Of course, she wasn't afraid to defend 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, prosecutors argued that Lyle and Erik had other motives for the attack and attempted to downplay the psychological impact of sexual assault. Still, Abramson steadfastly defended her. She didn't think the Menendez brothers were as monstrous as people assumed. After working on her case, she wrote a book titled The Defense is Ready: Life in the Trenches of Criminal Law.

Graynor is the latest actress to play Abramson, but the defense attorney has been portrayed before. Edie Falco took over the role in 2017 Law & Order True Crime. At the time, The Wrap asked Abramson what she thought about being turned into a TV character. Your Answer? “Oh man, I have nothing to say. Absolutely nothing. Goodbye.”

Abramson didn't work on it Monster and has not commented on the show. Here's everything you need to know about her fascinating career.

Who is Leslie Abramson?

Abramson attended law school at UCLA and worked as a public defender for six years before taking on more high-profile cases. Accordingly Vanity FairIn her prime, she was considered “Los Angeles’ most brilliant death row defense 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 against Arnel Salvatierra, a seventeen-year-old boy who killed his father. Abramson argued he was a victim of child abuse.

By the time she worked for the Menendez brothers, she had gained quite a reputation. The Los Angeles Times described her as “a 4-foot-11, fire-breathing, mud-throwing, nuclear-powered pain in the ass.”

When Abramson was hired to represent the brothers, she believed they were victims of abuse and defended them vigorously. In 1996, she shared her opinion about Lyle and Erik The Washington Post. “I've been representing people accused of murder for 27 years, and these guys just don't compare to anyone else I've ever represented,” she said. “They are not murderers. These are troubled children in a very difficult and grotesque home environment, and they made it through.”

After the trial, Abramson's ethics were questioned. The New York Times reported that she was Dr. William Vicary, a defense witness, asked to remove material from his notes during Erik's trial. She was confident the information was confidential, but her request raised some eyebrows. Ultimately, the California Attorney General's Office decided not to investigate. Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said: “We have reviewed the relevant protocols and have concluded that this office should not investigate this matter.”

What did Leslie Abramson think about 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 “virtually urged 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. Abramson and her husband Tim Rutten reportedly moved to a house outside Los Angeles in 2001. They eventually divorced and Rutten died in 2022.

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