BREAKING SMOKEY NEWS: WESTERFIELD VERDICT REACHED..Announcment at 11:00 A.M.

The jury in the David Westerfield trial has reached a verdict, Court TV reports, and it will be announced at 11 a.m. today at the San Diego County Courthouse, on the 10th day of deliberations.

As of this morning, the jury has deliberated more than 40 hours since receiving the case Aug. 8. Nearly 100 witnesses were called over two months of trial testimony.

Westerfield, 50, is charged with murder, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography in connection with the death of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, who was discovered missing from her bed the morning of Feb. 2.

The defendant -- a former Sabre Springs resident -- could face the death penalty if the jury convicts him of killing the girl and finds true a special circumstance allegation that the second-grader's murder occurred during a kidnapping.

Jurors have listened to a readback of testimony on how insects found on Danielle's body could help determine when she died. According to defense attorneys, insect-infestation testimony showed Westerfield could not be the killer because he was under surveillance at the time when the body was dumped.

San Diego County Medical Examiner Brian Blackbourne and insect expert David Faulkner were among a group of witnesses who testified about how insects found on the child's body could help determine when she had been dumped off an East County road near Dehesa.

Faulkner, a forensic entomologist, found 14 insect species on the girl's body when he examined it at the East County recovery site. He testified that fly larvae first infested the body 10-12 days before volunteer searchers discovered it on Feb. 27.

On cross-examination by prosecutors, Faulkner conceded that he could not give a maximum time that Danielle's body was exposed to the elements. Blackbourne testified that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and that animals had been feeding on it. He testified that Danielle died between Feb. 1 and Feb. 18.

Other experts testified that insects could have infested the body as little as four days before it was discovered to six weeks earlier.

Brenda didn't POINT the finger at DW. We have had it all wrong. Remember, Denise didn't find DW 'creepy' until after his arrest.

Remember, we questioned why the FBI was brought in, why the FBI dog was brought in?

Remember it was weird that the SDPD searched DW's house looking for PORN and found it? We thought Damon might have been involved in telling them or planting it? NOT.

Remember one of the members of the CHILD PORN RING was arrested Jan 27th.

The Swedish group and the FBI were cooperating (operation CANDYMAN) on finding members of this RING. Anyone that even loaded any kind of PORN which contained apparent or faked CHILD RAPE was going to be investigated as being part of this RING.

FBI was in the area searching for these members. The Swedish group gave them lists of all who SENT/RECEIVED this CHILD PORN, or ANYONE that even tried to download something that might be CONSIDERED CHILD PORN, especially with RAPE in it.

SO, when Danielle disappeared The FBI gave DW as one of the addresses (internet) that had attempted or did download CHILD oriented PORN or RAPE PORN.

That still didn't give police enough probably cause. So, they took the info from Brenda (about her convo's with DW) and interviewed DW. When he said Brenda told him about Damon saying Danielle was growing up fast, etc) they went back to Brenda. She said she didn't remember if she told him.

SO the SDPD then used that and other statements, added a little to them (said she denied saying it, not just didn't remember) AND GOT A WARRANT. BRENDA and DAMON didn't point the finger. THE FBI did. Then SDPD was SURE they had their man.

These RING members were known for kidnapping little girls and RAPING THEM. The Swedish group /FBI pointed the SDPD at DW and SO THEY WERE SURE. When it turned out his son downloaded the stuff and neither Neal nor DW had anything to do with this CHILD PORN RING, it was too late.

They had some 'real thin' evidence, but they still thought it was possible DW was one of these GUYS. Heck, they already had ONE of them, and arrested the next one on FEB 18th.

The SDPD thought they were on a roll.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Westerfield jury reaches verdict SIGNONSANDIEGO

Westerfield jury reaches verdict

SIGNONSANDIEGO