With Netflix releasing The Menendez Brothers, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menedez Story star Cooper Koch explains what the documentary left out. The Netflix documentary focuses on the convicted brothers, who revisit and explain the crime and trials that shocked the nation. Cooper Koch, who portrayed Erik Menendez, has been very vocal about his support and belief in the brothers. He even met them during a visit to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, where both brothers are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for the 1989 killings of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez.
In a recent appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Koch was asked about the documentary. He stated that he thought it was a good documentary but wondered why it omitted information about the newfound evidence, which led to a habeas petition the brothers’ attorneys filed in 2023. Read his full quote below:
I thought they did a great job. I thought they left out a couple of pieces of information that would have been great to have in there, which is the two pieces of new evidence that have come out, which is the letter that Erik wrote to his cousin Andy.
And then also, a member of Menudo [Roy Rosselló] came out about also having been sexually molested by José Menendez.
Why Is The Case Getting A Different POV?
Social Media Played A Role In Revisiting The Case In A Different Light
The Menendez brothers’ case first captivated the nation during their 1993 trial, exposing a web of family dysfunction, allegations of abuse, mistreatment, and ultimately their shocking defense strategy. Although the first trial was the one to launch CourtTV onto the entertainment stratosphere, drawing more than 1.3 million viewers over the summer of 1993, the Menedez Brothers’ second trial in 1996 barred any mention of abuse from being admitted into evidence, overshadowing key elements of their defense.
In 2020, the case resurfaced on TikTok, with users revisiting the trial and interview footage. This phenomenon shifted the narrative from ‘cold-blooded murder’ to possible survivors of trauma. It all seems to have struck a chord with younger audiences, who are now reevaluating the case through the eyes of a more educated society that recognizes that men can be victims of sexual assault, too.
What The New Evidence Means For The Menendez Brothers
It Presents A Glimmer Of Hope
One of the new pieces of evidence Koch is referring to is a handwritten letter, dated about eight months before the murders, from Erik to his cousin, Andy Cano, where he recalled the abuse at the hands of his father. Cano was a key witness in the 1993 trial, testifying that Erik had told him about his father’s abuse when he was 13 years old. The other piece of evidence comes from Roy Rosselló, a former member of the 1980s boy band Menudo, who publicly accused José Menendez of sexually assaulting him when he was a teenager in the Peacock docuseries, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Related
7 Biggest Reveals In Netflix’s Menendez Brothers Documentary
The Menendez Brothers documentary on Netflix reveals new information about the case that was absent from Monsters season 2.
This new claim has added credibility to the Menendez brothers’ original defense that their father’s long-term abuse was what drove them to commit the murders. These revelations have added to the shift in narrative, sparking renewed interest in the case and intensified public debate around the brothers’ motives and the bias of the justice system towards male sexual assault victims.
The hearing could result in several outcomes, including retrial, re-sentencing, or even the possibility of parole.
When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the documentary’s producers, Ross Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans, explained that they didn’t include the new evidence in the feature because they were “leaving that up to the attorneys currently fighting with the habeas petition.” A new hearing for the Menendez brothers is set for November 29. This comes after Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón admitted the new evidence. The hearing could result in several outcomes, including retrial, re-sentencing, or even the possibility of parole.
Our Take On The Upcoming Hearing
Time has been served
The upcoming hearing offers a crucial opportunity to reexamine the Menendez brothers’ case through a modern lens. With the new evidence finally being admitted by the District Attorney, the justice system now has the chance to address how past bias against male abuse survivors might have impacted the original verdict. The decision now lies with George Gascón, who will reexamine the new evidence and will evaluate if the brothers have rehabilitated during their incarceration.
Related
Monsters True Story: How Long The Menendez Brothers Were Separated In Prison In Real Life
The Netflix docudrama Monsters by Ryan Murphy left out a major detail, as well as stirring up controversy — the brothers’ separation wasn’t the end.
In prison, Erik and Lyle have actively engaged in creative and rehabilitative activities. They spearheaded a prison beautification project, and Lyle leads support groups for other inmates, focusing on healing from trauma and sharing their experiences as victims of abuse. Hopefully, the newfound evidence of abuse and the brothers’ rehabilitation is enough for them to be re-sentenced, especially given the documentary The Menendez Brothers and Monsters.
Source: Watch What Happens Live, The Hollywood Reporter
Lyle and Erik Menendez, imprisoned for killing their parents, recount the crime and the dramatic trials in this documentary.
- Director
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Alejandro Hartmann
- Release Date
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October 7, 2024
- Cast
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Lyle Menendez
, Erik Menendez - Runtime
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116 Minutes
