This Netflix miniseries from Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan doesn’t definitively conclude that Lyle and Erik had been abused however it does lend some actual credence to their claims. Murphy himself informed Leisure Tonight that “if you happen to watch the present, I might say 60-65% of our present middle across the abuse, and what they declare occurred to them. We do it very fastidiously and we give them their day in courtroom, they usually speak brazenly about it.”
Whereas Monsters can’t supply up a closing reply on the subject of the Menendez’ motive, it does not less than increase the query once more in a compelling means. With that in thoughts, we thought it may be time to check out that query ourselves. With Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story as a leaping off level, right here is the whole lot we all know concerning the Menendez Brothers’ true motive and whether or not their claims have benefit.
Different sources consulted for this piece embody: This Reddit thread compiled by u/kimiashn, CNN’s Courtroom TV archives, and trial footage.
Lyle Menendez’ Hair Loss May Be Proof of Abuse
Youthful viewers experiencing the Lyle and Erik Menendez story for the primary time have been captivated by one factor specifically: Lyle’s hair loss. As depicted by Monsters‘ Lyle actor Nicholas Alexander Chavez, the actual life Lyle Menendez wore a hairpiece so costly and real looking that his brother supposedly didn’t even understand it was a wig till his mom snatched it off Lyle’s head 5 days earlier than the murders.
No definitive rationalization has ever been supplied up as to why Lyle started to lose his hair at an unusually younger age (reportedly round age 16). Not one of the different males within the Menendez household seem to have skilled untimely balding, suggesting that it wasn’t a hereditary situation. It’s been well-documented, nonetheless, that stress can contribute to hair loss at any age, together with stress associated to sexual trauma.
Lyle’s hair loss as a symptom of abuse was introduced up by the protection throughout his trial. Knowledgeable witnesses, together with Dr. Ann Tyler, additionally pointed to behaviors like hypersexualization, sensitivity to the touch, and appearing out as proof of Lyle having been abused. Knowledgeable testimony shouldn’t be first-hand proof and must be weighed appropriately. Moreover, it was completely established that each Menendez boys skilled important ranges of stress as a consequence of their overbearing father on the whole, so Lyle’s hair loss may very well be attributed to that and never sexual abuse.
