I talked to Mechele this weekend and she asked me to paraphrase a thank you to everyone for their support. So, she says, "Thanks for your support." (Sorry for the lack of creativity there.) Honestly, though, it really means a lot to her. She's had some dark days, as anyone can imagine, and to know that people, even total strangers, believe in her means a lot.
Mechele also did write in a letter to me, "I will write something this week [for the blog], I promise." With the letter, she included a new list of books she would like to read. I've added them to the Amazon list as "highest priority". She finds some interesting things to read, even stuck behind those walls. She's a pretty decent artist as well, and was asking about "how to draw" cartoon books, so I found some I thought might be fun or useful to her and added those.
A personal thank you from me to everyone for your support and generosity. There is so much I'd like to do for her, but am not always able, so to have other people keeping her hope alive is wonderful. Please keep the prayers and good energy flowing her way. I know it makes such a big difference.
Keep the faith, everyone.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Honi's Sentencing Letter
Dear Judge Volland:
My name is Honi Martin. I’m a wife of eleven years to a wonderful man. We are raising our two young boys on a farm in Oregon. I’m active in both of my children’s school and my church. I work with the elderly and people on hospice. I love animals, and I’m an artist.
I also, a very long time ago, was a dancer. I was Mechele Linehan’s friend and roommate. I know the trial is over and unfortunately knew nothing about it until too late. I was in shock to learn Mechele was in prison. Four years ago she told me TT had been murdered, and she was being questioned. Although it was shocking to learn TT had been killed, not for a minute did I believe Mechele had anything to do with it. I knew the right person would be found, and I never thought much more about it.
Mechele and I went on with our lives and along the way had lost contact. I can’t sit by and watch Mechele go to prison without telling you the person I know Mechele to be. Mechele was a bright young girl who was creative, sweet, spontaneous, outgoing and would give you whatever you needed. I met Mechele at work at the Bush Company, and we hit it off almost immediately. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and told her that I was looking for a place to live. Without hesitation, she said I could live with her and that she had a spare bedroom. She hardly knew me, but opened up her home to me.
Mechele had a soft spot for animals and could never pass a stray without bringing it home. On one occasion, she picked up a homeless man who was shivering in the freezing rain. She opened up the door of her car and gave him a ride to a café, so he could get warm. We also lived near an elderly man who had fallen more than a couple of times. Mechele would often go over to his home to make sure he was ok and visit with him. I remember Mechele having many interests and wanting to go to school. One of her interests was working with children in one form or another. She also wanted to write children’s books. She was wonderful with animals and also wanted to do something along these lines. She even had taught reading to adults.
I don’t remember her ever saying she would be rich, but she did know it would take money to go to school. Dancing was a means to that end. She sometimes worked very long hours. Sometimes from when the club opened at 3:30 in the afternoon until 2 am. She was very driven, but also very generous.
While Scott Hilke and Mechele were on vacation, someone had poisoned our dogs. Mine ended up dying. I was so distraught I couldn’t even work. Mechele had me join her and Scott in Canada. She paid for my hotel, food, and plane ticket. She would even buy her “regulars” gifts if she saw something she thought they would like. This is probably what worried me the most. I worried about her safety. She thought I worried too much, and these “men were just harmless and lonely people”.
She did not have “multiple lovers”. She was friendly and let these people into her life too much. But, I never saw her sleep or even heard her talk about sleeping with any of these men.
It’s not in a dancer’s best interest to sleep with her customers. All the girls know that once you do, your customer will no longer spend the kind of money on you as he once did. Men, who become a dancer’s “regular”, often have already been someone else’s “regular” at one time or another. They are not clueless men who get taken for their money. They only feel “burned” after they have bought gifts and spend hundreds if not thousands on a girl, only to realize she is not going to fall in love with him.
Mechele did nothing different than any of the other girls did that had regulars. I’ve even done it. It’s very common if a man has feelings for you that you play along. You don’t discourage him. It’s not the dancer’s fault. She is at the club to work and make money, not to discourage people from spending it. These men willingly spend money and bring or offer you gifts.
There is something wrong with a man who sits night after night in the clubs, hoping to save some damsel from her job.
Some girls like having “regulars”. On a slow night, he’ll come in and spend money on you. On a really busy night, you don’t have to deal with the competition by having a “regular”. Other girls don’t like regulars because it is like a relationship, and they don’t like the element of getting too close to someone who may be potentially dangerous or obsessed.
