Jeffrey Dahmer victims' families slam Netflix drama 'Monster' receiving 13 Emmy nominations: The show is 'capitalizing on the suffering and pain of others'

Eammon Jacobs
Updated ·2 min read
13
Evan Peters won the award for Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film for "Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story"
Evan Peters won the Golden Globe award for best actor in a miniseries or TV movie for "Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story."Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Image, Netflix

  • Ryan Murphy's Netflix drama "Monster" stars Evan Peters as serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

  • The families of Dahmer's victims criticized the show once again after it was nominated for 13 Emmy awards.

  • Their representative, Thomas Jacobson, said the streamer is "capitalizing" on "suffering."

Netflix's "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" has come under fire again after the drama was nominated for 13 Emmy awards last week, including a best actor nod for Evan Peters for his portrayal of the infamous serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer.

The series from "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy drew controversy when it arrived on the streamer in September 2022, as the families of Dahmer's victims denounced the dramatization of Dahmer's actions — and his subsequent trial.

Last week, it was announced that "Monster" has picked up several nominations at the Emmys — due to take place September 18 — including best supporting actor for Richard Jenkins, who played Dahmer's father in the show, and best supporting actress for Niecy Nash-Betts, who played Dahmer's neighbor.

A representative for the victims' families, Thomas Jacobson, gave a statement to The Wrap calling out the nominations.

"By celebrating and rewarding these portrayals, there is a risk of normalizing the actions of individuals like Dahmer, potentially desensitizing audiences to the real-life consequences of violence," he said.

Jacobson represented several of the families during a 1992 trial in which Dahmer was convicted and given 15 life sentences. The series recreated key moments from the trial, including Rita Isbell's emotional victim statement about the death of her brother, Errol Lindsey.

Isbell told Insider that she wasn't contacted by Netflix or Murphy about the show, even though Murphy maintains that he tried to contact the families, but nobody responded.

Jacobson went on to say that awarding shows like "Monster" doesn't help to better society, and criticized Netflix for focusing on profit rather than compassion.

"It is essential to question whether awarding shows like the Dahmer series aligns with the broader goal of fostering a more peaceful and compassionate society," he said. "By capitalizing on the suffering and pain of others, this show prioritized profit and entertainment value over the emotional well-being and privacy of the victim's loved ones."

When it comes to other true-crime dramatizations, Jacobs said that the streaming service should make an effort to work closer with those actually involved.

He added: "Collaboration with victim families, compensation, providing a platform to share their experiences and perspectives, and prior notice are a few suggestions."

Read the original article on Insider