Guilty verdict in 'thrill kill' murder trial

The verdict was correct -
JP Orlewicz is only sorry he got caught -
he has no remorse .

Instead of the state paying to
feed him for the next 60- 70 years ,
they should put him in the electric chair -
and put it on pay per view.
Give the proceeds to the red cross .

This whole case disturbed me from beginning to end. My sympathies go out to all of these parents who have all lost a son in this sick tradgedy. I saw on the stand a "boy" who could be my own son. Society is in trouble! I would like to know if it was brought to attention, that this "child" (JP) on his myspace has a picture of a skull and the email address skullsmakemesmile. Shows that this person was disturbed way before, and wish it had been a warning sign that could have changed how this played out.

Guilty was the only verdict but as a society, we need to pay attention to what our children are doing – communication with our teens is a must. We have allowed violent game videos, violent movies and violent music. Our children have become immune and numb to violence

MH, California

I definitely am in the minority but don't agree with the verdict. I didn't believe any of the boys to the point of finding JP quilty of First Degree Murder. His testimony is certain details sounded more real than Alex's did, to me. Having recently retired as an Appellate Clerk for the Superior Court in my county, I'm hoping he'll win an appeal for a shorter sentence. I do feel he should be punished but not for life.

I do not think the verdict is correct. I believe it was self defense and everyone is just making J.P out to be some monster that he is not. I think there is more to Dan then what is said. I think it is unfortunate for all this to happen and my love and thoughts go out to both families but I believe J.P is innocent.

While I believe JP is guilty of a murder charge, I don't think the state proved the elements of 1st degree felony murder.

The jury didn't get to hear about Dan's criminal past or history. It was not allowed in by this judge. I think things would have looked a bit different if the jury was given the info about the victim. No job...borrowing money from a 17 year old, wanting to extort another kid. There is something we don't know about Dan – he was clearly not a good person. This reminds me of the Phil Spector trial. Only 5 women who were threatened by him were allowed into evidence....the jury never knew about all the other violent events Phil was apart of – and there were a lot of other problems in the past. I think this issue will be very important on appeal in this case.

JP should be in prison, but if I was a juror, I would be worried about putting this kid way for the rest of his life when you really can't prove that things didn't go down as he said they did. You are left to believe a kid who just stood there watching his friend murder someone – doing nothing, then helping him. Just incredible that people like this exist – it almost seems like a movie.

I agree with the verdict, this monster will be off the streets for the rest of his life. He has no remorse from the heinousness of the crime. Self defense my foot, it was cold blooded murder. Thank you Robert Moran and Kym Worthy.

Mitchell
Paralegal

As I stated in a previous blog, I preceive this kid as a bad seed; sweet as pie on the outside but evil inside. Parent alert!. Get more involved in your children's lives at a very young age in a positive way and be aware of who they "hang with".

Its about time, he deserves the harshest punishment availiable. god bless the family

Yes, the verdict was fair. I wonder if this MAN is a sociopath because he showed no feelings in describing what he had done to another human being.

here is jp's myspace web site!!! didn't his parents ever look at his cognitive processing???

http://www.myspace.com/skullsmakemesmile

"Skulls make me smile" he is very very insane!!!

It's sad for everyone the boy needs help not the correctional system which doesnot work it just produces more criminals.I know we shouldn't attack the victim but what was an almost thirty year old man doing hanging around with teenage boys from seemingly well off families?????Seems to me he was a predator of some kind...we all should pay more attention to our children even our grown ones!!! PS I am a correctional officer.

Although I agree with the verdict and detest the the motive behind and nature of this crime, I strongly disagree with Court TV's efforts to color the victim as a choirboy. Both the perpetuator and victim needed earlier and (in the case of the victim) stronger intervention years ago.

The crime was horrific, but I can have no peace about a child being sentenced to a life in prison. At this young age the brain is not even fully developed and people may really not understand the full consequences for their actions. Our Criminal Justice system needs to look at the age a crime was committed and sentences should reflect that. There should be an allowance to look at young convicted inmates after serving 10 years to see how they have done in prison and have they turned their life in a different direction. Do they have the capability of being rehabilitated back into society.

There are circumstances in people lives that teach them or lead them in the wrong direction because maybe they haven't seen anything better. From the outside it seems as though this 18 year old came from a strong family, but maybe he felt neglected, his parents are business owners, maybe they were very busy. Whatever the case there should be discretion when dealing with our youth.

And for those whose said they hope he gets what's coming to him. Do you believe being raped, abused in prison is the answer? Two wrongs don't make it right.

I am a single mom raising two children and make an okay living. My goal is to get into law school, no matter what age. I plan to take part in any advocacy groups wanting to change our nations sentencing laws as well as looking at what make our kids turn to violence.

