Do Westerfield Groupies have Second Thoughts?

[luvbach1]

When the Westerfield trial was in full sway many posters seemed eager to buy defense attorney Feldman's arguments that David Westerfield could not have committed the crimes (abduction from her bedroom and subsequent murder of the Van Damm girl), Further, they took heated issue with, including ridiculing, any who argued that since someone definitely did it, and since the evidence pointed to Westerfield, scenarios of how he could have committed the crime held validity. As it turned out, one of those scenarios was close to the truth. With the passage of time and the conviction of Westerfield, do those who shot down every hypothesis offered for Westerfield's guilt have any second thoughts?

[aynrandfreak]

You're just now asking this question?

[luvbach1]

"You're just now asking this question?"

Yes, why not? I want the perspective the passage of time might give.

[dead]

Yes, they beat themselves daily as remorse for being proved wrong, and they hold you up on a pedestal as representing all that is right in the world.

(Does that scratch your itch?)

[luvbach1]

They did no such thing.

[alisasny]

Freeper confession:

When I was following this case I had a hard time believing that Westerfield was the killer. I felt this way up until his conviction. When the evidence that he almost pleed to a lesser charge came out I changed my mind. I am in the court of public opinion and entitled to feel as I did back then and after.

I never pressured others into agreeing with me unlike some did.

I think I owe how I felt to being a mom and concerned about how the Van Dams activities led Danielle to be a target. I regret I did not respect them a little more but till this day I still dont respect them and their lifestyle. The bottom line is had they been better parents their beautiful daughter would still be alive and again ..I am entitled to that opinion.

THANKS : )

[laredo44]

Sheesh. Ask a reasonable question and get two crappy responses. I'm with you. Where are those who questioned the guilt of Westerfield and what do they think now?

[alisasny]

He just posted 10 minutes ago....sheesh....

[luvbach1]

"...had they been better parents their beautiful daughter would [might] still be alive."

I agree with you, as amended above. But the culpablility of the Van Damms was not the point of my question. Westerfield, of course, is the only one guilty of murder.

[alisasny]

Well I know he was convicted and still have a hard time rectifing how and why he would do such a henious deed...

I dont deny he is guilty however I just dont understand what would make a "normal" human snap in such a way.

I guess I just did not see evil in him. I dont know and the whole case was a wakeup call for me.

[norton]

"With the passage of time and the conviction of Westerfield, do those who shot down every hypothesis offered for Westerfield's guilt have any second thoughts?"

Well, no, and no.

But first, a clarification:
For my part I did not (knowingly) "shoot down" theories that included westerfield's guilt.
I did (attempt to) point out to all concerned that being accurssed is NOT being convicted.
Further, that there were oddities and conflicts in the reported events (news versus courtroom).
And, that the mommy and daddy were not exactly models of family values.

I still find myself steaming when this or another site start the lynch mob rant over Scott Peterson and, previously, Gary Condit.
I do not know if they, any of them, are or are not guilty but I damn sure do not ever want to be ACCUSED of anything and have it discussed in this forum.

We can discuss the end of days, world hunger, or nuclear war and come away friends, but any mention of scandal or pedophilia (admittedly, the worst crime I can imagine) and somebody gets convicted ten minutes into the debate and those who disagree are asked questions like the one above.

Now, ask me what I think about Michael Jackson.
hint...
Guilty as hell.

[luvbach1]

"...the whole case was a wakeup call for me."

Good for you.

[alisasny]

Norton, dont worry,,,there is already an MJ is innocent group on FR....

[laredo44]

He just posted 10 minutes ago....sheesh....

Just wondering about the immediate need to dump.

[luvbach1]

Then my question was not directed at you.

[luvbach1]

FR is not a court of law. Assumption of innocence need not extend beyond the courthouse. We can even conclude guilt from "evidence" we know.

[11th Earl of Mar]

I have a feeling that we will see similiar threads on the Elizabeth Smart story as it comes out.

I think those who claim that Elizabeth ran away will get very loud and nasty as the trial begins.

And after all the facts come out and the guilty verdict is handed down, most of them will see the light and admit that she was in fact abducted.

[fishtank]

Trouble is: the abductor is just a little weirder than her own dad.

[TheSpottedOwl]

With the passage of time and the conviction of Westerfield, do those who shot down every hypothesis offered for Westerfield's guilt have any second thoughts?

Nope.

[MizSterious]

"Norton, dont worry,,,there is already an MJ is innocent group on FR.."

Yes, and surprisingly (or not?), some of them were staunch van Dam supporters.

I still maintain that if Westerfield did it, he had help. The insects were the only ones in the whole sordid case that didn't lie, and Westerfield could not have dumped her body in the time frame indicated by the insects. Someone else dumped the body, and thanks to the way this case was handled, we'll never know who else was involved.

And I can't help but notice how nicely the van Dams profited from it all, either. What slugs.