Netflix series and Hollywood attention help drive resentencing of Menendez brothers nearly 30 years after their parents’ murder conviction.
Nearly three decades after their 1996 conviction for the parents’ murders, the Menendez brothers built momentum trying to carve a new path toward possible freedom – this time, with the help of Hollywood.
From Netflix’s « Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story », which received an eyebrow-raising 11 Emmy nominations, to viral podcasts, the media spotlights have reignited public debate over their case and set the stage for resentencing and parole bids.
Critics argue the newfound attention is less about justice and more about entertainment.
« The resentencing of the Menendez brothers speaks directly to the power and influence that social media and new media have on our society », Adam Guillette, the president of Accuracy in Media, told Fox News Digital.
« Why did the elected Los Angeles district attorney revisit this case? Was it suddenly an urgent public safety issue for his constituents? No, but it received a ton of attention on podcasts and on Netflix. »
Supporters of Erik and Lyle Menendez see the spotlight differently, arguing that renewed public interest has shed light on the childhood abuse and trauma that the brothers say they endured in their gilded Beverly Hills upbringing.
Their attorneys say that the series, movies and podcasts have created space for a more sympathetic view of the brothers’ shotgun murders in 1989 and bolstered a push for second chances.How pop culture revived their story
The brothers, who were 18 and 21 at the time of the murders, have long been acquainted with the media frenzy.