I am so glad the jury came back with a guilty verdict!

I do not think this was a thrill kill, I think it was a hate crime. I think Dan was homosexual; JP knew it, the guys knew it (and felt it was their "manly" duty to go along with JP's plan), and JP killed Dan because of it.

You are so right, Wendy...I believe every parent with children between nine and 21 need to see this entire court trial, to see just what can go on right in front of us. You can never ask enough questions of your children, or know their friends well enough.

I'm glad of the verdict, I never believed the self defense case at all, i had my husband help me act out how, JP said it happened and how
Alex L. said it happened, and i just could not believe it happen JP's way

I really wonder what is happening to our youth these days. Of course if we read the Bible, it tells us this will come to pass. I truly believe that. The thing that bothers me with this case is the guy had no remorse at all. I have a feeling he will be finding Religion really soon in prison.

J.P.'s eyes said it all.Dead,just like his victim's !!!! Cold,lifeless,no remorse.His only concern was that his jail cell had roaches,and lights left on all night.If he wins an appeal and gets out,I sure hope his parents can sleep with their eyes wide open.Never have I heard such hate and venom directed toward a parent.He loves himself only!!!!!

Self defense was not discussed until just before the trial. If these kids killed this man in self defense they would have mentioned it immediately. This was a terrible crime and I for one am glad that JP is in jail for life.

Good Verdict.. He will enjoy his cell for quite awhile...

My problem with all of this is why did he buy the tarp to protect the garage? Why did he buy a hacksaw days before the murder? Why did he tell people that he was going to do it? Why was it thwarted the day before?

I look at these kid's my space page's and it just upset's me how many of them are ATHIEST......

People saying "self defense" have to be joking, as he asked the severed head a question, and then moved the jaws up and down, and answered with his own voice, in a "comedy "act.

I know for sure many will say this happened in Detroit and the murderer is from Detroit. For the record, neither is true. Although the media said the "Pistons Brawl" happened in Detroit, it did not and none of the people involved in the brawl were Detroiters. The newspapers and televsion stations boldly lied about it.

this "BOY" or "CHILD" as yall want to call him deserved everything he had coming to him that's what's wrong with people everyone wants to feel remorse for him because of his age he did this to this man not only took his life but beheaded him and burned him and you think he didnt deserve what he got i belive eye for an eye he deserves worse then sitting in a jail cell the rest of his life WOW they really showed him im sorry but you can't feel sorry for a cold blooded killer and if you want to sit here and say SELF DEFENSE that would be understandable if he hadn't t cut off his head and tourched him i know what it's like to lose a child my daughter died and i have no closure i have no cause and thses parents deserve to watch the cold blooded killer who took there son's life out of thrill to rot in prison for the rest of his sorry no remorseful life!

First i would like to say. Any chance of self defense went out the window when the beheading took place. That is evil and hard to fathom. Now that i said that , i still belive it was self defense. Im the same age as sorenson was. I can say that i have no business in a garage with a couple of 17 year old kids. They were all into drugs and thats fine by me. Something is a miss from this whole thing. Ive read thatSorensons own girlfriend said he was known to carry a gun and knife. I know people from Rouge, i am also very familiar with suburban kids like jp, and alex letkeman. I was once 17 and partied and did the same things jp and his peers did. Sorenson had a record of taking things by FORCE! whether it be extorting money like he was supposidly supposed to do that day, or be a known sex offender in not 1 but 2 states. Noone deserves what Sorenson or his family has had to go thru . I just feel this whole thing was twisted to make JP Orlewicz to look evil. Has 6 friends testify against him, which by the way they all could have faced jail time for their involvement with this. They all said Jp said this Jp said that . I think its all a crock. noone lets 6 punk kids off that easy. Only if you want a slam dunk in the prosecutions favor. This was a grusome display of violence, someone had to pay for it. There was no way they could allow defense win with a self defense plea. MY opinion was Sorenson started to act likie the bully he was and an argument insued. So he started to get physical with the teens. Why ? maybe cause he out weighs both teens and is 10 years older than they are.Sorenson has the upperhand already at this point. He also MIGHT HAVE HAD A GUN , like his own girlfriend said he carried. Now the scared teen panics and starts stabbing him , more than once 14 times to be exact. Then the act of trying to dispose the body and such. That all sounded to me like scared teens panicing , not some elaborate scheme to pull off a (perfect murder) , as the prosecution sais they did. Like i said it was vicious, and i couldnt imagine being Sorensons parents. The pain they went thru and still going thru. I just feel there was more to the story .!!! Alot more!!! Jp didnt go to his house to kill him . Sorenson went to Jps , He also went there by choice. Something happened in that garage that day. We will never know the true story because . JP Orlewicz is a monster and thats the end of the story. Not for me I want to meet Jp and find out just what set him off to do this. Then again maybe all accusations are true and what happened is the exact events of that fatal day. I dont belive it and never will. Just an FYI suburban kids will squeel on their parents if threatened and pushed into a corner. Kind of funny all Jps friends testimony was exactly the same. People say "because it was true " thats why its all the same. JP was planning to kill Sorenson, and whatever else they all testified. Souned more to me like they all had been rehearsed into what to say EXACTLY! Or they would go to jail. So i think we can all see why their stories were all so exact.

