Yahoo News Netflix's Monsters boss responds to backlash from Erik Menéndez
The following article references emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
Netflix's Monsters co-creator Ryan Murphy has responded to backlash from the real Erik Menéndez.
Erik spoke out last week to criticise Murphy and co-writer Ian Brennan's depiction of the trial of the Menéndez brothers for the murder of their parents José and Kitty Menéndez.
The Menéndez brothers maintain that the deaths of their parents took place after years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse within the family. They were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996.
In a social media statement, Erik Menéndez accused Ryan Murphy of a "dishonest portrayal" in Monsters, suggesting the show played into "the lies and ruinous character portrayals" that have persisted about the brothers since their conviction.
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"I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent," he wrote.
"It is sad for me to know that Netflix's dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward – back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women."
In response to those criticisms, Murphy has now told Entertainment Tonight that Erik should watch the show in its entirety before condemning it.
"I think it’s interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show,” Murphy said. “The thing that I find interesting that he doesn’t mention in his quote is if you watch the show, I would say 60 to 65% of our show in the scripts center around the abuse and what they claim happened to them.
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"And we do it very carefully and we give them their day in court and they talk openly about it."
Murphy acknowledged that the subject matter of Monsters can be "controversial", but felt it was important to portray both the perspectives of the brothers and their murdered parents.
"Two of them are dead. What about the parents? We had an obligation as storytellers to also try and put in their perspective based on our research, which we did," he argued.
Ryan addressed another controversial creative choice to allude to an incestuous connection between the brothers — based on a theory referenced in Vanity Fair journalist Dominick Dunne's 1994 reporting on the chase.
"If you watch the show, what the show is doing is presenting the points of view and theories from so many people who were involved in the case,” Murphy said. “Dominick Dunne wrote several articles talking about that theory. We are presenting his point of view. And we had an obligation to show all of that and we did.”
The Menéndez brothers will have their chance to tell their side of the infamous story in an upcoming documentary.
Netflix announced following the premiere of Monsters that Lyle and Erik have given interviews for the film The Menendez Brothers, directed by Alejandro Hartmann.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is streaming now on Netflix, while The Menendez Brothers documentary premieres on the service on October 7.
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, which works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on its website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
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