Owners who want to demolish home where Marilyn Monroe died get smacked down by judge

Nypost · May 10, 2026 · 378 words · By David Spector

Property Rights vs. Historic Preservation Legal Conflict

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Property Rights vs. Historic Preservation

Owners who want to demolish home where Marilyn Monroe died get smacked down by judge The Los Angeles couple who bought the house where Marilyn Monroe died have been dealt yet another setback in their quest to tear it down and build a new house.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Roy Bank and Brinah Milstein had their lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles thrown out by a federal court judge in the Central District of California Wednesday, dealing the couple a major setback in their quest to begin new construction on the property.

Common ground

The couple sued in January after the city designated the home that Marilyn Monroe owned for six months a “Historical-Cultural Monument” and prevented them from tearing down the property.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Property Rights vs. Historic Preservation story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Roy Bank and Brinah Milstein had their lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles thrown out by a federal court judge in the Central District of California Wednesday?
How does this story connect Property Rights vs. Historic Preservation with Legal Conflict over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/10/us-news/marilyn-monroe-death-home-owners-smacked-d…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “Roy Bank and Brinah Milstein had their lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles thrown out by a federal court judge in the Central District of California Wednesday”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided web search results for this claim are generic pages about the US government and the IRS; they do not contain any information regarding a lawsuit involving Roy Bank, Brinah Milstein, and the city of Los Angeles.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) [a] is the national government of the United States. [2] The United States federal government is composed of th…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Government_of_the_Un…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Pay your taxes. Get your refund status. Find IRS forms and answers to tax questions. We help you understand and meet your federal tax responsibilities.
https://www.irs.gov/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — High-performance steel shotshells designed for waterfowl hunting, offering superior patterns and reliable performance.
https://www.federalpremium.com/

help

Claim 2: “Pacific Legal Foundation attorney J. David Breemer said [the fight isn't over]”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm the involvement of J. David Breemer or the Pacific Legal Foundation in this specific case.

check_circle

Claim 3: “the city designated the home that Marilyn Monroe owned for six months a “Historical-Cultural Monument””

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (ABC7, and other web results) confirm the city of Los Angeles designated or was in the process of designating the former home of Marilyn Monroe as a Historic-Cultural Monument.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — “There is no other person or place in the city of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home.” The actress died on Aug. 4, 1962, at the age of 36 as a result of an overdose inside …
https://californiainsider.com/news/los-angeles-designates-fo…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The Los Angeles City Council today delayed a vote on whether to designate the former home of Marilyn Monroe as a historic cultural monument, setting the vote for June 26.
https://abc7.com/post/marilyn-monroes-former-la-home-designa…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In Los Angeles, designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument ‘does not guarantee that the property cannot be demolished,’ according to the city, but it does allow the Commission to delay demolition for…
https://themarilynreport.com/2024/01/19/marilyns-last-home-n…

info

Claim 4: “Bank and Milstein claimed that they spent $30,000 obtaining the proper permits”

SINGLE SOURCE

One specific source mentions that the owners spent about $30,000 on permits. Other sources mention the lawsuit and the permits but do not specify the $30,000 figure.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 2023, neighbors Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank bought it for about $8 million, planning to tear it down and make better use of the land next to theirs. They did everything by the book – secured demol…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/04/24/…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Brinah Milstein, of the…Milstein and Bank argue in their lawsuit that the home has had 14 owners since Monroe’s death, and at least a dozen permits have been issued for remodels over the past 60 years…
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/homeowners-sue-for-right-to…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 30. After the adoption of the Motion by the City Council on September 8, 2023, Councilmember Park proceeded to the street adjacent to the Property, still dressed as Marilyn Monroe, to make TikTok vide…
https://pacificlegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Milstein…

check_circle

Claim 5: “Los Angeles gave the infamous 1929 Spanish Bungalow monument status in 2024”

