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Westerfield Closings Set For Tuesday, 8-6-2002: More Revelations Continue "Out" Of Jurors Sight!
Court TV ^ | August 6, 2002 | Harriet Ryan

Posted on 08/06/2002 6:40:14 AM PDT by FresnoDA

Westerfield closings set for Tuesday

Photo
The defense for David Westerfield, left, opted not to call a last forensic witness, clearing the way for closing arguments Tuesday morning.

SAN DIEGO — After two months and 116 witnesses, jurors in the capital murder case of David Westerfield will hear closing arguments Tuesday.

"We'll be ready to rock and roll tomorrow morning," Judge William Mudd told lawyers Monday.

Defense attorneys for Westerfield, who is accused of kidnapping and killing his 7-year-old neighbor Danielle van Dam, had considered calling a forensic anthropologist as their final witness. After weekend discussions, however, they decided to rest their case, defense lawyer Steven Feldman told Mudd.

The judge imposed no time limits on the arguments Feldman and prosecutor Jeff Dusek will make, and closings in the trial, which included 199 exhibits and weeks of complex forensic testimony, could stretch into a second day.

At the hearing Monday, Feldman made yet another attempt to have the panel of six men and six women sequestered during deliberations. He cited front page articles about the case in the local paper as well as an article about swinging in San Diego magazine.

"The land mines keep growing, Judge," he told Mudd.

As he had before, the judge denied the request and said he trusted the jury to follow his instructions about avoiding media accounts of the case.

Westerfield, 50, faces the death penalty if convicted of Danielle's slaying. The second-grader was abducted from her bedroom last February. Searchers found her naked body on the side of a road three and a half weeks later. Prosecutors claim Westerfield sexually assaulted and suffocated her, but the defense says forensic evidence indicates she was dumped after the defendant was under police surveillance.

 
Comprehensive case coverage


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To: shezza
He leaves, wants to go someplace warm, HE SAYS. Did he do it down there, either on the way to the strand or while he was there?

Then he goes home. We know he goes home because people see him back in the neighborhood. This is another one when you've got to be wondering, why go back to the neighborhood with her, alive or dead? Why does an arsonist go watch the fire?

541 posted on 08/06/2002 1:40:45 PM PDT by shezza
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To: Spunky
Wasn't that a snotty remark? How can he call a witness an inconsequencial nobody?

Conceited s.o.b...

sw

542 posted on 08/06/2002 1:41:46 PM PDT by spectre
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To: spectre
Yeah, he's killing time so Feldman's time is tv-free.
543 posted on 08/06/2002 1:42:11 PM PDT by shezza
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To: Jaded
He was probably down, his girlfriend had broken up with him and started dating someone else. So he went in his RV to see if he could find some people he knew.
544 posted on 08/06/2002 1:42:41 PM PDT by Lucky
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To: spectre
This is wildest speculation of the whole trial. He even admitts it. "I'm just guessing, based on the fact that he's guilty". Massive circular reasoning.
545 posted on 08/06/2002 1:42:56 PM PDT by John Jamieson
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To: shezza
Throw her in a canyon , a ravine, make it look like she wandered off on her own...?
546 posted on 08/06/2002 1:43:11 PM PDT by alexandria
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To: Lucky
Makes sense to normal people. He even told Redden he was bummed.
547 posted on 08/06/2002 1:43:36 PM PDT by Jaded
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To: shezza
While in neighborhood, talks to Mr. & Mrs. Rohr...with a child in the motorhome, alive or dead. Doesn't speak with his new friend from Dad's...(Brenda)...is there anything I can do? Can I take a flyer? No, he just leaves again. Bought MH tank full of gas at Carmel at 5:25. What are you doing there? Where are you taking it (her? couldn't hear very well).
548 posted on 08/06/2002 1:43:45 PM PDT by shezza
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To: shezza; All
Well, I hope he keeps talking and talking and talking.

Feldman should ask Judge Mudd to resume tomorrow, so the Jury isn't so tired and can pay attention to HIS closing arguments.

Keep talking, Dusek...tick, tock..sw

549 posted on 08/06/2002 1:44:26 PM PDT by spectre
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To: shezza; All
Well, I hope he keeps talking and talking and talking.

Feldman should ask Judge Mudd to resume tomorrow, so the Jury isn't so tired and can pay attention to HIS closing arguments.

Keep talking, Dusek...tick, tock..sw

550 posted on 08/06/2002 1:44:35 PM PDT by spectre
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To: spectre
tick, tock, tick, tock....
551 posted on 08/06/2002 1:45:01 PM PDT by It's me
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To: shezza
He heads out to Glamis at dark, the northern route. He did go that way, because of the cell-phone records. THe freeway is the quickest way, but he goes the back way...not a whole lot of witnesses so you can stop and do what you have to do.
552 posted on 08/06/2002 1:45:03 PM PDT by shezza
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To: spectre
tickety tock, tickety tock
553 posted on 08/06/2002 1:45:39 PM PDT by It's me
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To: spectre
Feldman should ask Judge Mudd to resume tomorrow, so the Jury isn't so tired and can pay attention to HIS closing arguments.

I agree! Dusek is trying to dazzle 'em with his pixie dust case.

554 posted on 08/06/2002 1:45:51 PM PDT by shezza
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To: shezza
Gets stuck out at Wash 14 when he never goes any further than 12...what's he doing that far off the road?
555 posted on 08/06/2002 1:46:53 PM PDT by shezza
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To: All
Sorry about the double post...I hate it when that happens..sw
556 posted on 08/06/2002 1:47:19 PM PDT by spectre
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To: shezza
I agree! Dusek is trying to dazzle 'em with his pixie dust case.

Is Jury torture grounds for appeal ?

557 posted on 08/06/2002 1:48:22 PM PDT by dread78645
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To: shezza
Dusek is still trying to make the jury think two peices of wooden blocks are so important that once he got his motohome out of the sand he should have gone back for them. I know what those wooden blocks are. We had some. Hubby could make some more anytime we needed broke one left one behind.
558 posted on 08/06/2002 1:49:37 PM PDT by Spunky
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To: dread78645
Greetings...urgent freepmail to ya...

FresnoDA
559 posted on 08/06/2002 1:50:02 PM PDT by FresnoDA
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To: dread78645
After he drove how many miles? he's not looking for friends he's trying to find somewhere to hide that body.. but still too many people too many witnesses.
560 posted on 08/06/2002 1:50:54 PM PDT by alexandria
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