Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate, 16th March 1984, Starke, Florida

1.

March 16, 1984

Dear Laura,

Hi, I received your letter's, (one, last nite & one, tonite). The one I got, tonite, must have flew here 'cause it was written yesterday! Glad, though ... no doubt about that! Receiving these perfumed letter's, get my head reeling and spinning! Damn - they smell good!! Hope that your (cut) foot is healing up, and not becoming a burden on your getting about. Can't be too great a feeling having it re-open and dug-out - right?

They haven't painted, this cell, yet. They're over on the other side, painting - and won't be around here, 'til ... (?) - They are going to move me into another cell, while they paint this one, (when-ever they get around to it), then ... move me back the following day.

Yeah, I know ... that was a annoying time/look, when that (zeroxed) picture was taken. I, should, get some pictures taken, maybe the end

of this month, or ... the first of April - then ... you can see how I look, minus the hair and beard.
What happened with that small claim's court ordeal?
(over

2.
Let me know, okay? What's wrong with the guy, (who's pursuing the matter)? He, just don't like you, or what? Sounds like a jerk -
You'd written that you were going into graphic art's - that's the only art class I ever took! I did design work, silk-screening and layout work for advertisement's! This is ironic - knowing that you're interested in the same sort of art's! It was my last year of high school, when I took that course (I had drafting, too). I got offered a job, but never went for it, cause I was interested in mechanic's. But ... I was pretty good, with the silk screening & design work. I had a lay-out used for the senior year-book cover - (they took it, without my permission, and used their own color's) - pissed me off! The instructor gave it to 'em!!

No - I don't really have alot of patience, dealing with this confinement - it's more like endurance, but ... I , often, wonder where it comes from! No, I'm not patient, about waiting on the court & the appeal's - I

3.
just hold on to what wit's I can identify and try to find mean's to wait. It's not easy, really - just ... not too much of a choice. I don't want it to destroy my mind or my belief's in myself and life - so ... I endure. Hopefully - I agree, you won't have to find out, what it's like, (I don't believe you will).
(I'm smiling - ) - reading how you responded to my asking you for some pictures of ... you. I'll be looking forward to "discovering" (er, uh ... receiving) your sizes - er, I mean, size - (am I getting in trouble?) I realize that you probably try on suit's (one piece, or bikini?) to see which fit's you, best - right? I do want to buy you one, Laura - so, if you are able to send your size, that would enable me to have that information, (should you permit me to order you "other" item's, also). But ... if you want to be sure, on

the suit, you can tell me about what a nice one will run & I can send you a check & you can get one that you, personally pick out - (which-ever you think would be
(over

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the best way to obtain it) - okay? 'Cause ... the check will take 1-2 week's to get removed from my account, here, and sent to you - (and, the same length to send it to a company - only ... it'd take additional time, in having it mailed - the suit) - know what I mean? Can you pick one up, near whee you are (Tallahassee) - ? I do want your sizes, either way you decide on the swim suit matter, 'cause... I'd like to convince you into, also, allowing me to periodically, end you some other "outfit's", or ... whatever - okay? I asked "eloquently" huh? Well ... can't beat that - right? Yeah, well ... you're a beautiful lady & I got the feeling your pretty sexy, too - so ... having pictures of you, and receiving your letter's, then ... sleeping with your perfumes dancing beneath my head, from within my pillow each nite ... definitely would

keep me going! And ... no doubt, you make me feel pretty damn good!
In time, there may be a case or two I could ask you to check on. I'm waiting on some research work, right now -

5.
when that comes about, I will probably need to check on some cases, in preparation for the Federal Court. (This is, in case I don't get any action from the U.S. Supreme Court.) What I'm looking for, on this research work, is covering (Florida) law, on decision's being over-turned, when evidence was obtained on one degree-charge, then ... used on another degree, (of the same charge). It's a confusing situation, but ... it is unlawful - this much I know. What I'm seeking, are cases, where previous situation's arouse. (But ... everyone, including legal personnel, here, claim's they can't recall a similar case!) So ... it'd be great if the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear it! The law is clear, but ... the error is causing my continued confinement - (you know why I "endure," instead of exercise "patience" - now?) Thank's for offering on the law school computer - I may take you up on that.

Also, thank's for letting me know that the letter's are remaining sealed.

