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Friday
Apr252008
Jean Pierre Orlewicz Guilty of Murder
Friday, April 25, 2008 at 2:32AM 
Jean Pierre Orlewicz, 18, of Canton, Michigan, was found guilty of: First-degree murder, Felony murder and Mutilation of a corpse. The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for more than 10 hours over two days before coming to a unanimous verdict. He will be sentenced by Judge Annette J. Berry on May 16, 2008.
He had been charged along with his friend, Alexander Letkemann, in the killing of Daniel Sorensen, 26 on November, 7, 2007 in what had been called a "Thrill Kill". Letkemann pleaded guilty to second-degree murder April 1. He was sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison in exchange for his testimony against Orlewicz.
Jean Pierre Orlewicz took the stand and admitted that he killed Sorenson but insisted that it was in self-defense. He admitted stabbing Sorenson 13 times after an extortion plan went awry and Sorenson threatened his life. "There was not a murder," Orlewicz testified. During his testimony Orlewicz also admitted that after Sorenson died, he used a hacksaw to decapitate him. He said he threw Sorenson's torso into a field and set it on fire. He also said he took a blowtorch to Sorenson's hands to cover up fingerprints. For more details on the murder, click here.
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Reader Comments (41)
He deserves what hes getting. Somebody was going to die around these guys. Lucky for the truly innocent the killing was in there circle.
I caught most of the trial on true TV. It saddens me to hear people defend the murder of this young man. In order for a person to carry out an act of this magnitude gives me pause. I have a son, and thinking a young man would come up with the act of disposing of someone (dead or alive) in this matter is truly frightening. Crazy or not crazy my heart does not bleed for him, but for the loved ones left in the wake of this evil.
I hope everybody that touches this case, espically that young man, reads scripture and finds God.
What is wrong with people? Do any of you have any common sense. This was clearly not a "THRILL KILL"! This case was just given that name because it rhymes, it sounds good for the media, and therefore it works for them. That is the dumbest thing I have heard! Sorenson was killed in self-defense. What idiot plans to kill a guy who is twice his size and carries a gun, using only a knife? Hello common sense! The knife was a weapon of opportunity already at the scene, which the kid grabbed in a desperate attempt to defend himself and his friend. Why 13 times? Well, if you stab a person twice your size who has a gun within reach, and you do it only once, that person will be injured and really pissed off! One stab to the back will not paralyze or even slow down a man of Sorenson's size. It will only get him good and pissed off. Then he is sure to want to get that gun and kill those kids even more. That is why JP stabbed him so many times. As for mutilating a corpse, there is no excuse! These kids panicked, and they feared that the authorities would not believe them. But he did not need to mutilate a corpse, and for that he should do some time. First-degree murder, though, that is ridiculous. It was not premeditated! The incident started as a crude, sick joke to get money out of another kid. It should never have happened. As for the "THRILL KILL," this was not that at all. Cops, prosecuters, they are all crooked! They want another prosecuted and solved case marked on their belts! They will manipulate anyone into saying what they want to hear. They will fill one's head full of lies if they believe the person will "crack" and help them build their case. They told Alex, 'If you say this, this, and this, then we will get you a deal. You will get out of prison some day. But if you don't, then you will go to prison forever because your friend will bring you down with him. He will turn it all around on you.' That is how cops, prosecuters, F.B.I. operate. I know from my husband's past experience. He got into some stupid trouble. He had possession of a stolen gun, and they wanted to give him a felony even though he did not steal the gun or steal anything. He even had a foid card. They really didn't have any evidence and they knew it. They sent F.B.I. agents to his parent's house, as he was still in high school at the time. They camped out in his back yard for months and tranquilized his 250 pound dog who would have barked at anyone in his yard who did not belong there. What they did was not legal, but they would deny it in court, and who wouldn't believe a bunch of F.B.I. agents? They ended up telling my husband that if he set up these other guys (who had nothing to do with the gun issue)who are selling cocaine, then they would not send in his paperwork to the state's attourney. They wanted a nark! He said no, took a deal for 60 days, day for day good time, no felony on his record. He did his time 5 years ago and now life is normal. But that is a prime example of how the criminal justice system operates. You are NOT innocent until proven guilty! They tell you that, but you are really guilty until proven innocent! JP's case is a sad one. He was not right or justified in what happened, but he does not deserve life. It was NOT a "THRILL KILL"! The first big red flag to everyone should be that a 30 year old guy was hanging around 17 year old kids, minors! Who does that? Huge red flag! The guy was a bully. That was proven! And how does anyone know that Sorenson wouldn't have killed one of those kids that day if they hadn't killed him? JP could have been the dead victim, but no one sees it that way. People automatically feel sorry for the dead guy. Although, it is not for us to judge. God will make the final judgement some day. That is the one that really counts.
rehibitated? whats wrong with you people..those people like "little boy Orlewicz" should be eliminated at the same day, AND do NOT waste our tax money
He sure is pretty lookin boi..... I hope he has a lot of KY on hand at the buttfarm he currently resides at..... LOLOLOLOLOL
Scream little boy.... ooooooo ohohohoho
They are going to sodomize his ass BAD.