Towards the end of my living in Alaska, it seemed Scott and Mechele were on the verge of breaking up. I moved out, but stayed in Alaska until about the end of that summer. Scott was the only person that I knew Mechele to have been engaged to. I have never known Mechele to be engaged to anyone but Scott. Never once did I hear her refer to TT as a lover or a fiancé. I also never heard the word engaged attached to him. I never saw Mechele kiss, hug, or even hold his hand. It was by all accounts a friendship, not a relationship, with a customer who spent a lot of money on her.
Mechele is not perfect and she played along with men’s feelings to keep the money coming her way. Just as many of the other dancers do. I just don’t think she realized how deep these men’s feelings ran for her. Mechele’s character is not that of a person who would conspire to commit murder or commit murder herself. She wanted a better life for herself and was willing to work for it.
There are so many more things I could have written about. It’s hard to write a year’s worth of memories in just a few pages. I just want to thank you for time you spent reading it.
My name is Honi Martin. I’m a wife of eleven years to a wonderful man. We are raising our two young boys on a farm in Oregon. I’m active in both of my children’s school and my church. I work with the elderly and people on hospice. I love animals, and I’m an artist.
I also, a very long time ago, was a dancer. I was Mechele Linehan’s friend and roommate. I know the trial is over and unfortunately knew nothing about it until too late. I was in shock to learn Mechele was in prison. Four years ago she told me TT had been murdered, and she was being questioned. Although it was shocking to learn TT had been killed, not for a minute did I believe Mechele had anything to do with it. I knew the right person would be found, and I never thought much more about it.
Mechele and I went on with our lives and along the way had lost contact. I can’t sit by and watch Mechele go to prison without telling you the person I know Mechele to be. Mechele was a bright young girl who was creative, sweet, spontaneous, outgoing and would give you whatever you needed. I met Mechele at work at the Bush Company, and we hit it off almost immediately. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and told her that I was looking for a place to live. Without hesitation, she said I could live with her and that she had a spare bedroom. She hardly knew me, but opened up her home to me.
Mechele had a soft spot for animals and could never pass a stray without bringing it home. On one occasion, she picked up a homeless man who was shivering in the freezing rain. She opened up the door of her car and gave him a ride to a café, so he could get warm. We also lived near an elderly man who had fallen more than a couple of times. Mechele would often go over to his home to make sure he was ok and visit with him. I remember Mechele having many interests and wanting to go to school. One of her interests was working with children in one form or another. She also wanted to write children’s books. She was wonderful with animals and also wanted to do something along these lines. She even had taught reading to adults.
I don’t remember her ever saying she would be rich, but she did know it would take money to go to school. Dancing was a means to that end. She sometimes worked very long hours. Sometimes from when the club opened at 3:30 in the afternoon until 2 am. She was very driven, but also very generous.
While Scott Hilke and Mechele were on vacation, someone had poisoned our dogs. Mine ended up dying. I was so distraught I couldn’t even work. Mechele had me join her and Scott in Canada. She paid for my hotel, food, and plane ticket. She would even buy her “regulars” gifts if she saw something she thought they would like. This is probably what worried me the most. I worried about her safety. She thought I worried too much, and these “men were just harmless and lonely people”.
She did not have “multiple lovers”. She was friendly and let these people into her life too much. But, I never saw her sleep or even heard her talk about sleeping with any of these men.
It’s not in a dancer’s best interest to sleep with her customers. All the girls know that once you do, your customer will no longer spend the kind of money on you as he once did. Men, who become a dancer’s “regular”, often have already been someone else’s “regular” at one time or another. They are not clueless men who get taken for their money. They only feel “burned” after they have bought gifts and spend hundreds if not thousands on a girl, only to realize she is not going to fall in love with him.
Mechele did nothing different than any of the other girls did that had regulars. I’ve even done it. It’s very common if a man has feelings for you that you play along. You don’t discourage him. It’s not the dancer’s fault. She is at the club to work and make money, not to discourage people from spending it. These men willingly spend money and bring or offer you gifts.
There is something wrong with a man who sits night after night in the clubs, hoping to save some damsel from her job.
Some girls like having “regulars”. On a slow night, he’ll come in and spend money on you. On a really busy night, you don’t have to deal with the competition by having a “regular”. Other girls don’t like regulars because it is like a relationship, and they don’t like the element of getting too close to someone who may be potentially dangerous or obsessed.
Towards the end of my living in Alaska, it seemed Scott and Mechele were on the verge of breaking up. I moved out, but stayed in Alaska until about the end of that summer. Scott was the only person that I knew Mechele to have been engaged to. I have never known Mechele to be engaged to anyone but Scott. Never once did I hear her refer to TT as a lover or a fiancé. I also never heard the word engaged attached to him. I never saw Mechele kiss, hug, or even hold his hand. It was by all accounts a friendship, not a relationship, with a customer who spent a lot of money on her.
