‘Melrose Place’ Star Ended Up in Prison & Feared Her ‘Kids Are Gonna Forget’ Mom: Her Jailhouse Interview

• Due to an unfortunate twist of fate, "Melrose Place" star Amy Locane landed in prison.
• While there, the actress gave an interview where she opened up about her fears concerning her sentence.
• During the discussion, she shared, "My kids are gonna forget me."

American actress Amy Locane, 51, has been going through an extremely distressful and challenging time. Once known for her Hollywood heydays, her star power dimmed after she was charged with vehicular manslaughter.

Years before Locane ended up in prison, she starred in the popular series, "Melrose Place," alongside a cast who all became stars in their own right.

Some of the most notable big names from the hit series include Heather Locklear, Doug Savant, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Marcia Cross, Kristin Davis, Kelly Rutherford, Lisa Rinna, and Alyssa Milano. They have all gone on to achieve incredibly successful careers in Hollywood, in both television and film.

Meanwhile, the "Cry-Baby" star has been serving time in prison as a result of her crime. She first went to prison in 2012 and was released, only to be sentenced again a few years later.

During her most recent time spent in prison, Locane, who is also a mother of two, gave an exclusive interview from the jailhouse, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, when she had to be isolated in a jail cell.

During the interview, Locane brought up her children and how they were forced to grow up without her. She spoke about finding it difficult not knowing how they were coping or getting on with remote learning.

When asked how her daughters took the news of her return to prison, Locane said they were more confused than anything. One of her girls outright asked why the judicial system was clamping down so hard on her.

However, Locane reiterated her intention not to downplay the seriousness of the situation that landed her in prison in the first place. Of the fact that her case has gained worldwide notoriety and whether or not that brings her some sense of solace, the "Bad Karma" talent disclosed:

"I try to stay positive, but there is the fear that people will forget. I have a huge fear right now that my kids are gonna forget me. I won't be home until my oldest is 18 and my youngest is 16..."

Locane further expressed her inability to comprehend the reality she has been hit with. Although she admitted to somewhat being comforted by the fact that people are interested in her story, she ultimately believes that the public will forget her as soon as her case stops being a story of interest.

How Amy Locane Landed in Prison Twice

Locane's story of how she landed in prison dates back to a tragically fateful night in 2010. After finishing a performance at a local community theatre on the night of June 27 in Hopewell, New Jersey, Locane enjoyed a few drinks at a wrap party.

Following the party, Locane went to a barbeque, joining her then-husband and friends for a few more libations. After her ex-spouse, whom Locane said she expected to catch a ride with, left early with their kids, she drove herself home against her better judgment.

On her way, she crashed into the back of a car at a red light. The driver whose car she hit approached Locane for her insurance details and immediately knew she was drunk.

The driver attempted to take Locane's keys away from her and told her the authorities had been dispatched. However, Locane evaded the driver and sped off.

In her haste, while driving at 53mph, she fatally crashed into another vehicle, killed a 60-year-old wife and mother named Helene Seeman, and severely injuring her husband, Fred Seeman.

Locane, who was not badly hurt, was almost three times well over the drunk driving limit. After the tragedy, she appeared before a grand jury in Somerset County and was indicted for manslaughter.

The "Carried Away" star faced 10 to 30 years in prison for the charge and an additional 5 to 10 years for assault by auto charge. Speaking to a news outlet about the manslaughter charge, Locane's lawyer, Blair Zwillman, declared:

"I don't believe it is supported by the law or the facts and I think it constitutes over-reaching by the prosecutor's office."

Locane may have been indicted the same year the tragedy ensued; however, she was only convicted two years later in November. Due to mitigating factors and a clean criminal record prior to the accident, though the minimum sentence was five years, Locane managed to get only three.

A significant factor that the judge considered while determining her punishment was that Locane had to care for her children, especially since one of them suffered from an autoimmune disorder.

Naturally, the bereaved family vehemently disagreed with the lenient sentence and felt that the judge's ruling was a travesty. Though the state announced it had the right to increase the sentence, Locane scored parole and was released in 2015.

The 51-year-old attempted to turn her life around once released. She started attending a new church after rediscovering her faith during her incarceration and became close friends with a therapist who was a church member.

Despite doing her best to turn over a new leaf, applying for jobs, enrolling in basic English and business courses, and attending AA, Locane's husband divorced her, and she felt ostracized and shunned by some of her friends. While opening up in a past interview about her first time in prison, Locane shared:

"Being in prison is almost like witnessing your own death. People write to you initially and then they disappear..."

Amy Locane Was Re-Sentenced after Being Released Years Ago

Although Locane thought she was done serving her time in prison, the appeals court ruled that her first sentence was too lenient a year after her release. However, again, a judge disagreed and kept the sentence the same.

However, in 2019, she was re-sentenced to another five years by a new judge. Despite being free on bail pending a further appeal, in 2020, the appeals court again deemed the new judge's ruling incorrect, and a third and final judge was brought in to re-assess the case.

This time, the final judge re-sentenced Locane to eight years for second-degree vehicular homicide and 18 months for fourth-degree assault. The New Jersey state law requires her to serve at least six years before she can be considered for parole.

This year is Locane's fifth year in prison since her final re-sentencing, and next year will be her sixth, meaning she will soon be eligible for parole.