Janice Licalsi
Encyclopedia
Janice Licalsi formerly Gennaro was a fictional character
portrayed by Amy Brenneman
on the television series NYPD Blue
. She appeared in 18 episodes during the first two seasons of the show. The character was written out of the show after technical advisor
and producer
Bill Clark
became uneasy with the thought of having a murderous police officer as a main character.
, Licalsi was assigned to the fictional 15th precinct. She took her mother's maiden name when she joined the Force. Her father Dominic Gennaro, a police officer, was on the payroll of mob boss Angelo Marino, who subsequently used this information to blackmail
her into working for him.
Marino orders Licalsi to kill Detective John Kelly
. In order to accomplish this, she entered a relationship with Kelly, but ended up falling in love with him. Licalsi was unable to fulfill the task of killing her lover, and instead murdered both Marino and his driver.
Some time after Marino's death, Licalsi was contacted by mob boss Tommy Linardi, who has proof that she was working for Marino. She informs OCCB Inspector Lastarza, who unofficially assigns her to work undercover
as an informant
, a situation which strains her relationship with Kelly.
After Linardi and his associates are murdered, a notebook
belonging to deceased mob boss Marino is entered into evidence
. The notebook contains Licalsi's name, and Kelly gives Licalsi the opportunity to destroy the pages incriminating her.
At the end of the first season, Licalsi is promoted
to detective
on the recommendation of Inspector LaStarza. She is temporarily assigned to the 15th squad pending a transfer to the intelligence
division. She feels guilty, however, over her actions involving the mob and, on Kelly's recommendation, speaks to a priest
. Following this conversation, she surrenders herself to Lt.
Arthur Fancy
and confesses to murder. Upon her arrest, Kelly contracts for her a high-priced lawyer and pays her bail.
Kelly testifies at Licalsi's trial
on her behalf, instigating an IAB
investigation. The two resume their relationship during the course of the trial. Licalsi is convict
ed of manslaughter
, and sentenced to two years in prison, though her lawyer insists that she'll get work release
after six months. She subsequently leaves NYPD Blue
and is never mentioned again.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
portrayed by Amy Brenneman
Amy Brenneman
Amy Frederica Brenneman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in the television series NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Private Practice...
on the television series NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
. She appeared in 18 episodes during the first two seasons of the show. The character was written out of the show after technical advisor
Technical advisor
A technical advisor is an individual who is expert in a particular field of knowledge, hired to provide detailed information and advice to people working in that field...
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
Bill Clark
Bill Clark
Clark joined the New York City Police Department in 1969. He worked a special undercover assignment for two years before entering the Police Academy. In 1972 he earned his gold detective shield. On December 31, 1994, Clark retired from the Queens Homicide Detective Squad as a First Grade...
became uneasy with the thought of having a murderous police officer as a main character.
Character history
A uniformed police officerPolice officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, Licalsi was assigned to the fictional 15th precinct. She took her mother's maiden name when she joined the Force. Her father Dominic Gennaro, a police officer, was on the payroll of mob boss Angelo Marino, who subsequently used this information to blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
her into working for him.
Marino orders Licalsi to kill Detective John Kelly
John Kelly (NYPD Blue)
John Kelly is a fictional character in the television series NYPD Blue. He was portrayed by David Caruso in the first season and the first four episodes of the second season of the series....
. In order to accomplish this, she entered a relationship with Kelly, but ended up falling in love with him. Licalsi was unable to fulfill the task of killing her lover, and instead murdered both Marino and his driver.
Some time after Marino's death, Licalsi was contacted by mob boss Tommy Linardi, who has proof that she was working for Marino. She informs OCCB Inspector Lastarza, who unofficially assigns her to work undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
as an informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
, a situation which strains her relationship with Kelly.
After Linardi and his associates are murdered, a notebook
Notebook
A notebook is a book or binder composed of pages of notes, often ruled, made out of paper, used for purposes including recording notes or memoranda, writing, drawing, and scrapbooking....
belonging to deceased mob boss Marino is entered into evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
. The notebook contains Licalsi's name, and Kelly gives Licalsi the opportunity to destroy the pages incriminating her.
At the end of the first season, Licalsi is promoted
Promotion (rank)
A promotion is the advancement of an employee's rank or position in an organizational hierarchy system. Promotion may be an employee's reward for good performance i.e. positive appraisal...
to detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
on the recommendation of Inspector LaStarza. She is temporarily assigned to the 15th squad pending a transfer to the intelligence
Criminal intelligence
Criminal Intelligence is information compiled, analyzed, and/or disseminated in an effort to anticipate, prevent, or monitor criminal activity....
division. She feels guilty, however, over her actions involving the mob and, on Kelly's recommendation, speaks to a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
. Following this conversation, she surrenders herself to Lt.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Arthur Fancy
Arthur Fancy
Capt. Arthur Fancy was a fictional character and protagonist in the television series NYPD Blue. He was played by James McDaniel from Season 1 through Season 8.-Background:...
and confesses to murder. Upon her arrest, Kelly contracts for her a high-priced lawyer and pays her bail.
Kelly testifies at Licalsi's trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
on her behalf, instigating an IAB
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
investigation. The two resume their relationship during the course of the trial. Licalsi is convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
ed of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
, and sentenced to two years in prison, though her lawyer insists that she'll get work release
Work release
In prison systems, work release programs allow a prisoner who is sufficiently trusted or can be sufficiently monitored to leave confinement to continue working at his or her current place of employment, returning to prison when his/her shift is complete...
after six months. She subsequently leaves NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
and is never mentioned again.