Westerfield Closings Set For Tuesday, 8-6-2002: More Revelations Continue "Out" Of Jurors Sight!

Court TV ^ | August 6, 2002 | Harriet Ryan

[FresnoDA]

Westerfield closings set for Tuesday

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

By Harriet Ryan
Court TV

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

[pinz-n-needlez]

I sure hope so. It will beat being dead.

[shezza]

Carpet fibers from her house, her bedroom. They made the matches, they made the comparisons. Fibers cannot be absolutely identified as being a perfect match.

[the Deejay]

Dusek apparently didn't hear Susan L. testify that DW had black *dress* shoes & brown boots. He never had black boots. Besides, why get rid of a pair of boots and not the comforter, jacket, etc.? That's way beyond reasoning.

[Henrietta]

The scary thing is, is that this could happen to anyone who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time...

[shezza]

Orange fiber. Fiber in Danielle's choker. Can we date this fiber? Ordinarily, no. But it was wrapped in her hair and tied in there all together. The orange fibers go back to his house, his property. For cross-contamination to be true (cookie visit), you'd have to believe she didn't bathe, she didn't clean herself, for the rest of that week. We know that's not true.

[shezza]

Blue fibers came off a nude body at Dehesa. She was wrapped or covered in something. And that same thing was at all these other locations. THe same blue fibers.

[shezza]

Danielle's hair found in his bedroom. Flat sheet, pillow, fitted sheet. What was going on there?

[shezza]

Especially since that night the blinds were closed. Nobody better be looking in here.

[MagnoliaMS]

Uh-oh. He just said Susan L's last name. Or is my hearing bad? Susan Lelac, or something like that? Tell me I heard wrong!!

[fnord]

LOL "he's got no reason closing those blinds that night" Sheeesh, what an idiot.

[shezza]

He had no business closing those blinds that night unless he didn't want anyone to see what he was doing to that child. (WHAT??? WE ALWAYS CLOSE OUR BEDROOM BLINDS EVERY NIGHT!!! Does that make me a bad person?)

[shezza]

Summarizing the "mountain-of-evidence-fibers"...on the board.

[the Deejay]

Yup, he said "Susan LeLac" alright! LOL!

[Freedom2specul8]

I mean whenever defense if finsihed, even if it's tomorrow, I betcha dusek will do his final summation AFTER feldman. What say ye?

[UCANSEE2]

Best case scenario: When the dust settles, DW will be the richest man in the world.

It was my understanding that all newspersons had to refer to anyone arrested as ALLEDGED or SUSPECT. To do otherwise, until they are convicted, is to invite a lawsuit.

IF DW does not get convicted, I hope he sues CTV, and Grace/Karris personally.

[shezza]

"Thank goodness someone took the time to go through lint balls in the trash can and found what they found. It just keeps getting better."

[shezza]

Orange fibers in the rear seat in the SUV. In the passenger seat of the SUV. More matches. THat's how he took her from the house to the RV.

[UCANSEE2]

Dusek apparently didn't hear Susan L. testify that DW had black *dress* shoes & brown boots. He never had black boots.

At this point (and really even before), the real evidence doesn't matter. The CLOSING ARGUMENTS are used to sway the jury emotionally.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS=OK TO LIE.

The end justifies the means in this trial.

Must have a victim to sacrifice to the sheeple for Danielle's death.

[bvw]

President Bush, remarks this morning, (source):

Recent child abductions have understandably left many of our families in fear and the most productive response is to improve the safety of your child's environment on the best information and the best advice. Through this conference, we'll provide that advice.

Our nation has come to know the names and faces of too many wonderful children, because they've been the victims of despicable acts of violence, children like Danielle Van Dam and Samantha Runnion. But in our sorrow, we are reminded of the incredible ability of all Americans to support one another in times of need and in times of crisis.

Danielle's mother, Brenda, recently exchanged words of comfort with Samantha's mother, Erin, and here's what we said: We had a conversation, mother to mother, about our daughters, our pain, and also our hope that Danielle and Samantha are dancing together in heaven.

No family should ever have to endure the terrible pain of losing a child. Our nation grieves with every family that has suffered unbearable loss, and our nation will fight the threats against our children. We can take hopeful and practical steps to improve our children's safety, and we will take those steps together.

[spectre]

Wow..CTV is going back into THAT courtroom for Duseks big finish...AWWHHH shucks, I wanted to see PROFILER!

sw