Of course, she didn’t shy away from defending the boys. When they identified themselves as victims of sexual abuse, she believed them – and prepared them to talk about it in court. During their trial, the prosecution argued that Lyle and Erik had other motives for the attack and attempted to downplay the psychological impact of sexual assault. Still, Abramson was steadfast in her defense. She didn’t think the Menendez brothers were as monstrous as people thought. After working on their case, she wrote a book called The defense is ready for it: life in the trenches of criminal law.

Graynor is the latest actress to play Abramson, but the lawyer has been portrayed before. Edie Falco took on the role in 2017 Law and order True crime. The Wrap asked Abramson at the time how she felt about being turned into a TV character. Her response? “Oh boy, I have nothing to say. Absolutely nothing. Goodbye.”

Abramson did not elaborate further Monsters and has not commented on the show. Here’s everything you need to know about her fascinating career.

Who is Leslie Abramson?

Abramson studied law at UCLA and worked as a public defender for six years before taking on more high-profile cases. According to Vanity fairIn her heyday, she was considered “Los Angeles’ most brilliant death row attorney.” In 1990, Abramson secured the acquittal of Dr. Khalid Parwes after he was accused of strangling and dismembering his child. Eight years later, she negotiated a manslaughter charge for Arnel Salvatierra, a seventeen-year-old boy who had murdered his father. Abramson claimed he was a victim of child abuse.

By the time she worked for the Menendez brothers, she had built quite a reputation. The Los Angeles Times described her as a “four-foot-tall, fire-eating, mud-slinging, nuclear pain in the legal ass.”

When Abramson was hired to represent the brothers, she believed they were victims of abuse and vigorously defended them. In 1996, she shared her thoughts on Lyle and Erik with The Washington Post. “I’ve been representing people accused of murder for twenty-seven years, and these guys rival anyone I’ve ever represented,” she said.. ‘These are not murderers. These are troubled children in a very difficult and grotesque home environment, and they are cracked.

After the trial, Abramson’s ethics were questioned. The New York Times reported that she saw Dr. William Vicary, a defense witness, had asked that material be deleted from his notes during Erik’s trial. She believed the information was privileged, but her request raised some eyebrows. Ultimately, the State Bar of California chose not to investigate. Sandi Gibbons, a spokesperson for the district attorney, said: “We have reviewed the relevant transcripts and have concluded that this office should not be investigating this matter.”

What did Leslie Abramson think of the Menendez brothers’ verdict?

After two trials, Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life in prison. Abramson disagreed with the verdict, calling it “extremely cruel and heartless” at a news conference. According to the Los Angeles times, she argued that Jose and Kitty Menendez “practically drove their sons to kill them.”

Where is Leslie Abramson now?

Abramson is retired. She has two children: a daughter from her first marriage and a son she adopted while working on the Menendez brothers’ case. In 2001, Abramson and her husband, Tim Rutten, reportedly moved to a home outside Los Angeles. They eventually divorced and Rutten died in 2022.

These days she tends to stay out of the public eye, but in 2015 she gave a speech in support of women lawyers at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. “What I think is necessary to be a great criminal defense lawyer is something that I think women already have,” she said. “A desire to understand people and human relationships.”