What We Learned from The Menendez Brothers Netflix Documentary

As a seasoned movie buff with a knack for true-crime dramas and a deep appreciation for the intricacies of storytelling, I must say that the latest releases surrounding the Menendez brothers have certainly piqued my interest. The duality of Ryan Murphy’s gripping narrative “Monsters” and the documentary “The Menendez Brothers” presents an engaging exploration into the complexities of their lives and the infamous case that has captivated audiences for over three decades.

For over three decades now, I, a passionate film enthusiast, have been following the chilling story of the Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, who are currently incarcerated for the murder of their own parents. Yet, despite being behind bars, these brothers continue to remain in the public eye.

Ryan Murphy’s popular Netflix series, titled “Monsters,“, was inspired by their story and premiered in September. Starting October 7th, Netflix will release a documentary called “The Menendez Brothers“, which includes phone conversations with the brothers while they are incarcerated.

The Menendez brothers have consistently maintained that they were responsible for the deaths of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion on August 20, 1989. However, they have persistently requested the public to grasp their narrative more deeply. In the high-profile trials that began in 1993 and concluded in 1996, resulting in their lifetime imprisonment, the prosecution alleged that their primary motive for the murders was to seize their parents’ approximately $14 million estate. On the other hand, the defense claimed they were defending themselves after years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, a well-known music executive.

The documentary focuses on the Menendez Brothers as they revisit trial footage where both Erik and Lyle testified, detailing the alleged abuses they suffered. Besides the brothers, filmmakers speak to members of their defense team, jurors, expert witnesses, and journalists who reported on the case in the ’90s. The documentary includes comments from the Menendez brothers regarding each significant event in the chronology of their trial.

Here are some notable moments from the brothers’ interviews in The Menendez Brothers.

The night of the murders

Lyle and Erik Menendez aim to emphasize that they did not take pleasure in the act of murdering their parents, as they were only 21 and 18 years old at the time.

The documentary kicks off with audio of Lyle calling 9-1-1 and saying that someone killed his parents.

The brothers weren’t apprehended until seven months had passed, yet they express surprise in the documentary that they were not viewed as suspects earlier on. As Erik explains, “There was gunpowder residue all over our hands… There were gun shells in my car.” He further states, “If they had merely questioned me, I wouldn’t have been able to withstand it. I was in a state of total breakdown and shock.

Lyle referred to the fact that he admitted to murdering his parents as a “heavy burden.” He admits that there was a sense of relief when he was arrested. “Many feelings during that period of my life seem illogical,” he adds.

The Menendez brothers’ reaction to the murders

The authorities began taking notice of them once they started splurging lavishly, such as purchasing a Porsche, three Rolex timepieces, and hiring an annual tennis coach for $50,000.

But they say those were efforts to distract them from their profound grief.

Erik asserts, ‘It’s preposterous that I was enjoying myself.’ In reality, he admits, it was all a facade to mask the excruciating agony he felt about not wanting to live.

Lyle admits that he might have seemed like a carefree playboy, but deep down, he wasn’t actually enjoying himself. He confides that he would cry at night and struggle to sleep. He expresses feelings of being adrift without his father guiding him, saying, “I felt quite lost when my father wasn’t there to show me the way.” Additionally, he shares a poignant sentiment about a significant part of himself and Erik (presumably another person) that seemed to perish on that particular night.

What We Learned from The Menendez Brothers Netflix Documentary

Complicated feelings about their father

As a passionate cinephile, I’d put it this way: “I confess, there was a dark secret brewing within our family. Something so profoundly disturbing, it drove my brother and me to commit the unthinkable.

In the course of the documentary, trial clips depict Erik and Lyle, visibly emotional, describing how their father coerced them into participating in sexual acts. Lyle admitted to touching his father’s private areas and performing oral sex on him. Erik confessed that he consented to the abuse as spending individual time with his father was scarce. Confused by these intimate family encounters, Lyle allegedly also molested Erik.

Nevertheless, the Menendez brothers aim to make it clear to Netflix audiences that they were genuinely frightened at the prospect of revealing information about their father. They express that their reluctance was not driven by a desire to harm his reputation. Erik articulates this sentiment by saying, “Revealing the sick secrets of our family would be equivalent to killing my parents all over again.

In the documentary, Erik expresses that one factor preventing him from committing suicide was his fear of disappointing his father by failing him at that particular moment.

Where the Menendez brothers are now

Both men are at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California. Lyle is 56, and Erik is 53. In the documentary, Erik describes how he has found painting to be an escape.

In simpler terms, they are hoping for a judge’s approval to review additional evidence found after the trial. A letter written by Erik Menendez to his cousin Andy Cano eight months before the murder reveals Erik’s fear of his father due to alleged abuse. This letter was unearthed in storage following Cano’s death in 2003. Furthermore, a 2023 affidavit has been submitted by Roy Rossello, a member of the Menudo boy band, claiming that Jose Menendez had sexually abused him.

The Menendez brothers have exhausted all their state and federal appeal possibilities, making a retrial highly improbable. As Robert Rand, an author and documentary participant who closely follows the case, stated to TIME: “Half of the witnesses are deceased or suffering from dementia. Is it wise for the taxpayers of Los Angeles County to invest millions of dollars into retrying Eric and Lyle Menendez?” (Rand is well-acquainted with the brothers and has recently visited Lyle Menendez in prison.)

Since the MeToo movement sparked a nationwide discussion on sexual abuse and the case became popular on TikTok within recent years, the brothers believe that the Netflix documentary could appeal to a more compassionate audience that didn’t previously exist in the early 1990s. For instance, the TikTok generation, many of whom were born after the conviction, are now part of the conversation. In the documentary, Lyle expresses this sentiment: “For the first time, it feels like we’re having a dialogue where people can finally grasp and believe.

2024-10-03 11:06