Until six months ago, David Westerfield hosted barbecues by his pool, fixed dinner in his remodeled kitchen and relaxed on white leather sofas in his four-bedroom house. Posted on 08/05/2002 8:59:13 AM PDT by FresnoDA
By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
August 5, 2002
Until six months ago, David Westerfield hosted barbecues by his pool, fixed dinner in his remodeled kitchen and relaxed on white leather sofas in his four-bedroom house.
He ran a business from home, logging onto one of several computers. He took his plush motor home on trips to the desert, where his children and friends played on his numerous sand toys.
Today, his Sabre Springs home is on the market for $480,000 and his Toyota 4Runner, motor home and computers are in police custody. No matter what the verdict in his capital murder trial, life as David Westerfield knew it will never be the same.
After he was charged Feb. 22 with kidnapping and killing his 7-year-old neighbor Danielle van Dam, Westerfield was incarcerated in the 17-story County Jail in downtown San Diego. Because of security concerns, he was placed in isolation on the third floor, the building's medical unit.
His cell is equipped with the basics. A television is the only perk. The floors are cold, hard concrete. So are the beds. Three inches of mattress cushions his back at night.
The cell is painted white and furnished with a tiny, built-in desk, a urinal and a sink that doubles as a water fountain. On days when court isn't in session, Westerfield doesn't see much else.
"There's little opportunity for him to do anything other than watch TV or read," said Sheriff's Capt. Ken Culver, who runs the jail.
Westerfield has limited contact with anyone other than the guards. He can leave his cell, with an escort, to make phone calls, and he gets visitors several times a week.
During his incarceration, his attorneys and their staff members have met with him more than 50 times. He's had six sessions with a couple of psychologists.
He's allowed two 30-minute visits a week from friends and family. His sister stopped by 10 times, and his ex-wife and two children have visited at least a dozen times.
After visits, he returns to his cell, where he eats his meals, reads books, writes letters, watches television and sleeps.
Westerfield was moved into an isolation cell not as disciplinary action but because he was threatened. His first day in the facility, inmates drew pictures of him with a noose around his neck and screamed that they wanted him to die.
"Since then there have not been any issues with him," said Culver, who noted that Westerfield is respectful toward deputies.
Culver said it's unlikely that other prisoners know where Westerfield is. He showers alone and occasionally is allowed access to a gymnasium, also alone. He hasn't been outdoors since he was booked.
His life is not only restricted to his cell, it is tightly monitored. Deputies and video cameras record his every move.
Inmates are awakened at 4 in the morning, and breakfast is served within a half-hour so those with scheduled court appearances can be transported to courthouses.
Lunch arrives between 9:45 and 10 a.m. and dinner usually is at 4 p.m. The lights are out by 10.
Meals are produced en masse in an Otay Mesa facility and delivered to the Front Street jail. The meals, which range from fried chicken to casseroles, are reheated on individual trays in a big oven, the way airline flight attendants heat in-flight meals.
Westerfield's meals are delivered to his cell, while most inmates eat with others in central dining areas.
On court days, he changes into a suit, which sometimes has been dry-cleaned overnight.
Beneath his jacket, he puts on a metal waist-belt that has chains that cuff his arms. Then he is escorted from his cell to a pedestrian bridge that stretches from the County Jail through the old jail next to the downtown courthouse, and then to the courthouse.
During the trial, his restraints are unhooked. Westerfield sits at the defense table in a suit and tie, laughing occasionally at the judge's jokes and smiling or waving at friends who testify.
At lunchtime, when his attorneys, the jury and court staff head off to lunch, he's locked in a holding cell behind the courtroom and handed a jail-packed sack lunch. It's typically a peanut butter or bologna sandwich, an apple or orange and a drink.
After the court proceedings, deputies lead him back through the crosswalk to the jail.
When he gets there, he changes out of his suit and back into his blue jail uniform. Then he's led to the sparse, white cell that, for now, is home.
Yeah, they were swingers. Means they apparently felt little emotional involvement when it came to the sexual union in their 'marriage'.
