and categorization under the LGBTQ+ tag, the true crime retelling still managed to set streaming records and was eventually approved for a second season.
One of the standout features of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the fact that the individuals involved are still alive and are currently appealing their verdict from behind bars. Before delving into the details, here is a quick overview of the case. Reader discretion is advised as some may find the content disturbing.
The Menendez Murders
The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, were 21 and 18 years old on August 20, 1989 when they murdered their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills residence.
The brothers’ original statement was that they found the bodies upon their return from a movie. One aspect of the investigation that has faced criticism over time is the choice of Beverly Hills Police not to conduct gunpowder residue tests on Lyle and Erik’s hands upon their arrival at the scene.
From left to right: Lyle, Kitty, José, and Erik Menendez
Upon discovering the intense violence at the scene, detectives initially speculated that it may have been a mob hit. However, after a thorough investigation, Lyle and Erik were identified as the primary suspects.
Upon later admission, it was revealed that the brothers had committed the murders, citing prolonged sexual, physical, and emotional mistreatment from their parents. This highly-publicized case sparked a divide in public opinion, with some viewing the brothers as victims while others saw them as cold-blooded murderers.
Following two highly publicized trials, the jury found them guilty of first-degree murder in 1996 and they were subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Despite previous attempts, the push to appeal their convictions has recently resurfaced, coinciding with the highly anticipated release of Netflix’s second season of Monsters. The show will depict the documented events, making it a topic of great interest. Before its debut, here are five essential facts to be aware of.
The Defense Argued Long-Term Abuse
The defense asserted that the brothers acted in self-defense when they killed their parents, citing a history of prolonged abuse.
As part of this, Erik and Lyle testified in detail about the years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse they claimed to have endured from their parents.
According to them, José was a dominating figure who held complete power over their existence, while their mother, Kitty, was depicted as a troubled individual who not only condoned the abuse but also actively participated in it.
During his testimony, Erik, the younger brother, stated that he believed the shooting of their parents occurred because he had told Lyle about his father’s molestation. He explained that the abuse had started when he was six years old and had continued until 1989.
During the court hearing, Erik expressed that they were afraid for their safety following Lyle’s threat to reveal the abuse they had suffered. They stated that José was extremely furious, more so than they had ever witnessed before.
Lyle also shared comparable encounters, describing how their father’s maltreatment was not only physical but also profoundly psychological, shattering their morale and instilling an ongoing state of dread.
He also accused his mother Kitty of engaging in similar sexual abuse, stating, “I interpreted it as love… She appeared to be enjoying it.”
Several members of the Menendez family, including their cousin Diane Vander Molen, supported their claims of abuse. During her testimony, Vander Molen revealed that in 1976, when Lyle was only eight years old, he confided in her about his father’s inappropriate actions towards him.
After telling Kitty, Diane claimed that Kitty did not believe her and instead took Lyle upstairs. According to the cousin, the topic was never brought up again and the cousin convinced themselves that they were mistaken.
Upon reviewing Erik’s childhood medical records, Dr. Kerry English, the medical director of the child abuse team at Martin Luther King Hospital in south central Los Angeles, assessed the information.
During the trial, he was questioned about a mysterious injury to his throat from 1977 and whether it could have been a result of child abuse. He responded, “Yes, it was caused by oral copulation.”
Over the years, new evidence has emerged, including in the 2023 Peacock docu-series Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, bringing to light additional information.
A new docuseries coming to @Peacock puts the infamous case of the Menendez brothers back in the spotlight and includes explosive new allegations against their late father. @jacobsoboroff shares the details. pic.twitter.com/ofQDIfDDl0
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 18, 2023
According to Roy Rossello, a former member of the popular Puerto Rican boy band group Menudo, he was also a victim of sexual abuse by José, the head of RCA Records at the time, in the 1980s.
In the documentary, Roy claims that José drugged and raped him when he was 14 years old, stating, “I know what he did to me in his house.”
Erik, who is currently in prison, expressed his sadness upon hearing the allegations, stating that it is disheartening to learn that another victim has come forward regarding his father’s actions.
“I have always held onto the hope and belief that one day my father’s truth would be revealed, but I never wanted it to come to light in this manner – as a result of another child’s trauma.”
The prosecution focused on their spending spree
One of the main points made by the prosecution was the brothers’ extravagant spending after the murders, suggesting that their actions were driven by the desire to inherit their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.
Upon murdering José and Kitty, Lyle and Erik proceeded to spend a total of $700,000 during the months leading up to their arrest.
Lyle taking the stand in 1993
According to a 1990 Vanity Fair report, Lyle bought a Porsche and invested in a restaurant, along with purchasing Rolex watches, while Erik hired a top-tier tennis coach and acquired a Jeep. Additionally, both individuals allocated funds towards traveling and renting condos.
