While initially, the prosecution attempted to frame the murders as financially driven, there was no evidence to support that claim, so it wasn’t allowed to be used in court. The brothers stated, and have maintained, that their sole motivation for the murders was the abuse they suffered at the hands of their parents. They specifically cited the long-term sexual abuse at the hands of their father, José; it seemed that Erik was the primary or sole victim of the sexual abuse.
After emotional and disturbing testimonies from the defense, the jury was deadlocked, and a mistrial was declared. The Menendez brothers were then retried and found guilty, then sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Netflix Series
In September, Netflix released Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, produced by Ryan Murphy. The show was based on the real-life Menendez brothers’ case, though some of the series was dramatized. Murphy and Netflix were criticized after it came to light just how much of the show was inaccurate and painted the brothers in an unsavory light.
