The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Raises Questions About The Ethics of True Crime Entertainment 

Viewers love a good dose of true crime.

The reasons for the popularity of the unconventional genre are pretty obvious. With every episode, the audience gets to play armchair detective on a real-life case, searching for anything that the police may have missed. In most instances, the criminal is apprehended, and victims finally get to start the difficult healing process. This is probably why Netflix’s biographical crime anthology series, Monster, was picked up for a second season. 

The first installment, The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, focused on the titular serial killer and was released in 2022. Season 2, The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, hit the streaming service in 2024. But unlike most series in the true crime genre, the conclusion did not leave anyone with a proper sense of closure. After watching the disturbing retelling of events that led the titular siblings to murder their parents with shotguns in 1989, one is left feeling extremely unsettled and really sad. 

A Harrowing Retelling of Events 

Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the series offers multiple perspectives of the events before and after José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) were killed by their sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch). Across nine episodes, viewers are offered a dramatization of the brothers’ testimony, which includes graphically disturbing accounts of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of their father.

Watching Chavez and Koch mirror the real-life testimony given by Lyle and Erik (which can be viewed on YouTube) is extremely painful to watch. As a result, one can’t help but wonder if true crime shows are exploiting real-life situations for entertainment. No one really thinks about this sort of dilemma when the guilt of the person bestowed with the “monster” title is clear. But things get super awkward when the person/s in question might be the true victims. 

The Legal Debate Surrounding the Menendez Case 

In the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the prosecution argued that the siblings were spoiled and murdered their parents to inherit their fortune. However, the brothers stated that they feared for their lives because they finally confronted their father about the abuse. The first trial was dismissed as the jury could not reach a verdict. During the second trial, all claims of sexual abuse were banned from the court by the judge.

The Menendez brothers were later convicted of murder and are currently serving life sentences in a maximum-security prison without the possibility of parole. For those directly impacted by the events, seeing their trauma re-enacted on screen can be devastating. The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has been criticized for its depiction of the siblings’ relationship as sometimes being incestuous. Erik Menendez personally denounced the show for its inaccuracies and its portrayal of his brother.

Challenges of True Crime Storytelling 

People who create true crime shows may argue that the cases are public knowledge and are, therefore, fair game. But the victims and their families often have little to no say in how their stories are told, which makes them feel exploited. The Menendez brothers themselves are reportedly aware of their renewed notoriety that came after the Netflix series was released. Whether the attention helps their appeals process or re-traumatizes them remains an open question. 

The public also plays a role in the success of exploitative series. While we may justify our interest as curiosity or a desire to understand societal issues, the demand that goes with whatever reasons we come up with, fuels an industry that profits from pain. But dramatizing real-life events doesn’t have to be completely problematic. Responsible storytelling starts with consulting those involved (when possible) and handling their stories with care.

The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom 

In real life, the Menendez brothers recently met with the Los Angeles County district attorney to discuss their early release appeal. However, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he is still reviewing the case and hasn’t decided if he will support the brothers’ request for freedom. Although the Netflix series has resulted in online support for Lyle and Erik’s release, the law will likely not be swayed by public opinion. 

Per ABC News, Erik and Lyle Menendez are set to appear in court for a hearing in the resentencing case on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.