During the initial trials, prosecutor Pam Bozanich emphasized in her closing statement for Lyle that the brothers’ actions were not solely driven by financial gain. She argued that they were also motivated by a desire to maintain their lifestyle and independence, as they did not want their parents to control them or potentially disinherit them.
In his closing statement for Erik’s trial, prosecutor Lester Kuriyama emphasized the evidence of the brothers’ acquisition of “Rolex watches and money clips,”as well as testimony from tennis coach Mark Heffernan, who stated that “Erik’s spending was significantly more extravagant.”
The defense claimed that the pair purchased firearms for self-protection, while the prosecution argued that this, coupled with their initial efforts to hide the murders from the police, showed premeditation.
Judalon Smyth and the audio tapes
Judalon Smyth, an important witness in the case, initially cooperated with prosecutors. However, there were unexpected developments in the proceedings in the following months.
After his affair with Erik and Lyle’s therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel, ended, Smyth went to the police with recordings of the Menendez brothers confessing to murdering their parents.
At the time, she also asserted that they had coerced Oziel into silence by threatening him. The court played a recording in which the brothers confessed to killing their mother to end her suffering and justified their father’s death as punishment for his infidelity.
Judalon Smyth eventually joined the defense
Despite discussing José Menendez’s controlling behavior in the tapes, the brothers did not bring up the allegations of abuse or self-defense, which were crucial to their defense. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Smyth ultimately testified in favor of the defense, indicating that there may have been other elements involved.
According to an article published by the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Smyth stated that Oziel had exerted control over the brothers and convinced them to say incriminating things on tape, supposedly for their own protection.
In addition, she claimed that Oziel had urged the brothers to create the tape as a means of demonstrating their remorse to the jury. Smyth justified her altered testimony by stating that she had initially been influenced by the therapist.
The controversial nature of this event stemmed from multiple factors, the primary one being that Smyth was a former patient of Oziel’s. In 1997, Oziel’s license was revoked due to his unethical behavior of engaging in sexual relationships with patients and secretly recording sessions without their consent.
Despite the ongoing dispute over their accuracy, one thing is certain – these tapes played a crucial role in the trial and their legality and ethical implications remain a subject of controversy.
The Menendez brothers’ three trials of the century
Before being found guilty, the Menendez brothers faced three different juries. These juries were convened in 1993 and 1994, and received widespread media coverage due to Court TV broadcasting the trials.
According to E!, by the summer of 1993, over 1.3 million Americans were watching from home, solidifying it as the trial of the century before the emergence of high-profile cases such as OJ Simpson and the more recent Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard.
Despite being reiterated for years, it was undeniable by the time of the trials that Erik and Lyle were responsible for killing their parents. The focus of the trials shifted to uncovering the motive behind their actions.
The court sought to establish why the brothers killed their parents
After the initial trials, the juries were unable to reach a verdict on whether Erik and Lyle were ruthless killers or victims of abuse. As a result, Judge Weissberg declared mistrials for both defendants.
The second trial commenced in 1995, but Weissberg imposed new guidelines – the two brothers would be jointly tried with a single jury. Additionally, no cameras or tape recorders were permitted inside the courtroom.
At this time, the OJ Simpson trial and the subsequent media frenzy had already begun.
Although Weissberg stated that the second trial would not be covered electronically, he explained that this decision was made in order to protect the rights of the parties, maintain the dignity of the court, and ensure the proceedings were conducted in an orderly manner.
The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder by the jury in March 1996 and a few months later, they received a life sentence with no chance of parole.
The latest in their appeals
In May 2023, the brothers’ lawyer, Cliff Gardner, submitted a habeas petition to a court, seeking a determination of the legality of their detention.
In the CBS episode of 48 Hours titled ‘The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom’, Gardner maintains that Lyle and Erik should have been found guilty of manslaughter instead of first-degree murder.
If this had happened, a shorter sentence would have been given and they would have been released by now. The attorney has announced that there is new evidence to support their claims of abuse.
“I’ve been attempting to steer clear of my father. The situation continues, Andy, but it has become increasingly difficult for me… Every evening, I remain awake, fearing that he may enter my room… I am filled with fear… He is unstable and has repeatedly warned me not to confide in anyone, particularly Lyle.”
During the brothers’ trials, Andy also testified that when he was 13 years old, Erik confided in him that their father José had been behaving inappropriately towards him. However, the prosecution argued that Andy was not telling the truth.
In the habeas petition, Gardner referenced this letter and an affidavit from Roy Rossello that had been filed in 2023. This was seen as evidence of the brothers’ honesty, according to Gardner’s claims.
The lawyer asserts in the 2024 installment of 48 Hours that “the boys were subjected to abuse throughout their childhood, and this resulted in a manslaughter charge rather than a murder charge. It is a straightforward matter.”
“I am hopeful that the judge will recognize the credibility and persuasiveness of this new evidence in the case, leading to the vacation of the convictions.”
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will be available on Netflix starting September 19. Additionally, we have provided a list of the new television shows arriving on streaming platforms this month.
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