Originally Posted by MoxieBravo

umm. I am proof that it does.

The Jury is still out on that one :P

Originally Posted by ashy

The Jury is still out on that one :P

I have a few people that can vouch for me should you need further proof.

Originally Posted by MoxieBravo

I have a few people that can vouch for me should you need further proof.

Not valid they are biased ppl!

Generally i don't, but currently Google alot for my dude since he's going through his retrial. His lawyer and sister keep me in the loop as much as they can, but i like to see if there's any new court records after appearances at court. Dude knows i do it, and has advised me on specific sites to check out.

I did choose to Google the two people's crimes who I decided to write to before actually sending the letters, honestly for me it was more because I wasn't sure what I'd be ok with and didn't want to give up on anyone later. Turned out one of the crimes was pretty horrific, but it actually didn't stop me writing, but that isn't the way everyone feels. I guess I like to make myself think about it, let myself realize it is in the past now, and let it go. Then I really feel like there is nothing holding me back from being an honest and non-judging friend. In fact, that's how I deal with anything my mind is trying to obsess over, let myself freak out for a moment until I figure out it's not the end of the world, and then it doesn't bother me any more after that.

Yes I do google. I have worked in a jail in my city before and I now understand why they make criminal records public. I gave these inmates personal one on one care they were not handcuffed and the nearest co was at least seven feet away. I made it and effort to read up on their crimes so I knew what I was dealing with. For example I was working alone one day and we admitted a serial rapist to the jail. He was waiting for court. first thing he asked me was are you in here by yourself. I was thinking what the hello was he asking me that for. He kept staring around the clinic. I was so creeped out one the officers came and sat with me. Moral of the story know who your dealing with. I want to believe my penpals are sincere in corresponding with me and they have changed their way of life but the truth is they are still in prison for whatever crime they committed. I myself know I'm comfortable googling because I want to know what happened to get them there. I am nosy I attribute to being a mom. One of my penpals crimes involved him murdering his best friends sister. I felt so horrible after I read that, and I read it after I wrote to him. I didn't judge him or stop writing however it opened my eyes a little more to the person I was writing to. I need that because I'm somewhat naive and like to take peoples word at face value. However I hope no one takes offense to this post it is no more than my personal opinion. I want to know the person I'm inviting into my life in his her entirety for my safety and the safety of my children. That is all

Thank you for sharing information and personal opinions. My only concern is that the crime would involve a child, that's something I could not deal with in the back of my mind. It would not be fair to write him and start forming a friendship and than coming to find out that I can't get over it. Soooo on one hand I could just ask him... but I don't know this person yet, so who knows if I get the truth?
So I pulled up google and am surprised that I just can't find nothing that says anything besides what was on the WAP site or on Texas Tribune what date the crime was committed.... Ummm... it seems to be weird :/

...I was just thinking...maybe I need a "Reality check" because I feel like I'm sitting on Cloud #9 since he responded to my letter??!!

I don't know how easy it is to find info on all cases, my PPs probably only showed up really easily because they were both murders and thus sufficiently interesting to have some minor news coverage. It's also possible there could have been previous cases from another crime you might not know about, so it's hard to ever know what crimes an individual may have committed. Honestly, if you like their letter/profile, and the current crime didn't scare you off, I wouldn't worry about it that much. It's impossible to safeguard against any possibility that he may have harmed a kid at some point, even if it was something very minor, and I think you probably already know that or you wouldn't still be writing. In all likelihood he may have the same doubts, having never met you he doesn't know for sure if you can be trusted either. Don't drag yourself down of course he's not perfect, he is only human, but as long as you remember that then there is no need to over think things. (Trust me, I have that same tendency!)

Originally Posted by Sora

I don't know how easy it is to find info on all cases, my PPs probably only showed up really easily because they were both murders and thus sufficiently interesting to have some minor news coverage. It's also possible there could have been previous cases from another crime you might not know about, so it's hard to ever know what crimes an individual may have committed. Honestly, if you like their letter/profile, and the current crime didn't scare you off, I wouldn't worry about it that much. It's impossible to safeguard against any possibility that he may have harmed a kid at some point, even if it was something very minor, and I think you probably already know that or you wouldn't still be writing. In all likelihood he may have the same doubts, having never met you he doesn't know for sure if you can be trusted either. Don't drag yourself down of course he's not perfect, he is only human, but as long as you remember that then there is no need to over think things. (Trust me, I have that same tendency!)

It sounds like you know how I feel. Thank you for being understanding. The crime he is locked up for happened 20 years ago, so it is not a current crime and he has the same amount of time left to go, so I am just wondering that there is not ANYTHING that says something besides the "Capital Murder" on his WAP Profile. I just want to make sure that I don't freak out at one point coming to find out about "the kid factor"...being a Mom for the Majority of my life, I would not want to hear that!
Good point where you said ... "not knowing you, he doesn't know if he can trust me either" ... I totally forgot about that since I am so trustworthy and loyal LOL...anyway..."overthinking" yeah that's me. I think I'd be a good Medical Examiner, since I always dysect everything to pieces I guess...I'll leave it at that for now and just wait what happens.

Thank you!