A Look At The Real Falicia Blakely, The Real Dino & What The Film Omitted
Recently, TV One premiered the film, ‘When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story‘, a movie that tells the real life story of underage exotic dancer turned murderer Falicia Blakely. An already bad situation for a young Blakely turned deadly after her boyfriend/pimp convinced her to start ‘hitting licks‘. You probably didn’t even get through the film before you started looking into more about the story of the real Falicia Blakely. There are some glaring omissions in the film and some choices made for entertainment purposes, so we’ll try to help you navigate the fact from the fiction.
Here’s What You Need To Know About The Real Falicia Blakely & What You Won’t Get From The Film:
Falicia Blakely was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida with somewhat of a difficult childhood. Her father didn’t play an active role in her life and found himself in and out of prison for drug charges, mostly for heroin. In the film, her mother is portrayed by Tami Roman and appears as a woman who is more concerned with the men in her life than the well being of her own daughter. Apparently the film only provides a slight glimpse of what the realities in the home actually were. Oftentimes Falicia would spend time with her grandmother because her own mother wasn’t up to the task of taking care of her. In one scene in the film Falicia mentions that her grandmother was “up in New York”.
Falicia was also sexually assaulted as a child, a topic the film doesn’t bother to visit at all.
It wasn’t until around 15 or 16 years old that the real Falicia Blakely moved to Atlanta, deciding to join her mother in a new city. It wouldn’t be long before she would get into exotic dancing, using a fake I.D. to secure the bag. She dropped out of high school and eventually was making enough money to move out on her own.
Blakely became pregnant shortly after the move to Atlanta. She continued to dance throughout her pregnancy. One of the clear changes in the film is the portrayal of Falicia’s child as a girl, but in fact the real Falicia Blakely had a son. Her child was two years old when she was arrested in 2002, so her son, who she calls “Man”, is currently 16 years old, approaching 17.
“DINO”
Dino (portrayed by Lance Gross in the film) comes into Falicia’s life about 30 minutes into the film. He is an in-and-out of prison, older man, who from the outside looking in was clearly trouble from the beginning. But he was everything Falicia had never had before. A consistent man, who said he loved her, helped her care for her child and brought her nice things (although most of the time he was using the money she earned).
The real life Dino is a man the real Falicia Blakely has identified as Michael Berry. He was older then Falicia by 14 years so manipulation might not have been hard for him at the time.
The movie shows a scene were Dino gives Falicia a necklace with a padlock on it. The necklace was a real gift and for viewers who made it all the way to the end, the real Falicia Blakely was pictured in her mug shot wearing the chain.
The mugshot image is below:
The Murders:
Falicia Blakely was 19 years old in August 2002 when the murders were committed. Her real life co-defendant was named Ameshia Ervin.
On August 15th the pair robbed and killed Claudell Christmas, 35 and his friend Raymond Goodwin, 34. The two men were left for dead in an apartment belonging to one of the men.
What the film got wrong:
In the movie, Falicia and her partner murder 3 men in the first apartment, including one man who was a longtime friend/acquaintance of Falicia. Only two men were murdered on that first night, but both victims knew Falicia and Ameshia.
In the film there is one phone call from Dino telling Falicia to murder the men or he will murder her. Real life court reports mention as many as 6 calls from Dino.
After the murders Falicia and Ameshia hit up a club in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. There they met 29 year old Lemetrius Twitty. They lured him back to his apartment with the promise of sex. Once again they robbed him and murdered him. It was only a few hours between the murders, but Mr. Twitty was officially murdered on August 16th.
Falicia and Ameshia moved on to the normal routine and were living comfortably for a week before they were caught. They weren’t even initially arrested for the murders!!! In addition to hitting licks, the duo had taken to robbing fried chicken spots and small diners in Atlanta. While at a diner called Mrs Winner’s, presumably about to rob the place, the owner became suspicious and called the cops. When police arrived Falicia and Ameshia were in the bathroom. It was then that then cops discovered that they were riding in a car belonging to a man who had been murdered the week before.
The duo declined legal representation and they both admitted to all three murders. Falicia was found with identification that claimed she was 24 years old, but at the time she was only 19 years old.
Where Is The Real Falicia Blakely Now???
Ameshia was offered a deal in which she could testify against Falicia Blakely and receive concurrent life sentences but be up for parole in 14 years. She will be up for parole in 2024.
Falicia Blakely was given three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors had tried to get a death sentence in the case, but her life was spared in exchange for the rest of her life behind bars. Her sentence was more severe because she was the shooter. Today the real Falicia Blakely is 33 years old. She is serving her sentence at Arrendale State Prison.
Falicia also found out she was HIV positive after she was arrested. It is believed that Michael Berry infected her.
Where is the real Michael Berry now?
Dino was not ever tried for the murders or for conspiring to commit them, in part because Falicia tried to protect him throughout the process. Her lawyer, Ken Driggs, made it clear that she was incapable of being the mastermind behind these crimes, but no effort was made to pin the crimes in Dino.
As you can imagine though, Dino continued his life of crime and it wouldn’t be long before he was arrested yet again. Just three years after Falicia’s crimes Dino was arrested and convicted on unrelated charges and he had been in and out of prison since Falicia was convicted.
Today, Michael “Dino” Berry is 47 years old. The real Michael Berry is pictured to the right. Clearly he’s no Lance Gross.