Mechele is not perfect and she played along with men’s feelings to keep the money coming her way. Just as many of the other dancers do. I just don’t think she realized how deep these men’s feelings ran for her. Mechele’s character is not that of a person who would conspire to commit murder or commit murder herself. She wanted a better life for herself and was willing to work for it.
There are so many more things I could have written about. It’s hard to write a year’s worth of memories in just a few pages. I just want to thank you for time you spent reading it.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Kevin's Sentencing Letter
Your Honor, this letter is in regards to Mechele Linehan, who will be sentenced in your court this month. I’m writing in hopes for your leniency when deciding upon her fate.
I am Mechele’s friend and neighbor, and I wanted to take some time to let you know what she means to my family.
Mechele was the first person to welcome us to the neighborhood when we moved here to Olympia. She came over with her daughter, who’d baked us cookies. First impressions mean a great deal to me. Mechele made a good one. And the remainder of the impressions she’s left on me have been as good and better.
She’s a kind and loving person. She’s the first person I would have trusted to baby-sit my youngest son. Mechele was taken away to jail on the day before she was going to do just that. She asked my wife and I if she could do that for us, so that we could have some time for a date on our anniversary. She’s the first person for which my two-year-old has expressed love outside of our family. Both my sons love her very much, actually.
She adopted us into her family from the get-go, making us feel welcome in our new city. Mechele, her husband, and daughter invited us to go with them to the beach just days after we met them. She made sure to invite us to their family gatherings for the holidays, or when they all (mothers, brothers, sisters, kids and friends) got together to make some good food. Welcoming, that’s Mechele.
Even before her trial, while she was wearing an electronic monitoring device, and had to have certain people with her every moment, she took the time and effort to continue get-togethers, making pizza for her friends and family. During that time, she still kept up her new business, still kept up her great mothering, still maintained friendships, still rescued animals, and worked, worked, worked. She even helped out a young woman whose boyfriend was abusing her, taking her in for a short time. I’m a good person, but she’s better.
She’s even trying to make prison better for the people there. Amazing.
She saves animals. Dogs, birds, cats, you name it—if it needs help, she’s the first to try. People, too. Anything you need, if she has it, it’s yours. Honestly, I cannot believe Mechele is in prison.
When she first told us about this situation, when she was contacted by the police, she was straight and honest. She let us know exactly what was going on. Mechele is honest. That’s something you learn right away. She’s not mean, but she’s honest. You don’t ask her opinion if you’re looking for someone to agree with you. You ask because she’ll tell you the truth.
Mechele has already been taken away from us for too long. My family is suffering without her. It’s hard to imagine exactly what this is doing to hers. What I’ve seen mostly is her daughter trying to not feel so lost without her mom, and Colin trying to hold onto all the reins, and be a mother and father to his daughter. Their daughter has grown quiet and reserved. We try our best to imagine what’s going on in her head, but that’s a difficult thing to imagine. It’s pretty heartbreaking. Her daughter came over to bake cookies for the holidays. She seemed sad. Mechele has always been right there beside her family. Taking her daughter to school in the mornings, picking her up in the afternoon. She’s very active in her school life—PTA and all. Her daughter needs her mom.
My family misses her every day. Her family has a gaping hole in it. Please consider who she is to us, and to her family, and the rest of her friends when you consider her sentence. Mechele is good. I know that.
Thank you for your time.
I am Mechele’s friend and neighbor, and I wanted to take some time to let you know what she means to my family.
Mechele was the first person to welcome us to the neighborhood when we moved here to Olympia. She came over with her daughter, who’d baked us cookies. First impressions mean a great deal to me. Mechele made a good one. And the remainder of the impressions she’s left on me have been as good and better.
She’s a kind and loving person. She’s the first person I would have trusted to baby-sit my youngest son. Mechele was taken away to jail on the day before she was going to do just that. She asked my wife and I if she could do that for us, so that we could have some time for a date on our anniversary. She’s the first person for which my two-year-old has expressed love outside of our family. Both my sons love her very much, actually.
She adopted us into her family from the get-go, making us feel welcome in our new city. Mechele, her husband, and daughter invited us to go with them to the beach just days after we met them. She made sure to invite us to their family gatherings for the holidays, or when they all (mothers, brothers, sisters, kids and friends) got together to make some good food. Welcoming, that’s Mechele.
Even before her trial, while she was wearing an electronic monitoring device, and had to have certain people with her every moment, she took the time and effort to continue get-togethers, making pizza for her friends and family. During that time, she still kept up her new business, still kept up her great mothering, still maintained friendships, still rescued animals, and worked, worked, worked. She even helped out a young woman whose boyfriend was abusing her, taking her in for a short time. I’m a good person, but she’s better.
