LETTER of THANKS

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E-Mail   BY BLAKE R. PIRTLE   Bio/Address

                                                                                       FRIDAY 6-29-01

 Dear Friends

Hello, there. How are you doing? I do hope that my letter finds yon doing well, in great health, and of course with a big old smile on your face for me. I myself am doing wonderful!! You know, I told myself when I got this Typewriter that I would never get into the habit of writing form letters, but I have so many people to tell the same thing to that I am sure that you all will forgive me this one time for receiving a form letter from me. I do know that most of you look forward to my wonderful and thoughtful letters! :-) Don't worry, I will get back to them soon, and everyone will be as happy as can be. :-)

I WON MY APPEAL!! Some of you know this, most of you don't. On Thursday June 28, 2001, I received the phone call that I had been waiting over 8 long years to receive. On that day I received word that Judge Quackenbush, a district federal circuit court judge out of Spokane, Washington, had overturned and vacated my sentence of death. As I sit here today, writing to you, I am no longer a death row inmate. My sentence now stands at life without the possibility of parole. I am not completely out of the hot water because the government and state still have a few options left to them. But they are very limited! So take comfort in the knowledge that I have the towel out and I am drying off so to speak! :-) 

I hope with all my heart that my attorneys and I can convince everyone involved to just let my sentence stand at life without parole and bring closure for everyone involved. I feel that in time that is exactly what will happen. Right now, I think that the state just wants to weigh their options and say and do all the right things. I know that hearing life without the possibility of parole might be kind of hard to swallow. Believe me, I feel the same way. But when the only other option is death, its really not much of a decision at all!

I know that this won't make any sense to a lot of you. But this is what Judge Quackenbush ruled in my case: 

So as you can see, it is a very strong and complete ruling - all in my favor. The judge didn't touch any of the issue relating to guilt or innocence. We never thought that he would because I have never denied my guilt. However, not for one second, did any of us believe that death was a just punishment. From the start, I tried to do the right thing and accept responsibility for my actions. Yet, I never for one second thought that the death sentence was a just punishment. Admitting my guilt damn near destroyed me, but I have no regrets. The system worked this time! :-)

I cannot put into simple words the level and degree of emotions that I am feeling and experiencing right now. I know that I will be hearing back from almost all of you real soon, and that you will have lots of question to ask me. I look forward to spending the time to sit dawn and answer them, and I hope that you all will share in my pure joy and excitement! Right now, I am just so happy, excited, scared, etc, etc, that I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I just want to get naked and dance around in my cell! :-) 

My life, as I know it, is going to change in a very big way, here... shortly. I have spent the last 8 years of my life living in isolation separated from almost everyone else in this prison, and that is about to change. I've spent the last 8 years walking upon this sheet of thin ice, knowing that one false step and I could fall through and it would ruin everything I was fighting for. I am very much looking forward to the changes and challenges, and I welcome them with open arms. From the start, I decided that I was going to strive to become a better man and make a difference - that will not change. Now, I have more avenues and a better chance of success of doing so!

I want to thank you all for your love, friendship, guidance, and support throughout all of this. Without you, I have wondered many of times if I could have had the strength to make it? So many times throughout the last 8 years, I have felt like I was at the end of my rope; I just didn't have the strength to continue. But I would receive one of your letters, maybe a card or same pictures. I might have received a poem, or the simple words to a song you thought I might like. These simple things are what gave me the drive to never give up. I have drawn my strength through all of you. You all have shared your lives and worlds with me.  I have lived through you. For that, I thank you with all my heart because it has been priceless!

I may not be diving into the most ideal life that a person could think of. But I do believe that I can and will make a life for myself in here. I will continue to become a better man because of my experiences! I very much look forward to many, many years of friendship and love with you all, sharing our lives together - the good and the bad. I do hope that all of you, who have blessed my life and extended that hand of companionship, have found great pleasure yourselves in getting to know me and walking this walk with me. Many years ago when I first got here to death row, I read something that made so much sense to me that I have lived by it and thought of it each day. This is what it was. BY DYING I CONQUER LIFE. I don't know why that touched me so much for so many years? But it did! Now my new thoughts process is this. BY LIVING I CAN AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Thank you all so very much! I hope to hear from you soon. And of course, you have to SMILE FOR ME!! :-)

 **LOTS OF LOVE**

*BLAKE R. PIRTLE*

Life After Death by Blake Pirtle

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