Death Row Inmate's Life Of 'Leisure': Danny Robbie Hembree Writes Shocking Letter

A North Carolina community is outraged by a death row inmate's public note outlining his life of "leisure" and mocking the families of his victims.

In an open letter to the The Gaston Gazette, convicted murderer Danny Robbie Hembree Jr. taunts a "cowardly" justice system and lists the luxuries he enjoys while locked up behind bars at Central Prison in Raleigh.

Hembree writes:

Is the public aware that I am a gentleman of lesiure, watching color TV in the A.C., reading, takeing naps at will, eating three well balanced hot meals a day. I'm housed in a building that connects to the new 55 million dollar hospital with round the clock free medical care 24/7.

In 2009, Hembree was found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Heather Catterton. He is also suspected of killing two other women -- 30 year old Randi dean Saldana and 30 year old Deborah Ratchford -- according to ABC News.

Despite the conviction and accusations, Hembree believes that he's unlikely to actually meet his maker anytime soon.

He ends the letter, "Kill me if you can, suckers... Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell told the Gazzette that he received a call from Catterton's father, who says the letter has caused his family further suffering.

"I got a call from the father of the 17-year-old that he murdered, in tears. He said that this is tearing the family to shreds. This is ripping the wound open," Locke told ABCNews.com. "[The father] said, 'He murdered our daughter, got the death penalty and now he's just sitting in jail laughing at us.'"

In addition to causing pain, the letter also raises difficult questions about the criminal justice system, Bell said.

"There's a part of me that wants everybody to read that letter because it tells a lot of truth about death row," the district attorney added.

Scroll down to read the letter, published by The Gaston Gazette:

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Comments

[Wehms2]

03:49 PM on 02/15/2012

His picture looks a bit like Harrison Ford........remember "The Fugitive?" about a guy that was sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Most people don't know that "the Prosecution" can AND DOES suppress evidence...............

I remember years ago, my Ex was charged with DUI and "they" subpoenaed me to testify. When "they" called on the phone to "per-question" me, I told them there was no way she could have been drunk, (I had seen her very shortly before her accident) and that she was just very emotionally distruaght about some idiot she was dating...........Surprise, surprise......"they" said my testimony would not be required!!!

Unfortuntely, by the time the trial came up, she was with another idiot that preferred to see her with a convction than "risk" her even talking to me.........MAJOR (jealous) Control Freak.....too bad, she could've been rich with the (suppressed evidence) lawsuit.............

[Wehms2]

05:21 PM on 02/22/2012

I need to proof read better before posting :o) I meant to type: When they called to "Pre-Question" me.......(oops!)

[gunthli]

07:55 PM on 01/31/2012

This guy is a waste of good air - taunting the victims' families like that. He's a maggot and should get his well deserved, justified sentence - post haste!

[The Notorious PDF]

12:18 PM on 01/31/2012

In my breif perusal here, I see know generalizations about whites based on the actions of his person. The same is true of the countless articles about heinous crimes committed by whites. Yet, I have yet to see an article about a non-white committing a heinous crime, that does not make generalizations about an entire race based on the actions of the criminal. They really did a number on the world when they created white supremacy around the 14th century.

[JackVandusen]

12:24 PM on 01/30/2012

Maybe he believes inflicting pain will somehow add to his life's significance, trying to ensure his life didn't mean nothing. To him, evil is better than nothing. Sad.

[Wehms2]

04:33 PM on 01/29/2012

It's possible that he has no remorse because he could be innocent........just imagine...if you can, you're charged with a crime you did NOT commit...you're found guilty!!! who knows why....maybe your Ex slept with an Investigator to create an allegation....the DA doesn't want to pursue it...but then your Ex has an affair with him too!!! Then, let's say the DA has already been having an affair with the JUDGE!!! (4 example - see Judge Verla Sue Holland & DA Tom O’Connell Jr) CAN U IMAGINE????? What would that do to your mind when the US Court of Appeals holds up the conviction despite they Judge ADMITTING to this.......do you really think they'd get a "fair" trial? And we already KNOW "they" can SUPPRESS EVIDENCE when they choose....especially if they get their LOVER to approve it!!!

You might just take up your pen & paper and try to taunt the public to get them to exterminate you earlier rather than rotting in a jail cell KNOWING THAT YOU"RE INNOCENT & KNOWING the CORRRUPTION THAT PUT YOU there BEYOND...A...REASONABLE...DOUBT!!!!!! CAN U EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE??????? While the Public considers you nothing better than the slime under their feet........It's not a perfect system folks. Be VERY careful before "casting stones" Remember that SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR....we have to release someone convicted to DEATH ROW.......BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.....because DNA evidence PROVES THEM INNOCENT.......

It happens all the time......Tom O'Connell & Judge Holland

[Kiajm]

01:48 AM on 01/29/2012

I'm sure the thought of this waste of breath peice of crap being comfortable in prison is very upsetting to the families of Heather, Deborah & Randi but I hope they soon realize that the reason he wrote the letter is in my eyes proof of the opposite, he is playing reverse psychology games! He is actually BEGGING to be put to death ASAP because he is in there MESIRABLE, TERRIFIED and feels as if he's being BURIED ALIVE, and he wants his SUFFERING to END! For this reason, he should be kept there to SUFFOCATE as long as possible because killing him would be a dream come true for him. He would not suffer enough while his life is being taken via legal injection or any other method allowed the way his victims suffered while in total FEAR! He hates being alive in there he's afraid and that causes him to suffer! I'm praying that Heather Catterton, Randi Saldana & Deborah Ratchford are all resting in peace and that their families load of heart broken pain will one day be lightened because I know it will never go away completely. To the MEDIA stop thinking of yourselves only! If he'd ended the life of YOUR child, sister, aunt, cousin, niece or mother would you still HONOR his wishes of the PUBLICITY HE WANTS!! SHAME ON YOU!

