Hang Men – The finale begins with OJ Simpson (Trae Ireland) being found not guilty. While Lyle Menendez (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) is just one of the many shocked to hear about the news, he can’t help but see it as a good omen. Leslie Abramson (Ari Graynor) is just as quick to remind him that it isn’t. Even worse, their campaign is not just low on funds, it’s run entirely out. Lyle will snub the reproach and tell her that raising money isn’t a problem. His outspoken stance in the media doesn’t sit well with her and leads to a brief argument, ultimately causing Erik Menendez (Cooper Koch) to speak up for the first time. This leads to a separate blowup between the brothers that ends with Lyle being taken out of the room.
The trial now becomes the major focal point. Once David Conn (Paul Adelstein) delivers his brief opening statement, he’ll question several witnesses, including the Alfa Romeo Dealer (Christian Telesmar) and Craig Cignarelli (Charlie Hall), Erik’s friend and co-author on an unproduced play titled, ‘Friends.’ Craig’s testimony is extremely damning to the brother’s case because he not only claims that Erik confessed to him but he recalls Erik’s story in stark detail. Even more troubling is the fact that the confession is far different from the one told during the trial. Yet, it gets even worse when Brian Eslaminia (Ruben Vernier) is called to the stand to reveal that Lyle sent him a letter from prison, asking for an alibi.
Once Erik is called to the stand, David’s central focus becomes the type of weapon and this doesn’t sit well with Leslie. She’ll object multiple times until David explains how he is trying to establish premeditation. Judge Weisberg (Ross Mackenzie), who has been fairly generous to the prosecution, allows David to continue. Although David and Leslie will continue their skirmish throughout Erik’s testimony, David all but makes his case when he brings attention to the brother’s initial claims that the mafia was responsible for the murders.
Erik attempts to negate David’s premeditation angle by playing the victim. He claims the purchase of guns and ammo was a simple means of protection from the likely fallout that would ensue once the abuse allegation became public. David calls several of the family’s employees to the stand to prove Erik’s claims false. The testimony of the Pool Repairman and a Boat Captain (Joseph Culp) even suggests that it was the parents who were afraid of their children. The family’s full-time maid, Flor (Vanessa Lua), goes as far as saying that during her many years of employment, she never even heard Jose (Javier Bardem) or Kitty Menendez (Chloe Sevigny) raise their voices to each other.
It is shortly after this that David begins wrapping up his case by bringing attention to Paul Mones’ book, ‘When A Child Kills.’ His closing is everything but short and even goes as far as suggesting that it was Erik and Lyle’s defense team that inspired the abuse allegations. From there, he will spend a brisk few mentions speaking about the boy’s motive and all the money they spent following the murders. When he gets around to closing, he does so by trying to enrage real abuse victims.
Before the Menendez verdict is handed down, Dominick Dunne (Nathan Lane) tells his family that he’s returning to Connecticut to finish his book. He’s apparently washing his hands of the brothers and the waning popularity likely indicates that the nation is as well. Dominick will continue to reveal that Erik is having a tough time inside while Lyle has met, fell in love with, and plans to marry his pen pal, Anna Eriksson (Jamison McDermott).
In the coming days, the boys are found guilty of first-degree murder with special circumstances, meaning the jurors will have the added burden of sentencing the boys to life on parole or death. While several of the jurors have vastly differing opinions, they all appear passionate. Leigh (Vicki Lawrence), so much so that it causes her to have a heart attack. An alternate will be brought in to replace her.
While Leslie attempts to sway Detective Les Zoeller (Jason Butler Harner) to change his stance on having the brothers separated, Erik comes to a stark realization during a counsel with a Pastor. Erik is droning on about how impractical life in prison is for anyone when the pastor interrupts to tell him that he needs to focus on finding purpose. His life is now in prison and he needs to find a focus for that life. Erik will return to his cell in deep thought, only to be moved to Folsom Prison later in the middle of the night. It is halfway through the trip that Erik learns the trip will be a solo one.
The series ends in a flashback of the family’s fishing trip on ‘Tequila Sunrise.’ Alone down on the deck, Kitty and Jose are engaged in a lively conversation about future career plans and sharks that segues to his recent affair. Despite the change of topic, Kitty becomes more withdrawn than upset. He’ll apologize and practically tell her that he was wrong and couldn’t see what he had with her. She appears to believe him but the conversation ends when the captain arrives. Lyle and Erik are called to join the fun but are at the rear of the boat, making their pact to murder their parents.
Monsters The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Review
Well, I certainly cannot say that this series has been uninteresting. It was a bit pedantic and will likely be boring for anyone familiar with the case. Parts of the trial were incredibly long-winded. It brings nothing new to the table. It is an epic failure in more ways than one. Murphy missed an opportunity to tell the story, based on facts, how it really played out. The episode deserves a 4.2 out of 10.
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