Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison for killing their parents. Now their story is a Netflix miniseries

By Velvet Winter from ABC

Warning: This article contains examples of abuse.

After working on Joy, American Horror Story AND American Crime StoryMurphy came out with a misleading title Dahmer – Monster: Jeffrey Dahmer History.

The series earned 13 Emmy nominations (plus one for actress Niecy Nash) and logged 1 billion hours of viewers in its first 60 days on the platform – one of only four series to achieve that feat.

Now, the streaming giant is unleashing Murphy on another dark chapter in American history with his anthology series Monster Next, we learn the true story of brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, who in 1996 were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of their parents.

Here’s what you need to know.

Who are Erik and Lyle Menendez?

Until 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez were normal, if privileged, young men. They lived in a Beverly Hills mansion with their parents, Mary Louise (better known as Kitty) and José, an entertainment executive.

On Aug. 20, 1989, the brothers — Erik, 18, and Lyle, 22 — shot their parents multiple times in their home, killing them both. They then left the property.

When police discovered the bodies of their parents hours later, they pretended to be innocent, prompting police to spend months investigating whether the murders were mafia-related, given José’s ties to the entertainment industry.

In the months after their parents died, Erik and Lyle went on a shopping spree, buying businesses and luxury goods like sports cars.

The brothers were not arrested until March 1990, and it was another three years before both were brought to trial.

Why did the Menendez brothers kill their parents?

After being arrested, the brothers confessed to shooting their parents. During their first trial, which began in 1993, Erik’s lawyer, Leslie Abramson, argued that they were forced to commit the crime out of fear for their lives.

The brothers testified that José had molested Lyle from the age of six to eight, and Erik from six to eighteen; that abuse from their father and neglect from their mother caused them to live in constant fear; that in their eyes, shooting and killing their parents was an act of defense.

Prosecutors alleged the brothers killed their parents to quickly receive an inheritance worth $14 million.

The publicity surrounding the case prompted it to be aired on CourtTV, and the brothers’ tearful testimony made the murder trial an international spectacle.

After months of testimony, two independent juries were unable to decide whether the brothers were guilty of manslaughter or murder.

The retrial began in late 1995, with both men tried before a single jury and no cameras in the courtroom. Judge Stanley Weisberg ruled that the defense had not presented sufficient evidence of long-term abuse by their father.

Twenty weeks later, a jury found Erik and Lyle guilty of first-degree murder. They were later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Where are the Menendez brothers now?

Erik and Lyle, both in their 50s, remain in prison, having made repeated unsuccessful appeals.

In 2018, more than 30 years after their convictions, the brothers were moved to the same apartment in a Southern California prison. A prison spokesman said they can and do interact.

What is Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story about?

Just like last season MonsterThis installment follows the Menendez brothers as they deal with the fallout from their crimes while enjoying their parents’ money before their arrests, and then delves into their seven-year stint on trial.

But it also delves into the period leading up to the crime, focusing on Erik and Lyle’s restrictive lives with their parents and the actions that led them to the murders.

Who stars in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?

Cooper Koch (Swallowed) and Nicholas Chavez (General Hospital) play Erik and Lyle, respectively.

But beyond the brothers, the cast is full of stars. Javier Bardem (Dune, This is no country for old men) and Chloë Sevigny (Murphy’s main character since 2011 American Horror Story: Asylum) play the parents of José and Kitty.

Ari Graynor (I’m dying here) will play Leslie Abramson, a Los Angeles attorney and ultimately Erik’s lead lawyer.

Nathan Lane (The Lion King, Beau is scared) plays late Vanity fair reporter Dominick Dunne, who has covered the murders extensively. Lane recently said Hollywood Reporter that the series opened his eyes to real experiences.

“I think at first it was easy for people to believe that two spoiled rich kids would kill their parents for money, for an inheritance, but it’s much more complicated than that,” he said.

“It doesn’t change the fact that they committed this terrible act, but I think maybe you’re starting to understand what led up to it.”

What are the critics saying?

Despite the popularity of his first Monsters Dahmer has drawn criticism for exploiting the victim’s real tragedy in the name of entertainment.

This time around, early reviews question the necessity of retelling Menendez’s story, but still praise the lead actors.

“Despite its gripping subject matter and stellar performances, Monsters… has no idea what it wants to be. So it simply dissolves into a tale of unspeakable abuse and gruesome crimes.” Diversity’Aramide Tinubu said.

“When we engage in platforming of murderous and sick people, no matter how awful their upbringing may have been, we are leaning into our own unchecked monstrosities.”

Independent Katie Rosseinsky shares these opinions.

“(Monsters…) feels like a confusing mix of Murphy’s best and worst. It will probably appeal to his legions of fans, but his critics may feel a little uneasy.”

Meanwhile, Murphy has already moved on to his next horror story, announcing that the next one Monsters The series will focus on the character of the Plainfield Butcher, Ed Gein, played by Charlie Hunham.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now available on Netflix.

This story was first published by (abc.net.au/ABC.)