Lil Mama Discusses Taking On The Role of Falicia Blakely
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QZtJsNq7rw
Lance Gross Discusses Playing “Dino”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BoXFQF5VZ0
Originally posted August 28, 2017
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39 comments
Excellent article regarding the Falicia Blakely case turned film, Kevin :).
Very much appreciated Francis. Thanks for taking time to comment!
…and thank you! Your writing brought the story to true form. The film was well scripted/acted, but the movie lacked in much needed accuracy and details. This passionate crime thriller would have probably even been better received by casting someone who bears a likeness to Falicia. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing the story to life.
Yes i agree with you, i hate when they glamrize a story and i don’t mean no disrespect but at the time of her arrest she didn’t look as good as the actress playing her she looks better now than at the time of her arrest. Hollywood stop it.
The story was very glamorized…very Hollywood crime caper, indeed. I think she’s pretty, especially considering beauty is subjective. RHOA’s Porsha Williams would have possibly been a good Falicia in the film.
yeah if Porsha was on crack and uglier!
You meant to say – if Prosha could act and wasnt so loud.
NO PORSHA
Really really enjoyed this! So many of our young nieve daughters are being abused and taken advantage of, because they are just not being life equipped and taught, and encouraged, except by predators!
Great Film !
Interesting article to fill in the missing pieces after watching the movie.
Although I am yet to see the TvOne movie – its a very interesting Real-life story – it makes me think about How many young women out there are living similar lives & are either killed by their boyfriend / pimps or are sadly not listened to when they take matters into their own hands
Now I know why Dino wasn’t charge.
I still would like to know why he wasnt charged, even as conspiracy to murder or accomplice, something. They charge ppl with “after the fact” Apparently they know she was influenced. They even know he called 6x for her to off the two guys and get the box of money. Idk
I loved the movie, I wish they had of included the missing parts..which probably would have been an additional hour but it would have been good. Very well scripted, casted & directed movie.
Yup exactly, very much true.!
Actually the film did reflect that three men were killed in the first murder scene. After shooting the first guy that the friend was “seducing” another guy walked in from the back of the house, she then shot him….
But it was really only two men then. All together she killed three, those two and the guy from the club.
For my man that aired before the movie actually gave us information about the case.
I’m watching the movie now, and I’d had to slit Dinos throat instead of what they ended up doing. All he did was use and abuse this girl. He manipulated her and the whole time I’m like yellin at my TV lol, girl are you STUPID!! No way in HELL I’d be working like that, and handing my money over to that fool. I wouldn’t sell my body, but if I was her, no way.
Right! And he was spending and giving all the money she kept getting for him. Smh.
She was mentally and physically abused at her age with no support there was very little she could do. He controlled her and it was easy for him because her family & friends fountain was trained, weak, better yet – non existent.
the real Falicia look like if Flavor Flav and Orlando Jones somehow had a baby together! Fucking ugly ass murdering whore!
WOW, what’s so scary is the very next Falicia Blakley is right under our nose, within each of our visual right now. Each one teach one please!
How’d they make Lil mama a lightskin pretty girl portray a darkskin ugly girl
Lil Mamma did well
Sigh…the movie brought tears to my eyes and then it turned to anger at these grown ass men who prey on young gullible girls. This is the reason I think more resources should be geared towards helping kids out of poverty because the consequences can be far reaching. Thanks for sharing this!
I’m grateful for this article filling in some gaps. I wish there was more that could be done to help save young girls like this…
I too was molested and then turned out into prostitution at age 16 just so happened that my guy wasn’t a maniac to make me murder someone but a mixed up teen can fall for all kinds of misuse and mistreatment. I have pity for her because I could have very easily been her?
Kim, even though we don’t know each other, I am so proud of you and how you apparently turned your life around considering your formative years were so traumatic.I never experienced anything similar but can’t fathom some people who feel no empathy/compasssion for Falicia (reading various tweets and forums on the matter has proved jaw dropping).
She was very young (an impressionable age for ANYONE) and never had a stable home life and also suffered from molestation. Of course she would be extremely vulnerable to a much older man who shows her ‘love’ for the first time. Unfortunately that man was a sociopath and groomed her to turn tricks for him, rob for him and ultimately kill for him. Just knowing basic psychology, I know considering the extenuating circumstances, many people who are currently judging her might due similar things had they been raise similarly. Nevertheless, by your articulate response, I am so glad to see your life fared much better; I hope you enjoying a great life with much peace ?
Thank you ?
You’re welcome ?
I loved the mivie and topic some men don’t realize how they can wreck a woman’s life. I’m mean to have this lil girl killing and get killed her. Even if he didn’t give it to her he made her feel comfortable with having relations with other men. Then what killed me she got the virus. Let it be none were I’m from if you on your death bed with a dieses they let you go home. They don’t want to pay the bill. So by her signing those papers til she die they set her up so the family can’t sue for the inmate dying in state custody. I have been to jail / prison I can’t do it. I would stop taking my meds and let the process begin. But why wasn’t he at least charged with attempt murder for giving her the virus. Oh she a stripper and could get anywhere. Another thing that bothered me she from Florida so is Ray lewis.and she killed the witness to his murder case? Was it a hit dino knew about. Last thing this girl is darkskin. Y not a darkskin actor. I love lil mama. But y bright got to be right. That bothered me.