Was Erik Menendez in prison with OJ Simpson? The true story behind the Netflix monster scene

September 27, 2024, 6:58 p.m

By Katie Louise Smith

The Menendez brothers spent 16 months in the same prison as OJ Simpson – and even knew him before the murders. Here's how it played out in real life compared to the Netflix series.

Netflixs Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez was described as “dishonest” by Erik Menendez himself and criticized by viewers for its inaccuracies. But there's one bizarre detail that viewers can't believe actually happened in real life…

At the end of Episode 8, Erik (Cooper Koch) is asked to help “clean up the cell block” as a VIP comes in and quickly finds out it's OJ Simpson after seeing the infamous car chase on the news. The scene shows Erik in his cell later that night as the guards move OJ into the cell next to him. Erik introduces himself, starts a conversation and offers legal advice.

But did Erik Menendez actually meet OJ Simpson in prison? Or is Ryan Murphy back with perhaps the wildest Ryan Murphy-verse crossover ever? It actually turns out Is TRUE. Not only were Erik and OJ once cellmates in the county jail, their paths also crossed before they were both arrested.

Here's what actually happened in real life, according to Lyle and Erik Menendez's real-life retelling.

Was OJ Simpson in prison with the Menendez brothers?

The Menendez murders and the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman occurred years apart, but due to the Menendez brothers' mistrial in 1994, the two brothers were still in custody at the exact same time OJ was admitted at the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were arrested in 1990, their trial ended in January 1994 and they were returned to prison to await their second trial. In June 1994, OJ Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. (He pleaded not guilty and was later acquitted by the jury.)

So this part of the Netflix series is definitely true. Erik actually spent time in a cell next to OJ and talked about it in journalist Robert Rand's book The Menendez murders.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story trailer

According to Erik Menendez's account in Rand's book, Erik actually began a conversation with OJ shortly after arriving in the cell. Erik also revealed that he shared “a few things about prison.” Additionally, he said they discussed their legal teams, OJ's children and sports broadcasts.

Erik, who spoke to Rand in an interview from prison, also claimed: “I didn't see him cry, but I think he did. I could hear him moaning.” The Netflix series does not show or imply that OJ was in an emotional state when he arrived in the cell. In the series, the guards can also be seen calling him “Juice” and “my man”.

A week after OJ's arrest, Erik was reportedly moved to another cell. Rand writes in the book that Erik wasn't sure why.

Being cell neighbors isn't the only connection Erik Menendez and OJ Simpson had. Their paths actually crossed years before.

In a 2017 interview with PEOPLE, Lyle Menendez revealed that OJ had been to her family's house several times. In the 1970s, José Menendez was CFO and CEO of the rental car company Hertz and signed an endorsement deal with OJ.

Lyle recounts how OJ interacted with him and Erik as children. “I certainly never imagined that we would later meet in prison and be charged with murder. That’s for sure,” he added.

Lyle also spent quite a bit of time in prison with OJ Simpson, telling the outlet, “We were able to talk quite a bit. We shared the same law office and were located in the same area. My brother was in the cell next to him for most of his trial, so we had a lot of conversations.”

Lyle added: “(He) was just very overwhelmed by what was happening to him. I don’t know if I want to go into it any further.”

“Agatha All Along Cast Takes on a Messy Mystery Interview”

Listen to Capital live and catch up on all the shows you missed on Global Player.