Well, I've got to straighten things up in here, before they shut the lites out - so ... I'm gone - for now - 

Take special care

Dan

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate, 12th March, 1984, Starke, Florida

 1.
March 12, 1984
Dear Laura,
Hi, got your letter, tonite, am glad to hear from you. It sound's like you had a good time, down in Ft. Lauderdale - (outside of your bathing suit accident). Might have been interesting, to see, though... You really do seem to express your love for the ocean. I've only gone into the ocean, once, and it just didn't seem right, to me. (I swim under water, alot). I like to swim under, rather than above & that salt water just didn't act right, on my eyes. I probably just needed goggles, or something, but ...
Did you get your suit replaced? I'd like to get you one, if you'd let me? Of course I'll want pictures of you, in it, if you agree. (I'll pay for the film, too!) Sound's like I want 'em pretty badly - huh? (What can I say?) I'd like it to
(over

2.
be (kind-of) a surprise. So... if you just tell me your size, and type you prefer - then ... I can have it ordered & sent to you - okay? I'd really like to do this for you - please? I'd like to do something for you! (okay?)
Oh, the lawyer I have, (from Florida) is doing this round of appeal's on his own - (he's not charging me). So... I can't really tell him to pack his fucking case and pedal it somewhere else, know what I mean? After this round, he'll be gone, anyway - (and, seriously, Laura, I think I'm taking some tension out on him, too). So ... he's not all that great - I know - but ... it's all I've got right now. I'm just hoping that the idiot will get some favorable results's with this U.S. Supreme Court appeal - or ...

 3.
I'm gonna be in alot of real trouble, here! I think he's acting pretty decent, though, 'cause ... he's, (finally) directed his attention around the issue I've been trying to get him to work on, for the past two (2) year's. (I should get a copy of the brief, this week - so... I'll know what type of a job he did, then.)
I tell you, Laura, you talk about your hair and I about fall over! It's so beautiful and I know that it depend's on the woman, but ... don't you ever get that hair cut short - okay!? When my hair would get down to the middle of my back, I'd usually wear it in one braid. I'd get it layered, but ... when I did, it'd start wavying and curling up, it got tangled alot, too. I don't like this short hair, but ... it doesn't "bother" me, like it use to.
Nope ... we're not allowed to
(over

 4.
do too much, of anything, here. They keep the peace pretty tight, and ther's not a whole lot of movement. They open the incoming mail, but it's women guard's who do that & they're just looking for contraband item's (they don't read the mail). Really... I'm not "suppose" to seal my out-going mail - but ... I do.
You sound a little radical at times, but ... nothing wrong with that. I could get going on my way's of thinking, (about the system, etc., etc.) and you may then, think I was sounding "strange").
Well... gonna try to get this out, tonite - so ... I better (leave? unsure) off & get your envelope ready.
(Thank's for the information on your perfume - I'll remember it!) It smell's good, it'd be hard to forget!
Take special care -
Dan

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate, 29th February, 1984, Starke, Florida

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate in Starke, Florida, 29th February 1984. Note: Transcription below each page, some pages didn't fully fit on scanner so the bottoms of those pages are separate scans and the transcription continues from where the prior page's scan cut off.

Feb. 29, 1984 (1:53 a.m.)

Dear Laura,

Hi, received your letter and am staying up, waiting on the movie that comes on at 3 o'clock, so... figured I'd do some writing to you, so I can mail this out this week. First of all, let me tell you, I really like how your letter's smell - I love it! (I'm thinking about putting them in my pillow!) (smile doodle)

Not too much has been going on, here, I've been expecting these people to come around with the paint, to paint this cell. I've had my stuff put away but... I put it back out 'cause they haven't showed up. I got a letter, from the Michicgan lawyer (not too good) - but ... it's because of the Florida lawyer that I'm a bit irate, presently. I need to write him, 'cause he's telling me one thing & doing something completely different. That's not gonna get it, with me! He's got to get right, or get off the case. I can't aford him acting like he is 

(over)

I was going to write him today - but ... I'm gonna have to cool down, before I approach him. I've gotten him made before & he takes it out on my case! And... I definitely, don't need that! (smile doodle) 
You're a video games freak, too, huh? I'm not too good, with the electronic ones, but ... I get off on the pin-ball set-ups!
I'd like to see you, with your hair down past your knee's - I really like a woman with long hair, your's is great, the length it is, it's beautiful. But... if I saw you with hair down past your knees, I'd probably fall-out, where-ever I was - 'cause, it's a real weakness I have - a woman's hair. (That's a secret confession!) (smile doodle) (I like long hair, myself, on me, I just think that if a person can take care of it - it's okay to have.) But ... a woman, it's natural & beauty, and style only add's to her beauty!

