Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ dramatizes the real events surrounding the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the hands of their sons, Lyle and Erik. The series presents the case from various angles, especially as the brothers are put on trial and several secrets about them and their parents come to light. Because it is the brothers’ words against their parents who are not there to defend themselves, a lot of things that come out during the trial add fodder to the imagination of the people watching it unfold on their TVs. The show tries to factor in all the possible theories surrounding why the brothers killed their parents, one of which is the twisted nature of their own relationship.
Lyle Apologised to Erik on the Stand for Sexually Abusing Him
In the show, the main thing that Lyle and Erik Menendez reveal in the trial and what is heavily used by their lawyers as part of their defense is the accusation of sexual abuse by their parents, especially their father. Lyle reveals that Jose had abused him since he was six, and when his father stopped abusing him, he moved on to Erik. What makes things more shocking is when Lyle reveals that while Jose was abusing him, he took to abusing Erik. This part of the story is true.
In his testimony during the first trial (which was later declared a mistrial due to a hung jury), Lyle Menendez admitted to sexually abusing Erik when they were both young. Lyle testified that whatever he did to Erik was a reflection of what was allegedly done to him by their father. He also said that he stopped the abuse shortly after having stood up to Jose regarding his own alleged abuse. Lyle further testified that he felt immense regret for having done this to his brother, who, he further alleged, later became the victim of their father’s abuse. Lyle also expressed grief over not being able to save Erik from Jose.
The Theory of Incest Was Allegedly Considered by the Jury
While Lyle confessed to abusing his brother, he and Erik never admitted to having any sexual relationship between them at any point during the trial. In the show, the idea of incest between the brothers is mentioned by Dominick Dunne, who postulates that perhaps the brothers killed their parents because they found out about the incestuous affair and needed to be kept shut. The show takes Dunne’s and the audience’s imagination a step further by showing the brothers showering together when their mother walks in. The Netflix series relies heavily on Robert Rand’s book, ‘The Menendez Murders: The Shocking Untold Story of the Menendez Family and the Killings that Stunned the Nation,’ and it is there that we find the theory about incest.
Rand stated in his book that the jury on Erik’s case considered the possibility of Erik’s homosexuality. The defense tried to make it irrelevant to the case, but there is no doubt that it greatly influenced how the jury viewed the defendant. According to the book, one of the jurors in Erik’s case came up with the theory that perhaps it was Erik’s homosexuality that the brothers were trying to cover up. More than that, they theorized that perhaps the brothers were romantically involved, and it is this secret they didn’t want to let out into the world. The jurors believed that the parents found out about it, and that’s why they got killed.
Erik’s Sexuality Played an Important Part in His Trial
While it may have been briefly considered, the theory of incest never panned out because there was nothing to support it. It was eventually thrown out of the window, but the question of Erik’s sexuality remained and reportedly even influenced the jury’s decision. During the trial, Erik Menendez emphasized that he is not gay, though he did claim that due to the nature of the alleged abuse suffered at a young age, he did get confused regarding his sexuality for a while. This only inflamed the jury’s doubts about him. Reportedly, the female jurors in Erik’s first trial argued that the male jurors’ thought process was influenced by their homophobia and sexism.
They were prone to see Erik through the lens of homosexuality just as much as they were prone to completely disregarding the points put forward by the women on the jury. Considering the important part that sexuality, or rather the simple mention of homosexuality, played in the trial, it makes sense that the creators of the Netflix series embedded that into the story. However, the part about incest is an over-exaggeration of something that was theorized by an ill-informed juror with an active imagination.
The show incorporates it into the story to tease the audience’s imagination and their perception of the Menendez brothers. It subtly highlights the intimacy between them in the way they dance with each other, hug or kiss each other, or express concern and love for one another. But all of that is entirely made up to make the incest theory seem more plausible for the audience rather than throwing it into the mix out of the blue. It must be noted that both brothers have been married to different women for a long time now.
Read More: Is Lyle Menendez Bald? Does He Wear a Wig or Toupee?