This kid is a sick, twisted person and is so GUILTY. We are better off with him behind bars for the rest of his life. The question I have is a person as sick as Jean Orlewicz, it seems like he would have shown signs early on that he was like this. You hear so often of these killers that started young torturing and killing animals and from there moving on to people. Didn't his family ever see any of these signs. A person this sick and evil doesn't happen overnight. He has had this torture and killing instinct in him for a while. I truly believe that. His parents should have got this sicko help at an early age. I know people always point fingers at the parents, but seriously there had to be signs that were ignored.

"Eye for an Eye...A Life for A Life". He needs the death penalty for because this was obviously premeditated, methodical, vicious, and total disregard for human life...
I did not fall for that boyish, innocent look for one minute..."He (Lucifer) appears as an angel of light..."

After reading some of these posts, I am mortified by what some people actually think! You are entitled to your own opinion but look at the situation here. Yes, we may never know why an almost 30 y/o man was hanging out w/ teenage boys. However, this man no matter what he has done was slaughtered like an animal and this was called self-defense in JP’s eyes. When do you take the time and plan the details of a murder and then step back and say, "Oh my, this is self-defense because I am terrified of this individual". JP needs to die for his crime. No one, no one...deserves to die the way Daniel did. I do not know him and but I can't even fathom what was going through his mind while JP stabbed him repeatedly after first cutting his throat. He fought for his life. Also, his parents have to relive this horrific nightmare for the rest of their lives. As a parent, I don't know if I can take someone doing something like that to my child. Daniel's mother is strong...I probably would have contemplated taking my own life...

This was not a thrill kill. It was a panic kill.The prosecution sent up a bunch of teenagers who lied priviously and told them what to say. They were so coached it was disgusting. i believe that jp was defending himself and that rat alex. The only reason he was found guilty is because he mutilated the bady! if he wouldn't have done all that no one would be saying any of this crazy stuff. I feel horrible that he is losing his life too. He needs help but not the kind you get in a state corrections. There was no perfect murder plot. if he premeditated it why would he have so many people invovled? Anyone knows you do that alone unless it is a spur of the moment. He is not a sick calculated sadistic man, i believe he was a kid that got in way over his head and tried to brush it under the rug and hoped it would go away. Isn't it funny how lektemann was standing there singing the same story until 6 days before trial? I wish he would have got off and alex would have had to do 20 – 30. Justice is not this. This young man never got a fair trial and i think this is a travisty of the judicial system. If dans back ground couldn't be evidence then neither should jp's. and if dan weren't hanging out wih 17 year olds furnishing them with alcohol and drugs and constantly trying to intimidate them they wouldn't have thought of him in the manner they did. His lifestyle had a huge impact on why the offense occured. It is not glorious to send a 17 year old to prison for the rest of his life it is a travisty. I pray for this to go to appellate court. I don;t think this is over yet!

Ok first of all there is no way that this was a Panic kill or a self defense kill.. Stabbing someone 13 times slitting the throat and chopping off the head and burning the finger tips and palms and feet is not done out of a Panic state! It was All on purpose!! JP contradicted himself on all of his arguments! Also according to JP, Mr. Sorenson was looking around and trying to find the gun WHILE he was getting stabbed 13 times by JP........... K first of all There is NO WAY a 6 foot tall 250 lb Kid is gonna let someone stab him multiple times while he looks for a gun! JP also had a Tarp layed out on the ground... Everything was set up! And also according to JP, he didnt get hurt the whole time either, how do you not get hurt by someone 100 lbs bigger than you? especially when his life is on the line? This JP kid is Far beyond guilty!!

I am not too certain that the verdict is the correct verdict. If he was so scared of the "MAN" why did'nt he just tell his parents? Or maybe he was high on drugs that night, or day to. I don't believe that he should spend the rest of his life in jail. That will only make his go crazier than he already appears to be. My suggetion, is that he be placed in a mental institution to be evaluated. Then, after he gets better, he should be placed in a institution close to his family, where he can have his parents, because this is what he need at this early stage in life.

No kid should be sent to jail for life no matter what the crime. We don't let them drink, smoke, have sex, or even drive a car at night, but we love to throw the key and their life away. If we are going to charge every kid as a adult then we should let them live as and adult. How do we get to pick and choose? That make us God.