In 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,' One of the Jurors Had a Heart Attack — Did That Really Happen?

The last couple of episodes of Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story are devoted to legal proceedings. Both Erik and Lyle Menendez were tried separately in 1993, and both ended in a hung jury. Two years later, they were back in court together for a much different trial experience. For the retrial, Judge Weisberg did not allow cameras in the courtroom and significantly limited the amount of witnesses who could testify.

The judge also said the battered person's syndrome defense posited by lawyer Leslie Abramson during the first trial could no longer be used in the retrial. This was a far more somber experience than the first. The retrial ended in a guilty verdict. In the series, one juror has a heart attack during the penalty phase while the jury is discussing whether to hand the Menendez brothers a life sentence or the death penalty. Did this really happen? Here's what we know.

In April 1996, jurors for the Menendez brothers retrial were agonizing over whether or not the siblings should receive the death penalty. In the show, one juror is arguing that capital punishment is wrong due to the fact that the brothers could be telling the truth when it came to the sexual abuse allegations against their father. Another juror grows increasingly more agitated while demanding they send them both to the gas chamber. During a particularly nasty rant, she collapses.

We soon learn she had a heart attack, which could have been an artistic liberty taken by show creator Ryan Murphy. Here's the thing, though: That actually happened. According to the Los Angeles Times, forewoman Leigh Valvo of Chatsworth, Calif. did in fact go into cardiac arrest. She, along with a pregnant juror, was dismissed for medical reasons but returned in time for sentencing.

Valvo later told The Record she felt Erik and Lyle were "spoiled brats who had their way their whole life." She went on to say, "They were raised to be ruthless, they were raised without a conscience, and their parents produced exactly what they hoped: ruthless, conscienceless individuals who decided they wanted to take over."

The jury tasked with deciding the brothers' fate during the retrial did not take this responsibility lightly, reported the Los Angeles Times. They spent a lot of time together as the jury was sequestered during the day. It was a bonding experience that contributed to their decision. Ted Doughty, a retired school principal from Encino, told the outlet, "We looked at how much planning they did." For the jury, it quickly became evident that this was a well thought-out crime.

Another juror was surprised by the fact that the jury for the first trials couldn't come to the same conclusion. The first time around was heavily focused on the alleged sexual abuse as a reason for the murders while the retrial was unable to center that. Evidently this did "not play a significant role in their decision-making." This jury focused on the premeditated aspect of the murders.

Some jurors did believe Erik and Lyle were sexually abused while others did not. "We felt the parents were very controlling, demanding, that [the brothers] didn’t have a normal type childhood," explained Lesley Hillings, a postal worker from Arleta. "I don’t think we’ll ever know what the actual motivation was," added Bruce Seitz, a postal worker from Sylmar. "There is something about them wanting to be free."