How Accurate Is Tony Hughes’ Story In Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

The accuracy of Monster: the Jeffrey Dahmer Story has been hotly debated, and this includes the relationship between Tony Hughes and Jeffrey Dahmer. The main point of contention, in terms of accuracy, is the choice to portray a relationship between Hughes and Dahmer that is both friendly and romantic prior to Hughes’ gruesome murder. After his arrest, Jeffrey Dahmer claimed in his confession that the two absolutely never met prior to the night of Hughes’ drugging and death, but friends of Hughes said they had seen the two together beforehand.

While there is no way to prove whether they actually knew each other at all. Shirley Hughes asserts that Monster is inaccurate stating that Dahmer and Tony Hughes’ encounter “didn’t happen like that.” Many, particularly the families of the victims, find that the way their relationship is portrayed romanticizes Dahmer in an offensive way.

Tony Hughes’ Mother Has Spoken Out Against Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Shirley Hughes has also been more generally critical of the whole project of Monster, accusing it of profiting off of her family and others’ tragedies. In a brief comment to The Guardian, Holmes stated “I don’t see how they can do that,” Hughes stated, “I don’t see how they can use our names and put stuff out like that out there.” Other family members of victims, including Errol Lindsey’s sister Rita Isbell, have criticized the way the series depicted their relative’s stories and that producers did not consult with them before production.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story depicts Tony Hughes in a humanizing way, with actor Rodney Burford’s performance being praised, and the series emphasizes the systemic injustices that led to Dahmer’s victims being ignored. However, family members of victims such as Tony Hughes’ mother certainly have a right to feel that the existence of the series at all is making a profit off their tragedy.

How Tony Hughes’ Mother Impacted Jeffrey Dahmer’s Murder Trial

Shirley Hughes’ aforementioned reading of a poem at Jeffrey Dahmer’s trial impacted the trial. She read this during her victim impact statement to the court prior to sentencing. The poem, written by a friend of Tony Hughes, heartbreakingly details his last moments before his murder, from his own perspective. The piece opens with the line “why am I a victim in your cruel and rueful world?” and ends with Hughes speaking to his mother from the afterlife. His mother finished the reading by signing “I love you”, in American Sign Language.

Soon after, Dahmer was handed 16 life sentences for his crimes The large sentence was likely in no small part due to Shirley Hughes’ powerful words about her son. Later, as depicted in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Dahmer was killed in prison. The Netflix special undoubtedly altered some of the facts for the sake of building a more fluid narrative, and unfortunately, Tony Hughes story was impacted by these changes.

Reactions to Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

The mother of Tony Hughes, Shirley Hughes, has condemned the Netflix series about the serial killer who took her son’s life, stating that she doesn’t understand how the television show could be made. She expressed her disapproval of the show, questioning its portrayal of her son’s story and the use of their names without consent. Additionally, other family members of victims, including Errol Lindsey’s sister Rita Isbell, have criticized the way the series depicted their relative’s stories and the lack of consultation with them before production.

The hit series’ main players, including creator Ryan Murphy and Dahmer actor Evan Peters, have insisted that the show strived to put the victims’ stories and their families’ trauma at the heart of the production. However, the show has faced criticism for not consulting the families of the slain, leading to a loud backlash against Netflix’s dramatization of Dahmer’s killing spree in Milwaukee.

Tony Hughes in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

In the Netflix series, Tony Hughes is portrayed in a humanizing way, with actor Rodney Burford’s performance being praised. The series emphasizes the systemic injustices that led to Dahmer’s victims being ignored. However, the portrayal of the relationship between Hughes and Dahmer has been a point of contention, with Shirley Hughes and other family members expressing their disapproval of the romanticized depiction of Dahmer and Hughes’ relationship.

The episode in which Tony Hughes is featured, titled “Silenced,” tells the story of how Hughes fatally crossed paths with Dahmer. Viewers see how Hughes loses his hearing in his infancy after a doctor misprescribed him medication amid a battle with pneumonia. He grows up communicating through sign language, reading lips, and writing notes by hand. His dreams of modeling, hopes to find a committed romantic partner, and enjoyment of dancing at clubs with friends who are deaf and gay are also depicted in the series.

Conclusion

The portrayal of Tony Hughes in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has sparked controversy and criticism from his mother, Shirley Hughes, and other family members of victims. The accuracy of the series, particularly in depicting the relationship between Hughes and Dahmer, has been called into question. While the show aims to shed light on the systemic injustices that led to Dahmer’s victims being ignored, the portrayal of real-life events and individuals has been met with disapproval from those directly impacted by the tragic events. As the debate surrounding the series continues, it remains a sensitive and contentious subject for the families of the victims and the wider audience.