They weren't out searching for 'couples' like swingers do.
Brenda was out WITHOUT Damon, and inviting total strangers (couples/not couples) back home.
Damon may have had a 'girlfriend'.
Damon and the boys were going snowboarding. Not taking Brenda/Danielle.... WHY?
It was a father/daughter weekend event , yet Damon was taking the boys.
Brenda had made a date with Bill Libby, whose wife was out of town.
Parents that are having 'trouble' in marriage will do things like ;
go out to a bar 2 weekends in a row, leaving the other to BABYSIT (i.e. screw you, you watch the kids)
Damon could have been just as mad and went out himself.
All of their activity fits the pattern of a troubled marriage.
Even the trip to Italy. Maybe Brenda and Danielle were going, maybe not. Maybe it was to get away and try to save the marriage.
ANYWAY, just some thoughts I had.
So Feldman was handicapped to paint the entire picture of the Van Dam family and their extent of involvement in the swinging life-style, etc.
We do have one ace..that is the one Feldman is holding about "evidence as good as a confession", which I think may have not been allowed into the trial, because of the "time restrictions" or limits, Mudd placed on Feldman. For example, Feldman would not have been allowed to say if Damon or Brenda had filed for divorce in the past.
Anyway, UCS..just my two cents.
I'll visit with you all later, gonna get my errands done, to concentrate on the final few days..sw
So many times here on the DW/VD threads we get the HIT AND RUN's. These are posters that jump in the middle of a thread, make some totally irrational, non-informed comment, get everyone stirred up, then run away.
What I do is use the SEARCH BY POSTER to find other threads they are on, and observe their comments on those threads.
What I get from this is a better perspective on the frame of mind they have. By seeing their comments on a variety of subjects, you can tell if they are just immature and ignorant of the world around them, or if they are emotional harpies.
Some of them are long time FR posters, and old enough that they should be well-educated/experienced in the ways of the world. Well, as someone once said, "with age you get experience, but sometimes you just get age".
ANOTHER THING I noticed from following certain posters is that they are disruptors no matter what thread they are on.
Some are just HARD-HEADED, too old to change their ways, know it all and refuse to accept any new info people that found a home in FREE REPUBLIC with a lot of like-minded people.
They mistook strong moral values/concepts for bone-headedness.
ANYWAY, next time HIT+RUN angers you, take a little time to follow them and see what they are like on other threads.
(1) You get a break from this thread.
(2) You don't waste your time spewing at them on these threads as you find out they aren't worth your or anyone else's time.
BTW. Most of us think that things get bad here on the DW/VD threads. DO I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU. It is much worse on OTHER THREADS. I have seen more DELETED POSTS and PERSONAL ATTACKS on other threads (coincidentally the threads the HIT+RUNS post on) than on here.
I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD TAKE A BOW for maintaining reasonability.
I'm thinking the jury deliberations, since they're not going to be sequestered, may begin daily around 9:00 Pacific Time, which would be 10 am Mountain, 11 am Central, and noon Eastern time. So that's when I'll be praying. Noon my time. You are all welcome to join me.
(I'll post this prayer at noon ET every day, if that's okay.)
-----------------------------------------
Lord, grant these twelve jurors great wisdom to understand all the testimony they have heard over the past two months, and the clarity of mind to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Give them strength to endure, and fill them with a sense of honor and integrity, and the desire to do what is right.
May You shine the light of truth into the darkness of their confusion, that the jurors will discern honesty from those who bear false witness against their neighbor.
Although You say "Justice is Mine," may You see fit to allow justice for Danielle here on this earth, that her death may not lead to the death of other innocents.
We pray that truth will prevail, and that the sword of justice will weigh heavily on those who would use it falsely to bring glory to themselves.
May Your will be done, in Jesus name.
Amen.
Apparently, LE never even looked at this journal, THE JOURNAL DVD SAYS SHE WAS WRITING IN THAT NIGHT.
From all appearances, SDLE are a bunch of friggin' morons and/or corrupt.
Okee Dokee.....
FresnoDA
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