Post by CCADP on May 15, 2005 21:40:45 GMT -5
Good Evening all,
I am picking up my niece at 10:45 p.m. this evening, and I found a Starbucks near the airport and am hooked up via WIFI while waiting for her plane. I thought I would give you, Rich's close and loving supporters, an update. I know you are sitting on pins and needles.
I arrived down in Livingston Saturday morning, then met Rich's friend Jennie at the airport. We then drove to Livingston and are staying at the Blue Shelter, right behind Polunsky. This is owned by Christa Haber, Troy Kunkle's widow. She has been a love, even baking a cake for us, and we were greeted with lovely fresh flowers and a card on it signed from Richard. It made me cry. But then, right now, just about everything does that.
I went to visit Rich at the 8 p.m. visitation Saturday night. He is strong and in good spirits. However, he has pretty much accepted the inevitable and is struggling to write letters and say thank you for the love and support to everyone that has been there from him. And if you read his most recent Uncensored, he wrote one to his little daughter, Ricki. He told me that Jared Tyler, the attorney from the Innocence Project, stopped by on Thursday and spoke with him. Boy was he surprised that an attorney actually visited him!!!!! Anyway, he basically told Rich that it didn't look good. They interviewed Kelly Overstreet, but he stuck to his story. He had a lot of inconsistencies and things that had changed in his story, but he still says that Rich shot the victim. They are continuing to work, but even with what they know and they fact that they feel at best the state had a very weak circumstantial case, no evidence, and the fact that his attorneys basically put on no defense for Rich, there is not much they can do. So that was very hard for me to hear, but I am sure no harder than it was for Rich to hear.
Today Jennie, Missy Mouse, Missy's friend Charity, Ricki and I went to KDOL and hung out this afternoon. If you were listening, you heard Missy, Ricki, Jennie and I reading shoutouts. Very emotional. Joy put out a huge spread for us including ham, baked beans, pasta salad, spinach dip, homemade jalapeno cheese break, banana bread, chocolate cake, chips and salsa, crackers, and more. It was unexpected but very much appreciated. Missy and Charity were down in Galveston yesterday and Charity was struck by a car. She is alright, has stitches in her head, many bruises and aches and pains, but is basically fine. But she is miserable. She is a member of the Green Party and came down to protest and Brian Wolfe's Execution on Wednesday and Richard's execution on Thursday. Please keep her in your prayers.
Missy brought along a beautiful quilt her Mom made for Ricki, with a handwritten letter on the back from Rich to Ricki, telling her that she is his greatest achievement and source of wonder in his life. The suitcase it was it was also lost for a while, as another passenger took it home with him, panicking poor Missy.
I had the pleasure of delivering Karen's "Aussie package" to Ricki when I took her home this evening. (And for those of you listening, weren't Ricki's shoutouts great?!?!?!) She loved it all. She had on her Australian hat, key chain lariat, koala bear clippie, koala purse around her neck, shoelaces and was quite the picture. Of course, I left my camera on my bed, but will try and get some pictures of her with her stuff on Tuesday when I take her home. She loved the acrylic cubes and the boomerang, key chains, pencils, erasers, light up pens, ruler, and even the stamps on the envelope. What a thrill for this little girl!
Tomorrow Missy, Charity, Jennie, my niece Layne, and I will visit Rich. Jack Wilcox, Rich's spiritual advisor will also come over to see him. And I am going to try and get Pastor John in to visit with Rich on Tuesday. On Tuesday I am going to leave our visitation early (2 p.m.) and go pick up Ricki from School, and bring her back for an hour visit with her Dad. It will be her last visit with her Dad. Monday night my daughter flies in to join us. Wednesday, my daughter and I will be the only ones allowed to visit Rich, for a four hour visit from 8 to noon. Wednesday, Paula Colella, Paul Colella's wife is flying in, and Suzanne Cookston will also come down. Thursday we will all visit from 8 to Noon, and then they will take Rich to the Walls unit. We don't get to see him again. However, he is allowed to make phone calls once he is settled, until 5 p.m. And the next time we see him, he will be strapped down.
I have to tell you that this is the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my entire life. There is an almost constant knot in my throat, making it almost impossible to talk. I will update you again when I can. Internet connectivity is sparse in town. I checked email twice at KDOL, but couldn't stay on long. Please, please, keep praying for us. ANd if you know any prayer warriors, ask them to pray for us as well. Pray that if it is God's will, let a miracle happen here and ask God to work in the hearts of the men and women making decisions. If it is His will to take Rich home, please ask God to strengthen both Rich and I, as well as his other supporters, and all of you, for this terrible journey we are on.
On Wednesday evening, they are going to do a one hour special broad cast for Rich at KDOL. Please compose any SHOUTOUTS you want to give to him and get them to them asap at KDOLradio@livingston.net. Put RICHARD CARTWRIGHT SPECIAL SHOUTOUT in the subject line. It will be a great comfort to him I am sure.
I love each and every one of you, even though I have only met a couple of you in person. You have given me so much love and strength. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please know you have made a big difference in Richard's life, Ricki's life, and mine. God bless each and every one of you.