This is the newspaper photo-copy I got zeroxed, here. Hope that you can get an idea, from it - til I can get one taken, here. (Though... I'm not allowed to have the beard or length in hair due to regulation's). (smile doodle) (This was taken during the "face the verdict" - at the trial). My youngest sister might come see me, so I could get you some pictures, then - (plus, I'm still trying to talk this counselor into getting it approved, to get pictures taken outside of the visiting area) - so ... I'll keep working, 'til I do get something worked out - okay?
You'd have to be priorly approved on my visiting list, before you could "come by & say hi" - (that's more, regulation's). I've been in here, since November '80, after a 12/79 arrest. Don't know when I'm getting out it depend's on the up-coming rehearing motion. I try to keep busy, (true... it sometimes does get boring - that's when I don't like to talk to anyone - 'cause I'll get real frustrated, with tension). But I can always find something to read

(continuation from bottom of above page due to scanner issue)
I've been thinking about doing some painting. I'm not real good - but ... it does occupy time. Sometimes I'll get wrapped-up in legal writing/reading and ... that'll take day's of time. There
(over)

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way's to keep busy if a person want's to.  When they stop caring, (especially about themself, if they don't have someone to care about) then I've seen guys go & kill themself. Some "just" go crazy. My mind doesn't think with weakness though, so... I endure, a bit better now, since writing you. (smile doodle) I appreciate hearing about your activities at school, as well as with your family. It mean's a great deal, to sit and ponder about an active life, beyond the surroundings I see, daily - know what I mean? Truthfully, I'd shut myself off, from communicating, for over a year, and am really glad I sought to change that self-isolation, and come to write and receive your letter's. What amazes me, is that you hvae time for writing, beyond your

(continuation from bottom of above page due to scanner issue)
school studies. And ... you make me smile (smile doodle) and feel good!
Please don't ever doubt that I highly respect your time & coming to know you.
Gotta go - for now -
Take special care -
Dan

Letter from Dan E. Routly, Florida Death Row Inmate, postmarked in Jacksonville, Florida on 1st March 1984

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate, 15th February, 1984, Starke, Florida

Feb. 15, 1984

1.

Dear Laura,

Hi, I'd gone out to the unit-room, to talk with another guy here, and found your letter waiting for me, when I got back. I was glad to hear from you - and your photo reveals that you really are a beautiful lady. I like your hair, a lot! It look's thick, and it's real nice & long! Is it still this length? Now... to get a look at the rest of you. Think that'd be possible, Laura? You must have a nice body, to go along with the beauty you've allowed me to see tonight - correct? Damn! You're a looker!

You were in Ft. Lauderdale as a lifeguard, in 1979? If so... it's my misfortune that I didn't see you - 'cause I use to cruise the beach-front, in '79, while I was staying down there. Guess it would be useless to ponder over it. I did some looking - but ... wasn't looking for anything special. I never was on the beach, in Ft. Lauderdale, except at nite, a few times. Did you know all the 

cop's who were patrolling the beach area? There was this one cop - (can't remember his name - "Stevenson" I think) he was an older cop -
(over)

 2.
he pulled me over, just to look at my bike, (scared me!) He turned out to be into bikes & he, later, sold me a rear fender, (after I'd been rammed into, a couple week's later.) You know where that camp-ground is, along I-95, by the airport & that grand prix racing/video building/track is?* (The campground with that small "lake" - not the KOA) - Anyway ... that's where I stayed, when in Ft. Lauderdale.
You have nice skin coloring and tone, you know that? (I like your dimples, too!)
Does your pool stick (threat? unreadable) mean that you can become a rowdy lady?
Motorcycles were part of my life, way before I'd been with a club - (and, prior to my life which lead up to the nickname.) I'd been with a club, since, I was 16 - (with a 441 B.S.A.). Have you ever been to a club-house, or partied with any biker's?

 Kathy,** I don't have any pictures right now, of myself. I wrote some people to see if they can locate my photo album's, that I had on the

 3.
street. If I have luck with that, I'll send you some, from there. Also, the counselor, here, is suppose to be making a request about amending regulation's that prevent inmates from having pictures taken, (outside of the visiting room.) I don't get visitors so... I'm gonna have to file a grievance to get some taken. I will, let you know, as soon as I do - okay? (Oh, I might be able to get you a newspaper photo-copy - from the trial -?) Though... I don't have the hair/beard I did - ('cause regulation's prevent it). I have brown hair, wavy when it grows & with brown eyes. I'm clean shaven, now, also. I comb my hair back, with a slight part toward the middle - it's short, but neat. My birth date is June 12th, (1955).
Yes, I was married, in 1973, and I was divorced, in 1977 (sometimes). I have one son, by that marriage (Mark Edward), he'll be 10 year's old, this July 10th. I have no contact with him.