Some big nigger will plow his ass day in and day out. He certainly won't make a peep when he farts from now on...... just a a lot of air cumming out LOLOLOL
This was clearly a "Thrill Kill", JP wanted to be the cool, bulldogish, badass, like he considered his "friend" Sorensen to be. The self-defense excuse is bullshit. He is like any other prep wanna be thug, when the shit hits the fan you tuck in your tail and start trying to back track. JP is not as innocent as he tried to look. JP just wanted to see what it was like to kill maliciously. He masterminded this crime, and like he admitted, he committed every act in this crime. Furthermore, if JP was such a caring, peaceful, loving guy, why did he not once apologize or show any type of remorse. Because he was full of shit and tried to weasel and cun his way out of it.
Ugh! This makes me so sick to read the comments of all that feel sorry for JP! Its absolutely discusting. The things he did to the victim...what if that was your son, your brother,friend? Then you would change your mind. JP is pure evil. If you paid attention to the case and especially his testimony none of it makes sense. How could this be revenge over money? His best friend stole more money from him and he wasn't after his head. Remember he loaned the money to Dan. No matter what the situation... he decapitated the guy and mutilated his body. Who does that? Then goes on to a friends house like nothings wrong. Thats sick no matter how you spin it. Gives me chills to think about it. Im glad he wont be walking the streets ever again. Now if we could just lock away the rest of them who never thought twice about the evil act and would do anything to help a friend in need (disposal of a body and evidence). This is horrible.
I totally agree with nicole about what happened in the case of J.P but it's outrageous to send him away for life. It seems as of these kids were tired of Dan bulling them and when they were faced with a gun to there head that day they freaked out and J.P just did what anyone would do to defend him self and friend.As for the decapitation and burns to the corpse theres no excuse.All i could tell you is we wouldn't know in what state of mind J.P was in when he realized he had killed Dan cause i imagine I would go crazy and do the stupid things he did.I hate the facts that they didn't take his physicalogocal past records in consideration.But he is guilty he admitted to doing so he admitted not like others that denie it. But doesn't mean he's a cold blooded killer he's only a kid.As for Dans parents i'm sorry for your lost.O yea this goes for the stupid kids that get on line and talk out of the question with out analizing what the whole purpose of conversation is.Talking about what is gonna happen in jail grow up would u! I really hope if u ever go to jail this same thing won't happen to you nybaffalo & mike!
Why do people assume this kid will be victimized in prison altho, it isn't a pretty place-i just have a hard time believing JP would allow himself to be a victim. If you walk and talk like one than you will be one. I do think he should have been placed in a youth facility before going to an adult tho. I have 2 opinions on this no one deserves to die and have there remains desecreted but, at the same time what the heck was a 26 yr old man doing hanging w/teens?? If this was so well ochestrated why would JP use a paring knive to take on a man twice his size?? We will never know but, i do not want to give up on the kid...several teen killers in the past have gone on to be productive in society..Leopold, Mary (10-12yr old from England) i'm sure there's more. Making an effort to see if the possiblity is within him would be nice instead of writing him off. So many times i hear where are the parents...but, think back to your childhood..or teenage years, bet you hid things for a bit before you were found out...I'm not forgetting the victim and punishment is deserved i just want to believe people can be rehabbed. i spent a great deal of time behind bars and all it did for me was open more doors and place ideas in my head. As well as teach me to hate, if there is any chance he can be helped, the longer he's there the more remote the possiblity becomes. It's hard to put into words what its like but, one thing is certain any goodness or positive aspects of your being you must cling on to for the sake of not allowing "them" to take all you are.
they have been showing this trial on tru tv lately and i have been grossly addicted to it, i'm sad to say. i think jp is a cold blooded killer, he wanted to kill someone and get away with it, he thought he was going to, that's why he cut dudes head off and tried to burn his fingerprints off, cuz he's a sicko twisted little fucker, his parents should've beat his ass a few hundred more times and maybe dan would still be alive. it makes me want to vomit reading these posts about how jp's innocent, & dan was the big mean guy trying to take advantage, BULLSHIT. I think that jp and the other kid killed him for the thrill of it, to see what would happen, and that they also knew if they did get caught they could just say well this a 26 year old convicted sex offender who deals drugs and blah blah was trying to hurt me, it was self defense. i'm glad the jury didn't buy his altar boy act, he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. i don't care that he's a teenager, and to whoever said his brain isn't wired like an adults, i think u might be a physco too bc 17 is DEFINITELY old enough to know the difference btwn right and wrong. And another thing, if it was all self defense and jp was totally innocent, why the fuck didn't he go to the police, we watch these movies nowadays that show dumb asses killing someone on accident and then they freak out and try to get rid of the body, all the while we're screaming at the tv u morons!! DO THE RIGHT THING!! no innocent person would cut someones head off and try to burn his fingerprints off, it's common sense people, i hope he does get his ass reamed out in prison, and that he burns in hell forever, and to dan's family and friends, don't let these fucks try to taint his name, calling him a sex offender bc he was a normal 17 year old boy trying to get some, who cares if he sold drugs, it was marijuana and i don't even call that a drug, he didn't deserve what happened to him no matter what his lifestyle was. oh,i also think that there might be something going on with the michigan police bc the kid that helped him hide the body for sure should've got something, like 10 years atleast, i went to prison for almost 3 years bc i helped my boyfriend rob a bar after it was closed, it was my first time being in trouble ever and the s.a. didn't give a fuck, it's sad to know that i would've got nothing if only i had helped a friend hide a body...
