A few days after the cousin of Errol Lindsey threw shade at Netflix for the 10-part series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Lindsey's sister, Rita Isbell, who's Dahmer courtroom confrontation was recreated in the series has cone out to condemn the series.
via BET:
The Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story premiered on the streaming service last week. The show is about brutal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered at least 17 boys and men from 1978 to 1991. Dahmer also ate many of his victims. One scene is a recreation of Rita Isbell’s–the sister of Errol Lindsey, one of Dahmer’s victims–emotional courtroom testimony. Isbell is now speaking out.
In an interview with Insider, the mother and grandmother said, “When I saw some of the show, it bothered me, especially when I saw myself—when I saw my name come across the screen and this lady saying verbatim exactly what I said.”
She continued, “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought it was me. Her hair was like mine, she had on the same clothes. That’s why it felt like reliving it all over again. It brought back all the emotions I was feeling back then.”
Isbell also added, “I was never contacted about the show. I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it.”
Isbell called on Netflix to compensate the victims’ children. Lindsey has a daughter.
“I’m not money hungry, and that’s what this show is about, Netflix trying to get paid,” Isbell explained.
“I could even understand it if they gave some of the money to the victims’ children. Not necessarily their families. I mean, I’m old. I’m very, very comfortable. But the victims have children and grandchildren. If the show benefited them in some way, it wouldn’t feel so harsh and careless. It’s sad that they’re just making money off of this tragedy. That’s just greed. The episode with me was the only part I saw. I didn’t watch the whole show. I don’t need to watch it. I lived it. I know exactly what happened.”
Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims were majority Black, and their ages ranged from 14 to 33. Errol Lindsey was 19 years old when Dahmer murdered him in April 1991 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 1994, Jeffrey Dahmer was killed in prison.
I can understand if this were a documentary, but if a scripted series or film is going to profit off of someone's real-life pain, I do feel like those people who you use as a reference to your story should be compensated financially - if they're still alive to receive such rewards.
If any of the victims have children they should get a financial reward.
I think she's 100% correct. She should at the very, very least been contacted about the series being made, but she wasn't. The way this was handled just further proves what I have said about white culture for the longest - that they will monetize ANYTHING. The land of our country was stolen by that way of thinking. And centuries later, with the advancement of technology, the ways in which that monetizing and lack of compassion to accomplish it is increasing. With that said, between this lack of compassion to victims and their families, plus the number of historical inaccuracies they made for "creative" purposes that you pointed out, I'm having less and less interest in watching this series.