 Your typing service*** must be keeping you real busy, if it's enough to pay your way through school! Continued good luck!
Well...I'm gonna have to bring
(over)

 4.
this to a close, so that I can get it mailed out tonight.
I really appreciate hearing from you - and, I look forward to hearing from you, when time is made available.
Take special care -
Dan

Commentary, 7th January, 2012: 
* Oddly enough, the video game parlor/race track he refers to here at one point became, I believe, the largest video game parlor in the country - they built it up greatly in the late 1970s/early 1980s as video games became really hot - it looked like a giant castle.  I spent many, many, many hours here as a teenager, avoiding the reality of my home life which had become quite complicated with my parent's divorce.  I can't tell you how many times I snuck out to go to this place, how many hundreds if not thousands of quarters I dropped into games here.  For a long time, I had the highest score on Galaxian... was devastated when it got erased due to a power outage!
** I have no clue why he refers to me as "Kathy" here - at the time I ended up assuming he must be writing to other people and got me confused with someone else.
*** When I moved to Tallahassee, Florida, to attend Florida State University, I was barely 18 years old and while I did have some work experience, I had absolutely no luck finding a job.  It was 1983, and the economy was struggling some regardless - being 18 years old in a town flooded with the annual arrival of thousands of students made it even more difficult to find a job.  So I started taking in typing work - I typed other student's papers for $1.00 a page.  On a manual typewriter at first - after a while I had so much work I was able to purchase a Smith Corona electric typewriter with the cartridge ribbon system - loved that typewriter! - then moved up to a used IBM Selectric with the ball that had all the letters on it in the middle - oh my, that typewriter was the most awesome ever!  I had so much typing work that it interfered with my ability to do my own papers, truth be told! My typing skill got so good, I eventually landed a job as a "typesetter" at a local newspaper, The Florida Flambeau, which I  eventually left for the Tallahassee Democrat, which I left after several years to move to Washington, DC, where I landed a position as a "photocomposition specialist" at U.S. News and World Report Magazine - three years later I left Washington, DC to travel Europe with a bicycle and a backpack! 

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate, 10th February 1984, Starke, Florida

Letter from Dan Routly, Death Row Inmate in Starke, Florida, 10th February 1984. Note: This scan is from a photocopy of the original letter, with the original envelope attached.  Don't remember why I photocopied the original letter and didn't keep the original, it probably was damaged at some point (back in my younger days I had a habit of photocopying items of interest to me and kept them separate from the originals, to try to mitigate and/or avoid total loss. A good habit, as many of these letters from Dan Routly have been severely damaged - including this photocopy).

 February 10, 1984
1.
Laura,
Hi - I appreciate hearing from you - I received your letter, tonight. You sound interesting, and ... being that I have Italian blood in me, also, this look's to be correspondence of special interest. Actually, my family (mother & father) were the one's who broke the blood-lines, in each family. My mother & her entire family are Italian's. While, my father & his entire family are English - (he died in 1978). But, I tend to hold more interest/respect, for the Italian qualities in life. My grand-parent's are from Italy, while my mother was born in the U.S.
I'm, originally, from Michigan. I came down here, to Florida, in 1978 - went to Brooksville/Tampa, then down to St. Petersburg, over to Miami Beach/Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale. Then ... up to Ft. Pierce, Daytona & Ocala. Best times were Ft. Lauderdale - (in the daytime) - and Hollywood/Miami Beach - (at nite), least as far as I saw.
(over -)

 2.
I like to swim, but ... I don't really like the ocean's - (I never got use to the salt-water) - but ... I do like lakes, and camping out. I like the wood's. I miss the beach - (I'd like to get tanned!) I shoot pool, too - (are you good - or - just plain mean with a stick?)
I got the name Stud, when I was involved with a club - (motorcycle), up north. What it was about, was that I'd just split-up with this woman I cared a great deal for & when I attended club meeting's/practices, I'd bring different women, at different times. It was just that I didn't feel I could handle a serious relationship, with one woman - so ... I dated different women, with no commitment involved. Each woman understood - but ... the club members took it differently & handed me the name. So ... I kept it - 'cause ... I still haven't found my "special lady" for life. (Besides ... sometimes it's enjoyable living up to the name)
Waiting to hear from you
Take care
Dan
P.S. Can you send some photo's of yourself?

Letter from Dan E. Routly, Florida Death Row Inmate, postmarked in Jacksonville, Florida February 1984