She’s even trying to make prison better for the people there. Amazing.
She saves animals. Dogs, birds, cats, you name it—if it needs help, she’s the first to try. People, too. Anything you need, if she has it, it’s yours. Honestly, I cannot believe Mechele is in prison.
When she first told us about this situation, when she was contacted by the police, she was straight and honest. She let us know exactly what was going on. Mechele is honest. That’s something you learn right away. She’s not mean, but she’s honest. You don’t ask her opinion if you’re looking for someone to agree with you. You ask because she’ll tell you the truth.
Mechele has already been taken away from us for too long. My family is suffering without her. It’s hard to imagine exactly what this is doing to hers. What I’ve seen mostly is her daughter trying to not feel so lost without her mom, and Colin trying to hold onto all the reins, and be a mother and father to his daughter. Their daughter has grown quiet and reserved. We try our best to imagine what’s going on in her head, but that’s a difficult thing to imagine. It’s pretty heartbreaking. Her daughter came over to bake cookies for the holidays. She seemed sad. Mechele has always been right there beside her family. Taking her daughter to school in the mornings, picking her up in the afternoon. She’s very active in her school life—PTA and all. Her daughter needs her mom.
My family misses her every day. Her family has a gaping hole in it. Please consider who she is to us, and to her family, and the rest of her friends when you consider her sentence. Mechele is good. I know that.
Thank you for your time.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Appeal Update
The defense attorneys have all the transcripts from the previous trial in for the appeal. One step is done!
To see more on the appeal timeline, go here.
To see more on the appeal timeline, go here.
More updates on Mechele and her Amazon list
Hey all,
Just talked to Mechele today. She is VERY MUCH appreciating all the books and notes she's getting in the mail. She read a whole book yesterday. Mrs. Dalloway.
She did mention to me that she was having some issues with hardcover books. Technically, she can only receive paperback books. However, if she is sent a hardcover book, she can donate it to the library there and then take it out from the library. For some reason, that system hasn't been working for one or two books she received before we started this whole list. So, based on that info, I updated the Amazon list to include only paperback books. A few of them are not out in paperback yet, but will be soon, so they have preorder options.
Amazon also has a nice promotion they offer on many items called the 4 for 3 promotion. If you choose 4 books from this special, you get one for free. So, I went through and marked in the comments all the eligible books on the list. I'm pretty sure you could even use it with two addresses, so if you wanted to get a book or two for yourself from the 4 for 3 and send other(s), that would work, too.
As always, thanks!
Just talked to Mechele today. She is VERY MUCH appreciating all the books and notes she's getting in the mail. She read a whole book yesterday. Mrs. Dalloway.
She did mention to me that she was having some issues with hardcover books. Technically, she can only receive paperback books. However, if she is sent a hardcover book, she can donate it to the library there and then take it out from the library. For some reason, that system hasn't been working for one or two books she received before we started this whole list. So, based on that info, I updated the Amazon list to include only paperback books. A few of them are not out in paperback yet, but will be soon, so they have preorder options.
Amazon also has a nice promotion they offer on many items called the 4 for 3 promotion. If you choose 4 books from this special, you get one for free. So, I went through and marked in the comments all the eligible books on the list. I'm pretty sure you could even use it with two addresses, so if you wanted to get a book or two for yourself from the 4 for 3 and send other(s), that would work, too.
As always, thanks!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Thank You Jeff Feldman & Alaska Ear
A couple weeks ago, Alaska Ear (part of ADN.com) reported that Mechele had agreed to do an interview with Dateline and then left them high and dry when they showed up with their camera crews in Alaska. That was not the way I had heard the story, and we debated about whether or not to post our own version. It looks like Mechele's lawyer took care of that with Alaska Ear. To read the revised (and what I think is TRUE) version, of the story, check out Alaska Ear here. (Page down a bit to see the part about Mechele. It starts "No no no.")
Friday, June 13, 2008
Short Update on Mechele
Hello Friends and Supporters!
We heard from Mechele by phone last night. She just received 3 more books off her Amazon Wishlist. She is so very grateful. She also said she really appreciated the kind notes that people have sent along and wanted us to relate that once she is done with the books, she will donate them to the prison library. So, your gifts are benefiting more than just one! Thanks so much.
Keep the faith.
We heard from Mechele by phone last night. She just received 3 more books off her Amazon Wishlist. She is so very grateful. She also said she really appreciated the kind notes that people have sent along and wanted us to relate that once she is done with the books, she will donate them to the prison library. So, your gifts are benefiting more than just one! Thanks so much.
Keep the faith.
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