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Post by jojo29 on May 5, 2005 10:51:26 GMT -5
I did see Monster, but it had no impact on writting to Bobby. Please update us when you send off your letter and get a reply. I would love to know what you think of the experience
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Post by janet on May 7, 2005 7:18:32 GMT -5
Hi Terri,
Congratulations on taking that first huge step. It sincerely can be so intimidating. It really was for me, at least.
I've discovered it can take me down painful paths at times, however, never have I done anything more worthwhile ... offering hope, support, and encouragement ... even in the face of such unspeakable horror. Recently, I had someone suggest to me that it may be 'insensitive' speaking of a trip to Disneyworld. I've learned, to the contrary, that people incarcerated live vicariously through their penfriends. My friend and I talk about everything and anything.
I've discovered that the poltics in prison are like politics everywhere. That's why I'd suggest that if you write to more than one person, it be at different facilities ... and do be up front about it! There's a certain possessiveness that develops between you and your penfriend. The relationship can become intense and by writing to more than one person at the same institution, it can cause tempers to flare ... in an environment of isolation, this can lead to difficulties for the person to whom you're writing.
Good luck and, before long, you'll come to realize what an invaluable thing you are doing. It feels a little strange at first, only it soon becomes an important part of your life ... knowing that you're that window on the world to another human being.
Janet
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Post by armywife on Jun 20, 2005 21:53:05 GMT -5
I am new to this board though i have visited the site quite often in the last few months. And i have to share since i saw someone else was led to a death row pen pal in the same way i was. I have always in a way been luke warm about the death penalty, I am a christian, and a Republican, pretty conservative. I never believed the death penalty was given out fairly, but felt that some may have deserved the sentence. I am a paralegal, i was in college during the OJ trial and spent hours analyzing every aspect of it, I wanted him to be found not guilty, only because of the way the evidence was found, I felt that if they could jump over a fence at OJ's house because an officer may have saw a small blood spot, then what could they do at my house? Anyway, though i planned on going into criminal law, i drifted away and never gave it thought again, though i still watched many trials on court tv, then the Scott Peterson case came along, i still am not sure on his guilt or innocence, but i wanted to learn some information on death row at San Quentin, i searched and like the other poster, Pen pal information popped up, at first i was skeptical, it seemed a large majority of the ones i read declared they were framed or innocent. Then i stumbled across the one that has changed my life, Rich Cartwright, I immediately felt drawn to his words and his story, and i contacted his mother, who is an Angel among us, a beautiful woman who i am SO proud to now call my friend. I started writing Rich, and spent hours finding things to send him that would keep his head up, though as it has been said, Rich was never worried about himself, it was always those who loved him. I spent hours writing letters to attorney's and governments, to no avail Rich's life and legacy will live on and i believe impact a great many. Because of knowing him, i changed alot of my views, i went back to my bible, and found the answers i looked for, and know that my God, would not call this justice. I am taking on a new penpal now, i was hesitant, because my heart was broken with Rich. I felt like a failure, and then his mother told me, that is not what Rich would have wanted. She gave me the name of someone that Rich was concerned about, so he will be the next person i write. I am a happily married mother of 2, ANd i was nervous about picking another penpal, Rich was up front in his words so i knew what to expect, i knew he did not expect anything from anyone but a glimpse of our world. Anyway, i just wanted to share that story. And again the story of one of the most wonderful men i had the pleasure of getting to know. Lin
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Post by gill on Jun 21, 2005 8:57:48 GMT -5
Hey, I've been visiting this website for a long time now and I really would like to write to a DR Prisoner, but not really sure how to go about doing so? How exactly do you write a first letter to someone on DR? How long or short should they be? And how do you 'choose' someone to write to? Thanks for any advice. CCADP is right about not writing to too many people at once. I did that; I wrote to 6 inmates thinking that only 2 or 3 will respond. And they all responded!!! It must be the Sainsbury's luxury cream writing paper I use! I can cope because, coming from Ireland, it normally takes about 2-3 weeks to hear back from some inmates. But they do respond. And it's wonderful when they do, especially the first time!! Gill
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