Campus Walk Rebuilt but not Janet
My friend, Bruce, and I were driving back to the office this morning when we decided to take a short detour to look at the new Josephine's restaurant under construction nearby. We chanced to take a turn at Howard Street and I said something like "oh, look the Campus Walk Apartments have been rebuilt."
Bruce, who remembers next to nothing (sorry Bruce) didn't remember the fire there that claimed the lives of four young people and sent young Janet Danahey to prison for life, eight years ago last month. I didn't know any of these people but it always seemed to me that Janet Danahey had little or no legal defense and that her attorney probably should have been disbarred--but like the commercial goes, that's more like an opinion. I wanted to name this attorney but in all the stories about the fire and its aftermath, he is never named. I wonder why.At the heart of this injustice is what's known as the "Felony Murder Rule" which, not being an attorney, I wouldn't even dream of trying to explain. I just hope somebody, somewhere is trying to get Janet out of prison. One tragic but ultimately stupid act doesn't warrant a life sentence.
You can write to Janet here:
Janet Danahey #0774159
C/O NCCIW
1034 Bragg St.
Raleigh, NC 27610
posted by onomatopeyote at 7:43 AM
19 Comments:
Her attorney was Jim Kimmel (sic), not sure of the spelling. My understanding is he was at one time the DA in Guilford County. Her family didn't want to pay for an attorney. Her father was against it. They sold her few belongings to pay for an attorney to appear with her in court. She would have been better off with a court appointed attorney. I don't know her and had only been living in Greensboro since October 2001. But I will never forget that fire as long as I have my mind.
I',m sorry to bust everones bubble. But for nine years I have been holding a terrible secret about two of the victims. I wanted to come forward as soon as I heard about the fire. I thought about carrying this secret to the grave with me. But since i am sick with less than six months left I will share my secret. Donna and Rachael used to work parttime for an escort service. I knew them, and had used them several times. Donna about five times, Rachael 17 times. Almost all college girls and struggling young women need money. They worked for a couple on Gentry Street. I can't remember the name of the escort service. But, I am glad that is now out.
This post goes out to "Anonymous" in reference to his claims concerning the Llewellyn sisters. Let's just say that your claim about them is true. I honestly don't know because I never met either of them. To be honest, it sounds like you're just playing a cruel joke by viciously slandering two people and therefore causing their grieving families more injury. You say you wanted to come forward? Then why are you posting this anonymously? If you really feel the need to "come clean" with something, then post your name. Otherwise, what you're doing is disrespectful and cowardly.
J Marie - thank you for saying what I was too angry and dumbfounded to say. I DID know Donna and Rachel, both since childhood. Donna was one of my closest friends for a time, and though I hadn't spoken to either of them for a few months prior to the fire, I think it is abhorrent for you, "Anonymous," to malign those girls in such a way.
As to the issue of Janet Danahey, maybe life in prison IS a harsh sentence for a person who didn't intend for anyone to die when she acted out in such a stupid and immature way. But four people died as a result of her stupidity. And it was stupidity - setting fire to something and realizing that other things would get set on fire as well is common sense. This was an apartment complex, so logically, other people lived there besides her boyfriend. The Llewellyn's lost both of their children, and Ryan and Beth's family lost children, too. I knew the victims and so can't be terribly impartial.
maybe one is not a murderer when they set a box of christmas decorations on fire on her ex boyfriends porch. But when she decided not to warn the people in the house after seeing it go up in flames, she officially graduated to murderer.
and as far as the moron who goes by anonymous #2 ... what difference would it make whether the girls were escorts or not. (not that i believe they were). does that mean that prostitutes are fair game to burn and kill?
Janet initially told police that she had only lit a small box of Christmas decorations on fire, but later admitted to WFMY News2's Rosemary Plybon that she had lied to police, and in fact poured lighter fluid on the porch futon and lit it on fire. In an interview with the Washington Post reported that Janet had later admitted (in a meeting with one victims father) that she had seen the porch go up in flames, and could hear the screams of people coming from inside, but did not call 911, claiming that she "could not find her cell phone" and instead went with the other two girls to hide the evidence in a friends dumpster.
