Grieving family kept ‘faith’: Justice served after tragic recurrence By Janae Hoffler Tribune Staff Writer 4/21/06 The Davis family feels a sense of déjà vu in its fight for justice for Tracy Imani Davis, who was killed last year by a drunk driver. The 41-year-old makeup artist and mother died in the car accident in April 2005 on City Avenue. Eighteen years before, a drunk driver killed her mother Julia Ann Davis, also at the age of 41. The man driving the car that night in July 1987 did not serve a prison sentence. The family feared the same would happen for the woman who was driving drunk last April and killed “Imani” as friends and family affectionately called her. But the family’s haunting feeling of déjà vu ended Monday when Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner sentenced 24-year-old Miranda Casalena to four to eight years in state prison for Davis’ death. Family and friends came from all over the city, New York, North Carolina and as far as California in support. In court, many of them had shared victim impact statements about the anguish they had to relive when Imani was killed. After the sentencing they convened in City Hall, where sister Wanda Davis declared, “This was not about just us; this was about justice. This could happen to anybody.” “Imani means ‘faith,’ and that’s what I had in the whole ordeal,” said best friend Tiffany Rivers of New York. “In the bottom of my heart, I knew justice would be served.” Angela Davis, another sister, had been in the car when their mother Julia Davis was killed. “I went through this with my mother, and I wasn’t going to go through it again with my sister,” she said. The family said they were relieved that Casalena’s prior DUI charge in 2003 was considered in her sentencing. Earlier that morning, they demonstrated outside the Criminal Justice Center because they feared Casalena would receive the minimum penalty. Casalena, also a mother and makeup artist, had done a probationary program after her 2003 arrest, and her record was expunged. But the Davis family wanted the judge to consider Casalena a repeat offender. Carol Heimerl, a victim advocate with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, has been with the family through the entire case. “This family is amazing and very unique,” she said. “They have been very strong and very active in the legal process to see that justice is done for Imani, and their voice has been heard. “Nothing can bring a family member back, but what they’ve been doing is certainly honoring Imani by their activism.” That awareness is one aim of the Julmani Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in honor of both Julia and Imani. The fight for justice is about more than just the Davis family. It is about ensuring that families are protected and receive the support they need. It is about stricter drunk driving laws. Davis supports state Rep. Thomas Gannon’s bill, which would require a mandatory minimum prison sentence of two years, with confiscation of the offender’s vehicle at the time of arrest. It would also increase certain DUI offenses to third-degree felonies. Heimerl said MADD completely supports Gannon’s bill, which will be assigned to the House Committee for further review. The Julumani Foundation’s Web site is: www.julmanifoundation.org. Justice served after tragic recurrence MARISSA J. WEEKES/TRIBUNE STAFF PHTOTOGRAPHER A picture of Tracy Imani Davis sits on the mantel during a press conference held by Davis’ family following the sentencing of Miranda Caselena, a repeat DUI offender who killed Davis last April. The family supports legislation that makes DUI punishment stricter.