Another relative of a Jeffrey Dahmer victim has spoken out against Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, condemning the crime drama for using real names and events without first consulting the real-life people involved.
Despite becoming one of the most successful television titles in the streamer’s history, the series has proven controversial since its launch on September 21. In recent weeks, subscribers have criticized Netflix for classifying it as ‘LGBTQ’ (which later led to the removal label), while some of the relatives of the 17 people Dahmer killed also criticized the show for ” make money off of this tragedy.
When approached by The Guardian (opens in a new tab) speaking about the episode focusing on her late son, Tony Hughes, 31, who was killed by Dahmer in 1991, Shirley Hughes said: “I don’t see how they can do that. I don’t see how they can use our names and get those things that are there.”
“It didn’t happen like that,” he continued, before admitting that it’s too difficult to talk about Tony’s death and politely end the call, the publication claims.
Created by Ryan Murphy of American Horror Story and his frequent collaborator Ian Brennan, Dahmer sees Evan Peters play the infamous Milwaukee killer, who was gay and whose internalized homophobia is believed to have influenced his crimes against other gay men and men of color. Richard Jenkins stars as Jeffrey’s father Lionel, Molly Ringwald stars as her stepmother Shari, and Niecy Nash stars as her neighbor Glenda Cleveland.
Tony’s interaction with Dahmer are not the only aspects of his life explored in episode 6, poignantly titled ‘Silenced’. He highlights how he lost his hearing as a baby when a doctor incorrectly prescribed medication, his aspirations as a model, how he often communicated with handwritten notes, and his close bond with his mother and sister. of the. On the show, he is played by deaf actor and former reality star Rodney Burford, and meets Dahmer on a night out. It is implied that after spending the night together, Dahmer kills Hughes before donating money to a search effort his victim’s mother and other relatives organized following his sudden disappearance.
Shortly after Dahmer premiered on Netflix, Eric Perry, cousin of Dahmer victim Errol Lindsey, took to Twitter to explain that his family found out about the show when “everyone else did.” He added: “They don’t notify families when they do this. It’s all public record, so they don’t have to notify (or pay!) anyone.”
Ok, I didn’t expect that tweet to get so much attention. To answer the main question, no, they do not notify families when they do this. It’s all public record, so you don’t have to notify (or pay!) anyone. My family found out when everyone else did.September 23, 2022
“So when they say they’re doing this ‘with respect to the victims’ or ‘honoring the dignity of the families,’ nobody contacts them. My cousins wake up every few months at this point with a bunch of calls and messages and they know that there’s another Dahmer show. It’s cruel.”
After one of the men he lured back to his apartment managed to escape and alert authorities in 1991, Dahmer was arrested and sentenced to life in prison the following year. He was beaten to death by a fellow prisoner in 1994, aged 34.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which is currently the number one show on Netflix, is now available to stream. If real-life crime dramas aren’t your bag, check out our list of the best Netflix shows for inspiration.