The jurors were probably biased due the news coverage unless maybe only the eastern United States heard the details and other parts of the country didn't. The press is important, but the news should broadcast objective facts and not immediately use terminology such as "thrill kill."
The judge made mistakes; she wouldn't allow evidence from professionals who would state that the defendant is a caring individual who wouldn't kill again. She should have allowed witnesses to testify regarding Orlewicz's character. For example, opinions from former girlfriends and about his caring personality such as when he helped people having trouble with their boat should have been permitted. Regardless of the fact that Sorensen's character isn't on trial, both Orlewicz's and Sorensen's personality is relevant to the case. I think that he was a minor who was genuinely afraid of Sorensen who made prior threats against Orlewicz and his friends and family. I don't think Sorensen is a sex offender though; my friends who lived near me back when I was a kid/teen went out with 17 year old guys when they were 14 or 15. I think Jean Pierre Orlewicz was fearful of Sorensen's possible organized crime connections, so he panicked and tried to cover up the traces. Sorensen repeatedly pointed a gun at the heads of Orlewicz and his friends. Video games such as Hitman could perhaps desensitize minors and adolescents, especially male ones. Sending this minor with no prior offenses to prison would be a waste. I believe Jean Orlewicz has potential to go to college and lead a productive life and is someone who would never kill anyone unless it was in is self defense.
I agree with Pat, "[c]an’t a teenager be rehabbed? People [usually] aren’t born evil. Jails aren’t for rehabiltaion, we all know that."
Jean Orlewicz is definitely a candidate for rehabilitation.
I just recently watched this trial on tv & read about it. But I personnaly don't feel bad for either the victim or the defendent. The victim in this case was obviously a bully, wanna-be gangster, intimidator, criminal, & even if he was 17 when he was with the underage girl,-at that point in a 14 yr old girls life, 17 is pretty old & at a much different level of maturity. The defence went about this case completly wrong, they should have went from an insanity point of view kind of like a battered women syndrome type case but twisted to fit his situation. Jean Pierre was obviously tourtured by the guy, & I think the constant bullying & criminal type behavior, being forced upon him by the victim drove him to want to commit this crime. I too would want revenge on someone who repetitivly scared/pushed me around. I wouldn't take it to this level by any means... but how many of us are/have been in this exact situation as a teenager? My guess is slim to none. It must have been frightening for a young man to be subjected to that type of person. Anyhow, what kind of 26 year old man hangs out with high school kids? Not a normal one thats for sure. I am around that age and could never see myself or friends hanging around with high school kids (thats weird). I think that shows the so called "victim" in this case wanted people around him that he could take advantage of & dominate. He put on this stupid act pretending to be a mafia/gangster type, which is just in itself ridiculous- he was a "wanna be". I think if you make yourself out to be something you should be ready to suffer the consequences. He scared those kids into thinking he was a violent, serious individual who pushed them to a breaking point.
-Yes the defendent is disturbed and deserves to be behind bars for his crime, it was pre-meditated and horrific. Although it was a "thrill kill" I believe that if the victim were a nice normal friend, who didnt bully the two defendents he would still be alive today. It seems as though the victim almost dug his own grave, the lifestyle he so desperatly wanted to have & actually pretened to be a part of played a huge role in his death.
-Jean Pierre being the smart young man that he is showed the world that his "babyface" is like a mask to cover the evil inside of him. Any person who can stab a human being 13 times, decapitate the head with a hacksaw, blow torch the finger tips and smell burning flesh, go on to move the jaw up and down while mocking the vicitm, & then dispose of the corpse and lite it on fire -is very sick. Needing more than prison, he needs psycological help as well.
-The prosecution made it a point to play the audio tapes between the father and son from prison to show that he is a heartless/cynical person. Honestly after 6 months in jail & feeling like nobody is working on your case I'd be just as irritable & foul mouthed as Jean Pierre was in those recordings. However he has to be an idiot to not realize that everything he said was being recorded & could be used against him. The outcome of the trial could have been different for him if he'd of just sounded sorry for his actions, & had respect for his father, rather than yelling and swearing at him (even though I realize his aggitation and anger).
-Jean Pierre could have gotten a much lighter sentence & could someday walk the earth as a free man if he didn't think of himself as invincible. Showing more remorse, not giving anyone the opportunity to dipict him as disrespectful and self-rightious, & a different defence approach - mixed with his young age could have gotten him out of a life sentence. It seems as though he too dug his own grave.