You may have scrolled through Tiktok and seen Internet-famous Gypsy Rose Blanchard or heard about the main characters of Netflix’s successful documentary “Monsters”, Lyle and Erik Menendez. These two stories, both about abuse, both about kids who ended up in a courtroom, and both told mostly through the lens of who’s easiest to root for, have a lot more in common than the internet lets on. Let’s look at the facts of each case:
Gypsy Rose: Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard was the mother of Gypsy Rose Blanchard. Since Gypsy was an infant, Dee Dee falsely claimed her daughter had several chronic conditions including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and sleep apnea. She manipulated doctors and subjected Gypsy to unnecessary surgeries and treatments such as salivary gland removal, a feeding tube, and a wheelchair, even forcing her to shave her head to mimic chemotherapy. Her mother suffered from a condition known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another which kept Gypsy in a constant vulnerable state and allowed Dee Dee to maintain complete control. As Gypsy grew into an adult, she realized she was completely healthy and tried to escape. Later, in 2012, Gypsy met her boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn online and the two conspired to kill Dee Dee so Gypsy could break free. On June 9, 2015, Nicholas entered the Blanchard home while Dee Dee was sleeping and stabbed her to death 17 times. Gypsy and Nicholas then fled the home before being caught. In 2016, Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. After serving 85% of her sentence, she was released on parole on December 28, 2023. Nicholas Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Menendez Brothers: The Menendez Brothers, Lyle and Erik, were raised by their parents, José Menendez and Mary Louise “Kitty” Andersen in an affluent neighborhood in Princeton, New Jersey. After José’s corporate career transitioned him to Hollywood, the family moved to South California, buying a multi-million dollar mansion previously rented by celebrities like Prince and Elton John. José had been known to be an extremely authoritarian parent, micromanaging every aspect of his sons’ lives. He pushed them to perfection in athletics and academics. Menendez family dinners were often described as high-pressure interrogations about the sons’ achievements and goals. Additionally, José had multiple ongoing extramarital affairs, causing tension in his marriage with Kitty. Kitty struggled intensely with severe depression, alcoholism, and prescription pill dependency, attempting suicide in 1987. Lyle and Erik testified that José had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing them since early childhood. They claimed that Kitty had been aware of the abuse but failed to protect them. On the evening of August 20, 1989, the brothers shot their parents to death at close range using 12-gauge shot guns. They called 911 and blamed an outside intruder or mafia hit. After being convicted and pleading “not guilty”, their first trials in 1993 ended in a mistrial because the juries could not agree. Later after the second trial in 1995, the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
What is the common denominator? Child abuse. Both Gypsy and the Menendez brothers were children involved with the murder of their parents, but the aftermath differed tremendously. The Menendez brothers were young, troubled, and rich, whereas Gypsy was struggling mentally and didn’t have wealth. This is where the bias comes in. Both cases had the same underlying reason, but totally different backgrounds. Another reason for the differences in the outcomes of the cases was that in the 1980s, people didn’t think that boys could be sexually assaulted if assaulted at all. The reality is that both cases are very, very similar but the prejudices of society are why Gypsy was able to get out of prison and start a new life, while the Menendez brothers remain locked up.
Sources:
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/murder-dee-dee-blanchard
https://www.biography.com/crime/gypsy-rose-blanchard-mother-dee-dee-murder
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y2dgep4zzo