Love,
Irene
I am picking up my niece at 10:45 p.m. this evening, and I found a Starbucks near the airport and am hooked up via WIFI while waiting for her plane. I thought I would give you, Rich's close and loving supporters, an update. I know you are sitting on pins and needles.
I arrived down in Livingston Saturday morning, then met Rich's friend Jennie at the airport. We then drove to Livingston and are staying at the Blue Shelter, right behind Polunsky. This is owned by Christa Haber, Troy Kunkle's widow. She has been a love, even baking a cake for us, and we were greeted with lovely fresh flowers and a card on it signed from Richard. It made me cry. But then, right now, just about everything does that.
I went to visit Rich at the 8 p.m. visitation Saturday night. He is strong and in good spirits. However, he has pretty much accepted the inevitable and is struggling to write letters and say thank you for the love and support to everyone that has been there from him. And if you read his most recent Uncensored, he wrote one to his little daughter, Ricki. He told me that Jared Tyler, the attorney from the Innocence Project, stopped by on Thursday and spoke with him. Boy was he surprised that an attorney actually visited him!!!!! Anyway, he basically told Rich that it didn't look good. They interviewed Kelly Overstreet, but he stuck to his story. He had a lot of inconsistencies and things that had changed in his story, but he still says that Rich shot the victim. They are continuing to work, but even with what they know and they fact that they feel at best the state had a very weak circumstantial case, no evidence, and the fact that his attorneys basically put on no defense for Rich, there is not much they can do. So that was very hard for me to hear, but I am sure no harder than it was for Rich to hear.
Today Jennie, Missy Mouse, Missy's friend Charity, Ricki and I went to KDOL and hung out this afternoon. If you were listening, you heard Missy, Ricki, Jennie and I reading shoutouts. Very emotional. Joy put out a huge spread for us including ham, baked beans, pasta salad, spinach dip, homemade jalapeno cheese break, banana bread, chocolate cake, chips and salsa, crackers, and more. It was unexpected but very much appreciated. Missy and Charity were down in Galveston yesterday and Charity was struck by a car. She is alright, has stitches in her head, many bruises and aches and pains, but is basically fine. But she is miserable. She is a member of the Green Party and came down to protest and Brian Wolfe's Execution on Wednesday and Richard's execution on Thursday. Please keep her in your prayers.
Missy brought along a beautiful quilt her Mom made for Ricki, with a handwritten letter on the back from Rich to Ricki, telling her that she is his greatest achievement and source of wonder in his life. The suitcase it was it was also lost for a while, as another passenger took it home with him, panicking poor Missy.
I had the pleasure of delivering Karen's "Aussie package" to Ricki when I took her home this evening. (And for those of you listening, weren't Ricki's shoutouts great?!?!?!) She loved it all. She had on her Australian hat, key chain lariat, koala bear clippie, koala purse around her neck, shoelaces and was quite the picture. Of course, I left my camera on my bed, but will try and get some pictures of her with her stuff on Tuesday when I take her home. She loved the acrylic cubes and the boomerang, key chains, pencils, erasers, light up pens, ruler, and even the stamps on the envelope. What a thrill for this little girl!
Tomorrow Missy, Charity, Jennie, my niece Layne, and I will visit Rich. Jack Wilcox, Rich's spiritual advisor will also come over to see him. And I am going to try and get Pastor John in to visit with Rich on Tuesday. On Tuesday I am going to leave our visitation early (2 p.m.) and go pick up Ricki from School, and bring her back for an hour visit with her Dad. It will be her last visit with her Dad. Monday night my daughter flies in to join us. Wednesday, my daughter and I will be the only ones allowed to visit Rich, for a four hour visit from 8 to noon. Wednesday, Paula Colella, Paul Colella's wife is flying in, and Suzanne Cookston will also come down. Thursday we will all visit from 8 to Noon, and then they will take Rich to the Walls unit. We don't get to see him again. However, he is allowed to make phone calls once he is settled, until 5 p.m. And the next time we see him, he will be strapped down.
I have to tell you that this is the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my entire life. There is an almost constant knot in my throat, making it almost impossible to talk. I will update you again when I can. Internet connectivity is sparse in town. I checked email twice at KDOL, but couldn't stay on long. Please, please, keep praying for us. ANd if you know any prayer warriors, ask them to pray for us as well. Pray that if it is God's will, let a miracle happen here and ask God to work in the hearts of the men and women making decisions. If it is His will to take Rich home, please ask God to strengthen both Rich and I, as well as his other supporters, and all of you, for this terrible journey we are on.
On Wednesday evening, they are going to do a one hour special broad cast for Rich at KDOL. Please compose any SHOUTOUTS you want to give to him and get them to them asap at KDOLradio@livingston.net. Put RICHARD CARTWRIGHT SPECIAL SHOUTOUT in the subject line. It will be a great comfort to him I am sure.
I love each and every one of you, even though I have only met a couple of you in person. You have given me so much love and strength. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please know you have made a big difference in Richard's life, Ricki's life, and mine. God bless each and every one of you.
Love,
Irene