No One Could Protect Her

I recognized this story from an old copy of Readers' Digest. I recognized Joanna Kerns from Growing Pains. I recognized how severe the plot of this story was.

What most people don't know is that this is the true story of a woman who was raped a few years back, and sent her story into Readers' Digest under the name of Trouble In Allentown. I was young when I read it, but I knew about rape, even though I wish I hadn't at such a young age.

The man who raped this woman was a serial rapist---one of the sickest types of people out there. He had a pattern, blondes. Young blondes. First a 29 year-old, then a 34 year-old, and then [ the worst of them all ] a four year-old girl, and he slaughtered them all.

The twist came, throwing the police off track was the 16 year-old girl, who was saved only because she was masked with a pillow case---but she was a brunette. The woman became obsessed with solving the chain of vicious crimes.

This movie, while stirring, sent out a message that if one keeps their head in a perilous situation then they can overcome the fear and reign as the strong one.

And all should remember that this is a true story, and it wasn't made by a sick screen writer, so it could happen to anyone---so be prepared for the worst of times at all times, not just for yourself, but for everyone. *****/5

Somehow I found myself going on a Lifetime movie binge. I had always been a fan - just never been able to watch them because I don't have cable, so I was happy to see they're on YouTube. I know some people think they're bad. And honestly, I agree with them. The acting isn't/wasn't exactly the best. The characters also defy logic by placing themselves in various kinds of danger. But overall, I like how they covered real world issues, which gives them more depth than Hallmark movies. The only downside to these films - and this is just my personal feelings - is depending on the subject matter, they can be quite upsetting to watch. The hardest ones for me are about eating disorders and domestic violence. I either have to watch the movie in pieces, or I just can't through it at all. No One Could Protect her is one that I managed to sit through, even though it's about a married woman who's raped when she's home alone.

Joanna Kerns is a convincing actress. She has you absorbed in the story in such a way that big name Hollywood stars don't necessarily do. I had tried to watch her in that horrible film Terror in the Family, but that was one I couldn't make it through. Her and Dan Lauria played parents whose teenage daughter (Hilary Swank) had violent outbursts whenever she didn't get her way. It just made me too anxious. I prefer her in this movie. Dan Lauria was in it as well. I thought she was so believable as a woman who had been violated and traumatized by a monster who's hiding in the neighborhood. You can feel her pain, anguish, and how she longs for a sense of normalcy after having her sense of security taken away. She completely owns the role of Jessica Raynor. Her husband (Anthony Denison) leaves town to go gambling with a friend. The man breaks into the house, drags her outside, and rapes her. What ensues is a string of sleepless nights, as her husband is frustrated with the police not moving fast enough to find the guy, so he stays up to catch him on his own.

It's a great (albeit difficult to watch at times) film. I just didn't understand why they never locked their front door. That bugged me. The sicko kept breaking into the house. You'd think after the 3rd or 4th time, it might dawn on her or her husband to lock the door before they go to bed? People do that for real, not locking their doors or windows because they live in a small town, so they figure it's safe and there's no need. I always found that to be such flawed thinking. I also thought it was an awful idea that she continued to be in the house alone even after the rape happened. Just because her sister lived down the street didn't mean she was safe. It would've been more logical to have someone stay with her. But then again, that's Lifetime movies for you.

Jessica and her husband's relationship is very endearing. He's willing to stop at nothing to protect her, even if that means risking his own life. She also develops the strength to give herself protection, and started out terrified, but became fearless as the story progressed. It's a good movie for if you're bored and want something to watch that's not mainstream or generic.

*For anyone who experienced sexual violence, this film might be triggering*

I only watched it because it's movie night and my wife picked this one. Not bad, but not the greatest. I only giving a 5 because she enjoyed it.

Joanna Kerns, (Jessica Rayner) gave an outstanding performance of a woman who was raped on her front lawn and the only thing that saved her was an old man coming to her aid. Jessica has a very happy family life with her husband, Anthony John Denison, (Dan Rayner) who have a business that works out of their home and everything is going in the right direction until this rapist strikes. What makes this film terrifying is the fact that many other women are being raped and this rapist constantly goes back to Jessica and attempts to rape and kill her so she will not be able to identify him. This film begins to get rather boring with this rapist never being able to get caught by police or anyone else.

To be honest, I never watched the movie because I, for about four years was in regular contact with the convicted perpetrator of the crimes.

As a Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania I did not prosecute him for the crimes which eventually led him to a miserable life on death row with the PA Department of Corrections. However, being an attorney who represented the DOC and its employees, I got to meet many notorious and formerly notorious criminals throughout the years. Most had become bored of being permanent guests of the state and manufactured tales of beating, torture, and other nonsense which ultimately led to civil law suits against the Commonwealth. That's where I stepped in, in defense of the state.

I had the pleasure of meeting the bad guy in this film on several occasions, mostly during depositions and of course, his trial. He is the convicted rapist/murderer depicted in the movie version of the events.

I hate to disappoint but in real life he is neither intelligent, cunning, wily, or even the slightest bit clever. He is a 5 foot, 2 inch tall, 150 pound waste of air who is adept at lying and getting over in the strict confines of the Pennsylvania penal system. in 2008 he accused three corrections officers of randomly beating him and then sued them. That's where I became acquainted with him. In the subsequent five years he represented himself and persistently filed frivolous motion after frivolous motion causing the tax payers of PA more and more money. We finally tried the case in federal court after he was appointed volunteer lawyers from a huge firm in Philadelphia.

Justice once again prevailed but at the cost of probably another million dollars and he lost his law suit. However, after spending several million just to prosecute him, house him, and deal with his endless appeals to overturn his death sentences, he succeeded in torturing three innocent family men who happened to work for the DOC and spend another fortune in PA taxpayers' money defending the suit.

There is no doubt that he will fry in Hell, when he gets there. His goal is to bankrupt the state on the way. The Prison Litigation Reform Act has failed again and must be redressed. The whole experience as a newer lawyer was incredible but at what cost? Anyway, the real guy who is convicted of the murders depicted in this film is safely tucked away in jail for the rest of his life