Monster season 2 will follow the Menendez brothers’ trial, and there are 10 shocking details the show cannot emit. Dahmer— Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was released on Netflix last September and broke streaming records. Due to the first season’s success, Monster was renewed as a true-crime anthology series, and its next subject is the Menendez brothers case that captured the media in the early 90s. The Menendez brothers were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion.

In the second season, the title will be pluralized for the second season to Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story. For the title announcement, Netflix released a teaser promo containing Lyle Menendez’s real 911 call and a 2024 release date. While little else is known about the upcoming interpretation of the accounts, the series will likely take a layered approach to the story, exploring multiple motives for the murder. The murders of their parents were brutal, but the court trial revealed that the brothers may have been suffering unspeakable abuse at the hands of their father.
✕Remove Ads

10José Menendez Was Having An Affair

While there is debate about the extent of José’s abuse, it is known that José was having an affair, which both the brothers and his wife Kitty knew about. Knowing about her husband’s infidelity, Kitty became increasingly depressed and irritable. By her sons, Kitty was described as a “doormat” who expressed regret for everything she could’ve become. However, the brothers recounted that this regret would become an abusive rage.

José Menendez was considered a rags-to-riches success story. His relationship with Kitty seemed perfect on the outside. His successful corporate executive job gave them the means to live in a lavish mansion in Beverly Hills. However, José’s affair proved that their marriage was a show, and Kitty was miserable. Unfortunately, the Menendez brothers said they killed their mother to put her out of her misery. Of course, an affair doesn’t excuse murder, but it does give clues to the family dynamic.
✕Remove Ads

9José Menendez Was Verbally Abusive To His Employees & Family

In addition to the affair, several employees of José described him as a boss who would belittle his employees. When unprovoked, José seemed like a charming and intelligent man. However, behind closed doors, he yelled at his employees and created a very toxic environment where his employees were scared to go to work.

José’s verbal abuse also was extended to his family. José filled his sons with expectations, especially the older son Lyle. José’s impossibly high standards created a toxic environment for the boys and their mother, Kitty. The Menendez brothers were also reported to have been physically and sexually abused by their father.

✕Remove Ads

8José Menendez & Kitty Menendez Were Gunned Down In Their Living Room

While José and Kitty were far from perfect, they didn’t deserve to be shot in their living room by their sons. On August 20, 1989, Lyle called 911 to report that someone had killed his parents. The police came to a horrifying scene, witnessing what happened to two bodies shot multiple times with a shotgun. Jose was shot six times, and poor Kitty Menendez was shot 10 times.

The police did not think of the boys as suspects since the boys seemed physically distraught. However, due to the nature of the crime, it seemed that Jose and Kitty knew whoever shot them. Since there wasn’t any evidence of breaking and entering, it seemed unlikely that this was a robbery. Eventually, there was enough evidence to show that the brothers committed the crime, but the Menendez brothers weren’t arrested until the following year.

7Erik Confessed To His Therapist That They Killed His Parents

If it weren’t for Erik’s guilt, the Menendez brothers likely would’ve gotten away with their crimes. After the traumatic experience, Erik saw psychologist Jerome Oziel who he told that they killed his parents. Later, Lyle threatened Oziel that if he told anyone the truth, he would be a dead man.

Due to doctor-patient privilege, Erik believed that Oziel would not go to the police. But it was clear that Erik felt immensely guilty for murdering his parents. While some have said Erik was stuck under the thumb of his older brother, his involvement in the murder should not be understated. Erik did murder his parents, who he had a very complicated relationship with, but his guilt gave him away.

✕Remove Ads

6The Therapist’s Mistress Told The Police About The Menendez Murders

In a shocking turn of events, Jerome Oziel’s mistress Judalon Smyth tells the police that the brothers confessed to the crimes. Oziel not only told his mistress but also angered her so badly that she went to the police to punish him. The police confiscated the therapy tapes from Oziel and Erik’s sessions. The tapes were ruled admissible in court because Lyle threatened Oziel, which violated doctor-patient privilege. However, some of the tapes weren’t admissible, such as Erik describing the murders.