[dvglass3]

01:08 PM on 01/30/2012

Great post! f/f, the first thing I thought was the same thing....this animal is miserable. How did a letter by him ever make it out of the building?

[Zooterpust]

09:25 PM on 01/28/2012

Bullshit. I worked at that institution from the early to mid 1970s. What you're dealing with is a psychopath who knows how to prey on the mind and, for the pleasure of inflicting further pain, leverage stereotypes that he's aware people have. He's probably pretty smart. This man's life is solitary confinement 23 hours a day, and it's a miserable existence. If he's guilty, he needs to die, as there is no useful place in society for him and he will not and cannot serve a productive role. But trust me: he is NOT enjoying his time in solitary confinement. He is resentful of what has happened to him and he is trying to strike back. If the family wants to retaliate and end this ruse, they need only write to him and tell him that they're not fooled, that they know his life is a miserable one, and that their only hope is that it continue to be just as miserable on the day he is sent to the chamber as it was on the day that he wrote his missive.

[Mon Key]

09:15 PM on 01/28/2012

Your freedom was killed, everyone will have the last laugh when you die in there chump.

[Tierce]

05:11 PM on 01/28/2012

The man definitely has no remorse and who knows if he is even capable of speaking the truth. One thing that he is spot on about is the financial aspect. That is why prisons are becoming privatized. There is a lot of money to be made.

[user598486]

12:10 PM on 01/28/2012

He ends the letter, "Kill me if you can, suckers... Ha! ....This guy is right! We are suckers! I've always said America is the best country to do your crime in..We'll take good care of you if you get caught!

[Red45]

01:11 PM on 01/28/2012

Are you serious? We have more people locked up in this country than any other country in the world and America is not famous for "taking good care of" its criminal prisoners. This guy is just taunting his victims' families. He's on death row, for God's sake. His letters are all lies.

[Red45]

01:25 PM on 01/28/2012

Maybe you need to spend some time in one of those luxury hotels before you tell everyone how wonderful it is. Dried baloney sandwiches on dried white bread isn't gourmet. Being locked up all by yourself 23 out of every 24 hours isn't being taken good care of. He's being kept alive until the state can fry his a&&. Honestly, if they can block any more letters or other communication, I'd like to see him rot in that cell for the rest of his life. Killing him would end his punishment.

[LoudGuitr]

11:16 AM on 01/28/2012

If you were on death row and wanted to get in the public eye, what better than this? Terrible judgement by the media to report this and print the letter. Why not interview him on 60 minutes while you're at it? The newspaper took the bait and gave him exactly what he was seeking. The editor of the Gaston Gazette made a huge mistake.

[Kirby Smith]

12:18 PM on 01/28/2012

I totally agree. I believe the letter was all for attention, and they gave him exactly what he wanted. The content of the letter has nothing to do with it.

[Red45]

01:14 PM on 01/28/2012

I think they reacted out of sympathy for the victims' families. That is news. What the piece of cr@p said in his letter is a kind of assault, even though the content of his letter is all lies. He's on Death Row---not in a country club--and he's just getting off on riling people up and causing more damage before his life is ended.

[palmdarosa]

11:12 AM on 01/28/2012

For him to write that he wants out cause he is in a cell 24/7 Life long until he meets the devil.
When I see that a trial cost so much for a murderer that hurts. It does keep out legal system workers with a job. That is the worst all the money being blown on such a creep.
Why? Just throw him in jail to rot and please take away the TV, serve brussels sprouts everyday and thats it.

[billjmcdaniel]

05:26 AM on 01/28/2012

This is nothing more than death by cop, and he wants out of how boring and painful the rest of his life stuck in one building with a bunch of other psychopaths will be. Too bad I say. Talk to an inmate, especially one who's been in solitary where most lifers end up. Talk to them about the creeping insanity and the constant fear of being beat to h*ll by other inmates in your small free time because you're surrounded by other monsters with no regard for life.

Think about it, if an inmate is needing medical care or "dental work" someone had to cause some damage to them, it's not like they get into car accidents or go rock climbing. They get into fights, and get beat, BAD, and need their teeth put back in and their heads stitched up. By all means, get more medical care and dental work Danny. Color TV? Yea I saw one of those on the street the other day, I think it was being used to prop up a tire, simply luxurious, even had vintage antennas. You get to nap at will? In other words you're stuck in a cell and you randomly go to sleep because that's all you can do when you aren't reading or getting stomped? Gotcha.

Lets not even mention the "3 well balanced hot meals a day" because I'm sure someone bigger than you will be taking them from now on.

[blindfoldedninja]

11:24 AM on 01/28/2012

Damn, someone thought about our story! Don't you know this is supposed to evoke a Pavlovian reaction from the cattle? You're not supposed to digest what you read!

[BravoFour]

09:11 PM on 01/27/2012

I would not have printed his letter. Bad call The Gaston Gazette.

[ryanraymond321]

10:06 PM on 01/27/2012

You think they care? Everyone is going to buy a death row inmates letter of mockery so its a no brainer they'd publish it.

[scotty5720]

08:47 PM on 01/27/2012

Just like an old movie called Escape From New York, this country should invest in a manmade island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico a few hundred miles from any coastline and drop inmates sentenced to life by helicopter and leave them there to make there own little world. Escape would be impossible. No electricity. Forced to live like cavemen for the rest of their natural lives. Crime would drop like a rock and our country would be a better place.

[toottoot]

08:52 AM on 01/28/2012

So with you on that! I don't understand what the hold up is.