Hey! with any luck, maybe one of her cell mates will accidently set her cell on fire and give her a little taste of that warm and fuzzy death by fire feeling... my favorite part of the whole story is how she was asking God, then night she found out she killed those people, for a sign and for help. and of course, nothing. as always. next time she should try writing a letter to Santa. He's just as real, and you'll get the same response.
thats what she gets for hiring Jimmy kimmell as her attorney. I heard she pleaded guilty as soon as she found out she'd be tried by Judge Jay Leno.
I am amazed that people find and return to this post. One of you has returned many times. I am thinking today of another young woman, Amanda Sperduti, who was sentenced to 7 -12 years in prison for killing three people one drunken evening. Like Janet, she didn't intend to kill anyone but with a blood alcohol level over .20, other unnamed drugs in her system and speeds in excess of 90 mph, three people died when Amanda lost control and hit a tree. Unlike Janet, she will get out of jail while still young enough to have a life because the D.A. saw fit NOT to charge Amanda with other crimes that would have qualified her for the felony murder conviction. that sent Janet away for life. Somebody ought to give Janet the same break they gave Amanda and let the girl out while she can still have a life.
Melissa Marvin of Kill Devil Hills, NC got plastered and sped through an intersection. She killed four young women and almost succeeded in killing a fifth friend. She received 60 years in prison. She MUST serve 60 years as it was 15 years for each death. Missy was 29 at the time of the sentencing, so essentially, she was given a deserved life sentence. Stupidity or drunkeness is not an excuse to take a life.
Are you kidding? Give this girl a break? Did she give the four people she killed a break by trying to get help for them when she saw what she had done? Don't think so. She deserves everything that's happened to her. I am so damn sick of people crying for "justice" for this murderer. She killed 4 people. End of story. Even if she rots in jail for the rest of her life, it's more of a life than any of her four victims will every have.
It has been a long time since I visited this site. I am the second poster about the sisters working for the escort service on Gentry Street. It was called Genteleman's Choice. It was owned by a couple named Cris and Marilyn. That is not their real names, just a stage name. I know their real names as I have been a guest in their home. They did work as escorts.
Lee, in your original post, you claimed that you had only six months to live. Apparently you have outlived your prognosis, congratulations. However, it does taint your veracity just a tad.
Well sir, I have prostate cancer. I guess the doctors really don't know how much longer i will live. If you would like proof that I have cancer, I will be glad to personally show you documentation or you can go with me to my next doctors appointment.
No, thanks.
I grew up with janet in kernersville. she was a sweet girl. i feel terrible that she is going through this. i also feel terrible for the families of the deceased. I hope that janets family is supporting her.
"god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can and the wosdom to know the difference." i hope she is freed soon. She will carry the burden of her mistake for the rest of her life. she is a good person.why arent we locking up real criminals? pedophiles, child abusers, elderly abusers, domestic assaulters?
Lots of moral superiority on this board here. I feel like I should remove my shoes while standing on holy ground.
Better watch what u say on here,Lee, this blog is being monitored by the Greensboro Police Department. Onomatopeyote or one of Rachael or Donna's friends or family has reported it to the police. Detective Sargeant JD Slone is on the case. You can't even blog in Greensboro without the crooked cops trying to make something out of nothing. Lee, I know them also, u don't want to be associated with the Gentry clan.
No one is perfect. Janet did something terrible and unforgettable but she lives with this guilt every day. She apologizes and honors these four people, but nothing is good enough in the eyes of society. A sin is a sin no matter what the extent of it and if God can forgive her than we should be able to also. This woman has lost so many valuable years. Why destroy a woman's life over an action that many people would do not thinking of the consequences. There are millions of ways that people deal with a stressful situation and no one reacts the same. Our mind can play dirty tricks on us and lead us in the wrong direction. When we are hit with something like this we don't always react the way we should. Until you are actually put in a situation such as this you cannot act as if you would of done anything differently when the fire started to spread. I was a little girl when this tragedy forced its way into our house. I grew up hating Janet for what she had done to those families without their children. But deep down I couldn't erase the memories of her kind and gentle spirit that would come to see me. My family still deals with the anger and guilt. But, everyone deserves a second chance when they are willing to admit to their mistakes and prove that they are a good person at heart.
Post a Comment
<< Home