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Escaping into the dream world ofAvatar: The Last Airbender, hopping on a scooter with Emily to cruise through Rome inEmily in Paris, or diving into high-speed action sequences inRebel Ridge. The best shows and movies onNetflixguarantee a wild ride, but the genre that seems to stand out in whichever format is undoubtedly true crime. Producing true-crime documentaries like fresh bread at a bakery, Netflix continues to bring captivating stories behind the most disturbing real-life murders to the screen.
One of Netflix’s most controversial movies is the recently released dramaMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which takes a closer look at a horrific real-life murder that took place over three decades ago. Two brothers almost got away with a vile crime if it hadn’t been for the guilt, with 18-year-old Erik seeking comfort with his therapist, Dr. Oziel, who would later play a substantial role in their arrest.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the newest addition to Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s “Monster” anthology series, chronicling the case of the real-life brothers convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed - and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole - that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
The Shocking Crime Behind Netflix’s Monsters
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyrevisits a night in August 1989 when the two Menendez brothers proved their acting skills during a horrifying call stating that their parents were brutally murdered. While the 911 call already revealed that the scene at the Menendez house was extremely gruesome,police were left in shock when they discovered the bodies of José and Kitty Menendez, disfigured due to several gunshot wounds on numerous body parts, including the head and face. When the question arose as to who killed José and Kitty Menendez, Lyle and Erik immediately blamed the mafia. The reasoning behind this was the father’s position as a prestigious businessman, butthe true story behind the Menendez murders turned out to be even more sinister.
Lyle and Erik were discovered as the true murderers behind this evil crime that shook the entire nation. After frantically trying to turn the case around, the two Menendez brothers ended up admitting that they had gunned their parents down. After coming up with a plan and buying two shotguns, they returned to their home and gruesomely killed their parents. The controversial Netflix drama suggested thatErik and Lyle had an incestuous relationship, although Erik Menendez slammed the accusation. During the real trial, the defense solely stated that Lyle and Erik were abused by their father and mother for the majority of their lives and, due to severe trauma and an incredibly toxic relationship between parents and the children,the Menendez brothers were allegedly convinced that José and Kitty were planning on killing them.
Monsters: Comparing the Cast & Characters to the Real People
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has a cast of familiar and unfamiliar actors who nail the roles of the real people they’re playing.
The fundamental idea was to turn the murder into self-defense, but the efforts failed. As for what happened with Erik and Lyle Menendez, both brothers are currently still serving life sentences for the murder of José and Kitty Menendez. The controversial story behind the brothers' lives and the release of new evidence allegedly even led toCooper Koch and Kim Kardashian visitingthe Menendez brothers in prison since Kim is also known for her role as a prison reform activist.
Lyle and Erik Menendez’s Confession to Their Therapist
At the center of the controversial Netflix drama and the real-life story are certainly the Menendez brothers, whose disturbing crime and its circumstances are explored in substantial detail. Apart from deep insights into the brother’s allegedly traumatizing past through either a disturbing single-shot episode featuring Cooper Koch, who plays Erik, or upsetting conversations between Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik themselves,one of the most important revelations is delivered by the brothers’ therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. Oziel plays a key role inthe true storybehind Netflix’sMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
At the time, Dr. Oziel, despite being married, was involved with one of his patients, Judalon Smyth, with whom he would occasionally share information from his sessions. News about Lyle and Erik’s confession was also brought to Judalon, and so was the fact that Oziel had audio recordings of the Menendez brothers admitting to committing the crime. Only a few months after Lyle and Erik Menendez confessed their crimes to their therapist, the slow progression in the murder investigation was suddenly sped up.
Before You Watch Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Watch Peacock’s True Crime Series
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will be an interesting dramatization, but watch Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed first.
One of the most important moments in finding out who killed José and Kitty Menendez was when Lyle and Erik’s therapist and his mistress ended their relationship. As a consequence, in March 1990,Judalon Smyth decided to go to the police and tell them everything about Dr. Oziel, recorded the Menendez brothers’ confession, and illegally shared his patients’ information with her. During the trial, Judalon took it upon herself to discredit Oziel even more by stating that he brainwashed her, forced her to take pills, and assaulted her.
A significant issue in making the decision to approve Lyle and Erik’s confession as key evidence for the trial was the strict rule regarding patient confidentiality. In a therapy setting, patients’ data is strictly confidential, meaning that the therapist in question is prohibited from sharing any form of information shared during a session. By contacting his then-mistress, Judalon Smyth, and informing her about Erik’s confession in October 1989,Dr. Oziel had already broken his patient’s confidentiality. Later in court, Jerome Oziel stated that he felt threatened by Lyle Menendez, which was regarded as a valid reason for his breach.
What Happened to Dr. Oziel?
After Dr. Oziel’s participation in the Menendez trials came to an end, the therapist moved to a different state, and in 1997,Jerome Oziel was stripped of his license, which had allowed him to work as a psychologist. The former therapist of the Menendez brothers denies any wrongdoings, and Oziel, now known as Jerry, is trying to get as much distance between him and anything related to his involvement with Lyle and Erik Menendez as possible. The question remains, though, how successful his attempt will be, considering that there soon might be aNetflix documentary with the Menendez brothers, which will allegedly allow them to share details of the events that took place in their own words.
Even though Oziel was forced to give up his practice, he eventually discovered his new passion and made it his job. Oziel is currently working at the so-called Marital Mediation Center, which is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Despite all the backlash and, specifically, the accusations regarding Oziel abusing women, Oziel moved on to hosting seminars there, in which he promised women that he could teach them how to lead fulfilled relationships and avoid divorces through the use of mediation.Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyis streaming onNetflix.
