[Trigger Warning: This article mentions themes of violence, murder, and true crime]
On a cool summer night in 1989, two brothers burst into their family’s home in Beverly Hills, California, killing their mother and father. While their life to anyone outside the home seemed picture perfect, no one could have guessed the horrors that occurred inside. The media frenzy that ensued captured the attention of the entire world, as the Murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the hands of their sons, Lyle and Erik, had the entire world debating whether the sons deserved to spend their lives imprisoned or if they were acting in self-defense. The media depicted them as spoiled, Beverly Hills brats with a lust for their parents’ wills, but the truth of their case was much deeper than anyone could have imagined.
Eventually, the jury came to a decision as audiences held bated breath waiting to hear the boys’ verdict; on Jan. 13, 1994, nearly five years after the murders, the boys were sentenced to life in jail without the possibility of parole.
Since that day, their case has been the subject of countless news stories, documentaries, books, and more. Over 30 years later, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” was released on Netflix. The hit show, produced by thriller savant Ryan Murphy, reenacts the events of the case in a biopic loosely based on the events of the Menendez family’s case.
The retelling of the case through the Netflix series sparked major controversy and backlash over the ethical implications of a production based on the story of a true criminal case. Many spoke out against the show, including the Menendez Brothers themselves. In a statement released to X by his wife, Tammi, Erik Menendez, said “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward.”
While there has been long term discourse regarding the social dilemma of true crime media, as it inherently impacts the victims and their loved ones, Monsters: the Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is only one of the most recent installments in a long running series of documentaries, biopics, and general media that exploits victims of violent crimes.
While society grapples with the moral implications of media and mass communication technologies, it is essential to critically examine the ethical consequences, as well as the benefits, of true crime media. This genre impacts not only the public’s perception of violent crime and the justice system but also the real-life victims involved. However, while ethical concerns arise, it is necessary to acknowledge the potential of true crime media as a tool for advocacy, drawing attention to systemic issues and promoting awareness.
When the topic being dramatized relates to true crime and the narration of the criminal justice system, this influence is no different. As interest in true crime media continues to grow and evolve into new forms of media, general interest in the topic begins to swell, drawing people to stories of kidnapping, murder, abuse, and more.
A 2023 Morning Consult survey found that 76% of American adults consider themselves fans of true crime media, engaging at least once a week. Despite its bountiful popularity with audiences, it is imperative to understand why true crime continues to fascinate. What many fans of the genre do not consider are the biased responses yielded through the overrepresentation of crime and the psychological effects this may have on audiences. As audiences become desensitized to sensationalized narratives, this contributes to an environment of heightened fear while simultaneously eroding empathy for the victims of violent crimes, a consequence that is often overlooked. In the case of the Menendez Brothers and many other cases like theirs, the media and consumers possess the power to engage and interfere with cases of violent crimes in both their convictions and investigations.
Possibly the most infamous case of true crime journalism obstructing an investigation is one of the most infamous murders in the United States: the 1996 murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in her Boulder, CO home. The story of the life and death of the young pageant star became engulfed in mystery surrounding a ransom note, a questionable timeline, and a sum of money that hit too close to home for the family. The details of the case created a storm that profoundly impacted the investigation and public perception of the Ramsey family, especially her brother, Burke, and her parents, Patsy and John.
After a series of interviews the family took due to the advice of their legal counsel, they were slandered mercilessly for mannerisms and comments while mourning the loss of their beloved daughter and sister. According to a 1998 article by Howard Rosenberg for the Los Angeles Times, the family faced years of public abuse regardless of physical evidence proving their innocence. About the family, he said, “And no wonder, given how the parents have been dragged to a tree and strung up by the media–despite never having been arrested or publicly accused by authorities of anything to do with this crime. The mistreatment ranges from talk-radio ranting to something as subtle as newscasts showing footage or photos of blond JonBenet only in her pageant attire and full makeup, as if her parents had created a seductive mini-harlot and barred her from a normal childhood.”
The media’s representation of the JonBenet Ramsey case serves as a cautionary tale of modern reporting on true crime and a tragic example of the effects that dishonest and dramatized journalism can have on an investigation and the subsequent partisanship it creates. While true crime media cases are traditionally associated with cases like JonBenet Ramsey and the Menendez Brothers, which have inflicted harmful biases on their investigations due to the media’s involvement, the ethical consumption and production of true crime media have proven to be a tool for advocacy and change.
Tool for advocacy and awareness
Many families use social media sites like TikTok and Instagram to generate public interest and build a community surrounding their loved ones, like in the suspected murder of Army Spc. Denisha Montgomery Smith at Fort. Stewart, a US military base in Germany. After Montgomery Smith suffered a brutal assault at the hands of up to four other officers, she was found dead in her barracks of an assumed suicide, but her family had other opinions. The autopsy yielded evidence that Montgomery Smith was attacked, but the military would not budge on their decision that she had committed suicide.
Through an effort to promote an investigation, Montgomery Smith’s sister has accumulated a following on social media that has generated worldwide support for the family’s fight for answers. In true crime media, when power is placed in the hands and under the approval of the victim’s loved ones, there is a possibility for advocacy instead of simple entertainment. Denisha Montgomery Smith is remembered fondly as a wife, mother of two young boys, loving sister and adoring daughter; her family has said they will never stop fighting for justice and change, utilizing every resource possible, including the media.
True crime media remains a controversial topic, sparking debate with each new hit television special or docuseries. It is a complicated issue that requires ethical boundaries and moral understanding of its effects on the social and emotional well-being of victims and their families. With the continuous rise in true crime media consumption, victims may have the opportunity to share their voices and fight back against a system that limits justice and reform, as seen in the case of Anthony Borges’ civil lawsuit.
Anthony Borges, the legally ‘most wounded’ victim of the 2018 Parkland High School Shooting, won a monumental settlement in May 2024 that awarded him the rights to the Parkland Shooter’s name. This settlement agrees that the shooter cannot participate in any interview, gain any media coverage, or cooperate with the production of any entertainment media regarding the shooting without Borges’ and other victims’ approval.
The outcome of this settlement shows a significant improvement in the criminal justice system’s support for victims and its intention to establish necessary boundaries in the distribution and production of media. True crime media shows no signs of slowing down, as its fan base continues to expand. However, focus on ethical discussions offers hope for greater responsibility in future portrayals and shifts the perspective to minimize harm and foster a more respectful approach to true crime media content.
The next time you engage with true crime content, consider the real lives behind the headlines and remember the victims who endured unimaginable suffering and the loved ones who continue to fight for their memory. Ethical consumption of true crime media requires a commitment to remembrance and respect, which consumers and producers of the genre have a responsibility to uphold.