By Velvet Winter from ABC

The Menendez family and their gruesome history are covered in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” by Ryan Murphy.
Photo: Delivered by: Netflix

Warning: This article is about abuse.

After working on Joy, American Horror Story And American crime historyMurphy came up with the confusingly titled Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

The series garnered 13 Emmy nominations (plus a win for actress Niecy Nash) and reached one billion viewing hours within its first 60 days on the platform – one of only four shows to ever achieve that feat.

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

Here’s what you need to know.

Erik Menendez (R) and his brother Lyle listen to the court hearing during an appearance on May 17, 1991.
Photo: Reuters: Lee Celano

Who are Erik and Lyle Menendez?

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

On August 20, 1989, the brothers – Erik, 18, Lyle, 22 – shot their parents multiple times at their home, killing both of them, before leaving the property.

When police discovered their parents’ bodies a few hours later, they feigned innocence. Police then spent months investigating whether the murders were linked to the mafia because of José’s ties to the entertainment industry.

In the months following their parents’ deaths, Erik and Lyle went on a shopping spree, purchasing businesses and luxury items such as sports cars.

It was not until March 1990 that the brothers were arrested and it took another three years before they were both brought to trial.

Why did the Menendez brothers kill their parents?

After their arrest, the brothers confessed to shooting their parents. During their first trial, which began in 1993, Erik’s lawyer Leslie Abramson claimed they were driven to the crime by fear for their lives.

The brothers testified that Jose abused Lyle from the ages of six to eight and Erik from the ages of six to 18. Because of their father’s abuse and their mother’s neglect, they lived in constant fear. In their eyes, shooting their parents was an act of self-defense.

Prosecutors argued that the brothers killed their parents to get their $14 million inheritance more quickly.

Due to the high profile the case received, it was broadcast on the cable channel CourtTV, and the brothers’ tearful testimony turned the murder trial into an international spectacle.

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

A retrial began in late 1995, with both men tried before a single jury and without cameras in the courtroom. Judge Stanley Weisberg ruled that the defense had not presented enough evidence of the brothers’ ongoing abuse by their father.

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

Where are the Menendez brothers now?

Erik and Lyle, both now over 50, are still in prison despite several unsuccessful appeals.

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

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

Like the previous season of Monsters, this iteration follows the Menendez brothers as they deal with the fallout from their crimes while simultaneously reveling in their parents’ money before their arrest, before plunging into their seven-year trial.

But the film also takes a closer look at the time before the crime, focusing on Erik and Lyle’s restricted lives with their parents and the actions that drove them to commit the murders.

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

Nicholas Chavez as Lyle (L), Cooper Koch as Erik and Ari Graynor as lawyer Leslie Abramson.
Photo: Netflix

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

But even beyond the brothers, the cast is packed with stars like Javier Bardem (dune, No country for old men) and Chloë Sevigny (a Murphy supporter since 2011 American Horror Story: Asylum) play the parents José and Kitty.

Ari Graynor (I’m dying up here) will star as Leslie Abramson, a criminal defense attorney in LA and later lead defense attorney for Erik.

Nathan Lane (The Lion King, Beau is afraid) plays late Vanity Fair Reporter Dominick Dunne, who covered the murders extensively. Lane recently told Hollywood Reporters that the show opened his eyes to the torture in real life.

“I think at the beginning it was easy for people to believe that these two spoiled rich kids were going to kill their parents for the money, for the 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 start to understand what led to it.”

Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny as Menendez parents José and Kitty.
Photo: Netflix

What do the critics say?

Despite the popularity of his first Monster In the show, Dahmer was criticized for exploiting the victim’s real tragedy for entertainment purposes.

This time, initial reviews question the need for a remake of Menendez’s story, but continue to praise the lead actors.

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

“When we advocate for murderous and sick people, no matter how hideous their upbringing, we are relying on our own unbridled monstrosities.”

The Katie Rosseinsky agreed with this opinion.

“(Monsters…) feels like a confusing mix of the best and worst of Murphy’s work. His legions of fans will probably love it, but it might leave his critics feeling a little uneasy.”

Meanwhile, Murphy has already started his next Grizzly story and announced that the next Monster The series centers on Plainfield Butcher Ed Gein, played by Charlie Hunham.

Monster: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez is now streaming on Netflix.

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