Actor Cooper Koch, who plays Erik Menendez in Netflix's 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,' has become one of the most consistent voices in support of the brothers as their decades-long legal saga enters a new phase.
Earlier this year, Koch spoke out when Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman opposed the brothers' request for a new trial. Calling the decision "deeply troubling," he argued that evidence of abuse was never properly considered during their retrial.
Koch didn't just show support from afar. On April 11, 2025, he attended the brothers' resentencing hearing in Van Nuys and entered the courtroom with his partner, Stuart McCleave. Inside, he sat with Erik Menendez's wife Tammy and stepdaughter Talia—a public sign of solidarity that didn't go unnoticed.
A month later, things changed dramatically when a judge sentenced Lyle and Erik Menendez to 50 years to life in prison, making them eligible for parole under California law. With this decision, for the first time in more than three decades, it seemed like the possibility of the brothers' release seemed real.
For Koch, the relationship has also been personal. In July 2025, he received his first Primetime Emmy nomination for his role as Erik. Just a few days later, he received a congratulatory call—and it was from none other than Lyle Menendez himself, who called from prison. Koch later described the moment as "pretty sweet" and said it was about more than the nomination.
Now, all eyes are on the brothers' parole hearings in August 2025, which could determine whether they will finally be considered for release after more than 30 years in prison. Koch has made it clear that his support, whether on or off screen, will not wane.
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