Dally Letter Implores Haun to ‘Stay Strong’

Calling her his “true soul mate,” Michael Dally urged his jailed lover Diana Haun to “stay strong” while awaiting trial on murder charges, according to recent court documents.

Over the last eight months, Dally has written dozens of letters to Haun since her arrest in connection with the kidnap-slaying of Dally’s wife, Sherri, last year.

Snippets of that correspondence, never made public before, were included in court papers filed this week by prosecutors while trying to gain access to 71 letters held under seal by the defense.

“We both know that we are, as all centuries past, destined to be together,” states a portion of one letter seized in a November search of Haun’s cell.

The letter was addressed to “My Love.”

It was signed, “Your true soul mate.”

Another letter from Dally to his girlfriend cited in the district attorney’s papers states in part: “Your mate and cubs are waiting for you.” It was also taken in the November jail search.

Prosecutors point to yet another love note from Dally in their brief--one urging Haun to “Please, please stay strong.”

Such excerpts, prosecutors argued, show the romantic relationship between the two defendants--a relationship that they believe is the motive behind the slaying of Sherri Dally.

As a result, they argued, the content of the 71 additional letters could include important evidence and should be made available to the prosecution in accordance with an agreement between the parties.

On Tuesday, Frederick A. Jones agreed and told defense attorneys to turn over the 71 letters in question. Haun’s public defenders had objected, arguing that the letters were her private property and had nothing to do with the killing of Sherri Dally.

The 35-year-old homemaker was abducted from the parking lot of a Ventura Target store on May 6, 1996. Her bludgeoned and slashed body was found in a ravine north of Ventura about a month later.

Haun, 36, and Dally, 37, are charged with murder, kidnapping, conspiracy and related allegations that could send them to death row if convicted.

Prosecutors say Haun actually killed Sherri Dally, and that Michael Dally was involved in planning his wife’s slaying.

Although their case has been combined for the last seven months, Jones ruled this week that the pair should have separate trials to prevent one from pointing the finger of guilt at the other.