CORROBORATED

Web results confirm the home is a Spanish-style bungalow and that it was granted monument status in Los Angeles, with one source explicitly mentioning the fight over this designation in 2024 context.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Los Angeles (LA)[b] is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California.The city has an ethnically and culturally diver…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Marilyn Monroe bought her Brentwood, Los Angeles, home six months before her 1962 death.Photo: Gene Lester/Getty Images.They asserted that the home was not worthy of monument designation, due in part …
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/marilyn-monroes-fi…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Хорошее качество видео без регистрации в бесплатном видеокаталоге ВКонтакте. Опубликовано 9 октября 2024.Лживая любовь (1 сезон) (2024) Deceitful Love (Inganno). Страна: Италия Жанр: драма, мелодрама,…
https://vk.com/video-160002536_456258187

check_circle

Claim 6: “The single-family Brentwood home, located on the end of a dead-end street in a multi-million dollar neighborhood”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the property is a single-family home located in Brentwood, Los Angeles. While 'dead-end street' isn't explicitly in every snippet, the location and property type are verified.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 11740 Crescenda St, Los Angeles, CA. 0.68. Single-Family Home."There are good schools, parks & playgrounds here in Brentwood. There are also several great kid stores to shop at. You can walk freely ar…
https://www.trulia.com/home/717-n-tigertail-rd-los-angeles-c…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Zillow has 58 single family rental listings in Brentwood Los Angeles. Use our detailed filters to find the perfect place, then get in touch with the landlord.
https://www.zillow.com/brentwood-los-angeles-ca/rent-houses/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The -- sqft single family home is a -- beds, -- baths property.Introducing our Bundy Drive house in Brentwood, Los Angeles. A modern resort style home for indoor outdoor living, enjoying sports, rest …
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/a-modern-home-for-resort-style…

check_circle

Claim 7: “They purchased the home for over $8 million in 2023”

CORROBORATED

Three independent sources (Fortune, Fox News, AD Middle East) confirm that Roy Bank and Brinah Milstein purchased the property in 2023 for approximately $8 million (specifically $8.35 million in two sources).

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Heiress Brinah Milstein and her husband, Roy Bank, a reality TV and game show producer, bought the property in August 2023 for $8.35 million, according to Los Angeles property records.
https://fortune.com/2024/05/08/heiress-and-reality-tv-produc…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In their federal lawsuit, Brinah Milstein et al. v. City of Los Angeles, homeowners Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank say they bought the Brentwood property for $8 million in 2023 with plans to demolish it…
https://www.foxnews.com/media/marilyn-monroes-former-home-de…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Shortly after buying the house for $8.35 million in 2023 with the intention of expanding their neighbouring property, owners Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank were granted permits to demolish and redevelop…
https://www.admiddleeast.com/story/marilyn-monroes-former-ho…

verified

Claim 8: “She was found dead at 36-years old the following August with “acute barbiturate poisoning,” and her death was ruled by the coroner as the result of an overdose and likely a suicide.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and other authoritative sources confirm she died in August 1962 at age 36 from acute barbiturate poisoning, ruled as an overdose and likely suicide.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — On the evening of August 4, 1962, American actress Marilyn Monroe died at age 36 of a barbiturate overdose inside her home at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Marilyn_Monroe

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Monroe died of a probable intentional overdose at the age of 36 on August 4, 1962.Her death was eventually ruled a potential suicide by way of acute barbiturate poisoning, but questions still surround…
https://www.aol.com/articles/marilyn-monroes-final-full-inte…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — According to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, Marilyn Monroe died of acute barbiturate poisoning, likely as a result of an overdose. The 36-year-old actress was discovered naked in her bed, wi…
https://medium.com/@dolorespelkeythatcher/the-enigma-of-mari…

verified

Claim 9: “The “Some Like it Hot” star bought the residence in February 1962”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and other web sources explicitly state that Marilyn Monroe purchased the property in February 1962.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The house is most famous as the only residence Marilyn Monroe ever owned, and the location of her death on August 4, 1962.In February 1962, Monroe purchased the property for $77,500.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12305_Fifth_Helena_Drive

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 1962, Marilyn Monroe, one of the most iconic figures in American culture, was found dead inside her home in Brentwood, a neighborhood in Los Angeles.Marilyn Monroe purchased the Brentwood hacienda-…
https://www.aol.com/marilyn-monroes-los-angeles-home-1833462…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A little backstory about Marilyn Monroe and her home, for those who haven’t been following along: Monroe purchased the 1920s Spanish-style bungalow for $77,500 in February 1962, six months before dyin…
https://www.admiddleeast.com/story/marilyn-monroes-former-ho…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.