Judalon Smyth did take the witness stand in the Menendez court trial, but according to the prosecuting attorney Pam Bozanich, she was a problematic witness who contradicted some of her previous claims. Regardless of her reasons, Judalon Smyth is the reason that the Menendez brothers were charged with murder. But it would take years for the Menendez media circus to stop spinning.

5OJ’s Defense Attorney Was The Menendez Brothers’ First Attorney

While OJ’s trial is often considered one of the first controversial televised trials, the Menendez brothers’ case started the public’s fascination with televised court drama. Before the brothers hired Leslie Abramson, the brothers hired Robert Shapiro, who is famous for his vital part in OJ’s trial.

In The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, John Travolta portrays Robert Shapiro, who mentions, “I arranged the surrender of Erik Menendez from Israel.” This is based on a speech by Shapiro during Simpson’s infamous Bronco chase, who attempted to get OJ to surrender. Even if it was brief, Shapiro’s involvement in the Menendez brothers solidifies Shapiro’s role in these iconic court cases.

4The Menendez Brothers Confessed In Televised Trial

At first, the Menendez brothers appeared to be victims of a horrible crime. However, in 1993, Court TV broadcast the trial and changed the public’s perception of the brothers forever. In court, the Menendez brothers shocked the world by tearfully confessing to the murder of their parents. However, defense attorney Leslie Abramson argued that boys killed their parents in defense after a lifetime of abuse at the hands of their father.

The Menendez brother’s tearful confession and Abramson’s persuasive words convinced many people that the brothers killed their parents in self-defense. The brothers detailed the sexual abuse of their father when they were between the ages of six and eight. Many felt strongly that no one would lie about such awful events. However, others thought that the brothers murdered their parents out of greed because their mother, Kitty, was planning to cut them out of the will.

3SNL Did A Skit On The Trial

The Menendez brothers case was everywhere during 1993. It was even parodied that year on SNL. SNL’s parodies of real-life events are nothing new, but the particularly violent nature of the crime makes it seem like a strange choice for the late-night sketch show. John Malkovich portrayed one of the brothers who blamed the crimes on their identical younger brothers. This skit also made fun of Erik’s emotional state during the trial.

The fact that SNL did a sketch of the trial shows how massive the trials were for the public at the time. However, the broadcast trial also created a fascination and obsession with these brothers, which led to parody, and people were ready to make films to exploit the boys’ abuse and trauma. While SNL likely wouldn’t do such a controversial parody today, the sketch illustrates the public’s perception of the Menendez brothers.

2The First Menendez Brothers’ Jury Ended In A Hung Jury

The Menendez brother trial led to two deadlocked juries, meaning the brothers would have to be retried. Many factors were involved in the Menendez brothers’ trial ending in a mistrial. Attorney Pam Bozanich argued that the sexual abuse was used as a “legal smokescreen” and was completely fabricated to sway the jury. Abramson’s compelling defense persuaded some of the jury and the public that the boys were victims.
 While everyone desperately wanted a verdict to end this media circus, the brothers were tried for a second time. This time, the Menendez brothers hired David Cohen and Carol Najera as their defense team. Their attorneys focused on proven facts and the brutality of the murders. While Abramson returned to defend the boys, she could not sway the new jury.

1The Second Menendez Brothers’ Jury Put The Brothers In Prison For Life

The Menendez brothers were convicted of two counts of murder in the first degree and were sentenced to life in prison without parole. The judge decided not to impose the death penalty on the brothers because the boys had no history of violent crimes. While the two brothers lived, one of them thrived in prison. The brothers were separated after the trial and were reunited 22 years later in 2018.

In prison, Erik Menendez took college courses and participated in volunteer work. He was also married in prison and confessed in a telephone interview from jail with Chris Cuomo that he wishes he could take back the murders of his parents every day. Lyle, on the hand, was married twice and caused trouble at his facility. With the two brothers still drawing attention to the media, it makes sense for Netflix to greenlight a drama about the scandalous case. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has plenty of material to cover when the show returns in 2024.