Westerfield's Fate In Hands Of Jury: VERDICT WATCH BEGINS in Van Dam Murder Case

CourtTV ^ | August 8, 2002 | CourtTV

[FresnoDA]

Jury's hands After two months of hearing evidence, jurors have begun deliberating the fate of David Westerfield, who is accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam

[CedarDave]

Huh? You're saying fingerprints can be transferred through latex gloves and be left at the scene of a crime, just as if you weren't wearing any? Not with any gloves I've ever used. But prints on the inside of discarded gloves I can believe.

[CAPPSMADNESS]

yes, that is what I am saying. Due to the tight fitting nature of latex gloves and the thin texture, readable prints can be left. I took a course in fingerprinting at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification in 1991. They not only told us it could be done, they demonstrated it.

[UCANSEE2]

Brenda and Damon were both shown pictures of the autopsy and others, before allowing him back into the court room, to prepare them, so that they would not react and prejudice the jury.

So, are you saying, based on that fact, that when Brenda did see the AUTOPSY photos and CRIED and ran out of the courtroom, IT WAS ALL AN ACT (prepared for her by Susan Winterstein, the head of the PR firm) ??????????????????

FRom what I heard, the 3 seats reserved in the COURTROOM for the VD's were occupied by Brenda, Damon, and Susan Winterstein.

[MagnoliaMS]

Well, hey, that's what I always thought. The PROSECUTION could object, but if they didn't, the Judge couldn't do it for them. I think Judge Mudd messed up big-time. His name sure fits him. If it wasn't "Mudd," it SHOULD be.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

and Susan Winterstein

Susan doesn't want to stray too far. She's got an upcoming gig as Brenda's book and movie agent. These people make me absolutely sick !!!!!!!!

[CedarDave]

Well then, if there were not any observable blood stains on the jacket at the cleaners, how did the cops get a blood sample to test? They must have been almost microscopically small. And obviously, her blood, given the condition of the body when it was found, could not have been planted by LE.

This just doesn't compute, as they say, and leads to a conclusion that there are just too many loose ends, and to reasonable doubt as to his guilt. But I'm going to wait awhile before I weigh in with my final decision on this. I'm just glad I'm not a juror, especially after what happened with little Samantha, and the jury in that case giving the perp a pass on child molestation charges so that he could move up to kidnap and murder.

[small_l_libertarian]

The bloodstain on the jacket was not small. I think it was over an inch across. The dry cleaner did not see it. You're right - does not compute.

[Spunky]

The only person who could have objected would have been Dusek, who knew the sweater was orange.

Dusek did object, then Judge Mudd said; "It mistates the evidence." "It was red."

Feldman stood in front of the bench for a few seconds and said to the judge, "I want a sidebar."

Do you know where in the testimony it was said that Brenda's sweater was orange? I remember the mother of the blonde gal who said Brenda would like to take her home say that Brenda's sweater was red.

[UCANSEE2]

Brenda and Damon were both shown pictures of the autopsy and others, before allowing him back into the court room, to prepare them, so that they would not react and prejudice the jury.

I heard MUDD object without DUSEK even voicing a word.

I heard MUDD saying OVERRULED before FELDMAN could even finish the word "OBJECTION".

I saw MUDD LISTEN everytime DUSEK said "OBJECTION" for what he was objecting to.

I heard FELDMAN ask that MOTIVE or WHY and HOW he killed Danielle be required to establish guilt.

MUDD said NOTED and too bad, no way.

DUSEK asked for things and the JUDGE allowed them.

Talk about the DECK being STACKED against you.

[CedarDave]

Guess I have to use something a little thicker for my next caper. Let's see, I have some Best brand N-Dex Extra Large Nitrile under my desk here somewhere...

[UCANSEE2]

Did you know about the INTERNATIONAL-CHILD PORN/RAPE/MURDER ring , run out of SD and Poway, that 2 men were busted for?

One was arrested on Jan 17th. The other was arrested on FEB 18th. (Gee, isn't that about 2 days after Danielle possibly was dumped at Dehesa Rd.)

One man lived in SD, the other in POWAY.

They were 'caught' by a investigation group in SWEDEN that is investigating these CHILD PORN rings on the INTERNET. These 2 men had other accomplices and they would KIDNAP a young girl, then VIDEOTAPE Themselves RAPING her. After they were done, you can guess what they did with the child.

GEE, wonder why the SD LE's didn't make a big deal out of that case? Wonder why the SD LE's didn't know this was going on? Had to be told to go arrest these two guys by a group in SWEDEN.

[CAPPSMADNESS]

LOL! actually loose fitting VYNLE gloves with a thin cotton inner glove will cover prints! and no chance of acquiring a Latex Allergy!

the course I took was fascinating! We were showed all sorts of crazy, off the wall stuff!

[MagnoliaMS]

You are absolutely right. I noticed all of that every time I got to watch the trial. Mudd just could not hide his prejudice. And I thought I liked him at the beginning. So much for first impressions.

[small_l_libertarian]

Yeah, it was pretty ugly. I think there are encouraging signs from the jury, though.

[CedarDave]

I actually use cotton inspection gloves (from Grainger) in winter as a lining for the nitrile when I work outside. I'm allergic to latex so nitrile is a good substitute. And when handling environmental contaminants, hydrocarbons, and soil and water samples, I always wear them.

[UCANSEE2]

Well then, if there were not any observable blood stains on the jacket at the cleaners, how did the cops get a blood sample to test?

When the cops went to the Drycleaners, they took all DW's stuff into evidence. They then supposedly found a SPOT on his jacket. Actually they found several. Only 1 came out matching Daneille's DNA. They did not do the positive test for BLOOD. They did a test that only proves it COULD BE BLOOD, or about 10 other things.

Remember these cops are not above 'falsifying evidence' to win the case.

There are pictures of them first searching the MH. No items of clothing or linen on the carpet.

After FINDING NOTHING, they come back and search again. They have pictures where there is now a RAG lying on the floor. It is , coincidently, on the very spot where the alledged BLOOD SPOT was found.

Investigators found no prints of Danielle in the MH the first time they searched.

They found NONE in her room.

After they FOUND her body, and rehydrated her hands to get PRINTS, they then went back to the MH and , VIOLA', They found 1 print.

[the Deejay]

"What did Mudd say about the red sweater?"

It was during Feldman's closing argument.
Dusek objected. The judge said, "It's red."

Now, we have Mudd testifying. He should NOT
have stated "It's red."

I'm just reading Feldman's closing arguments.
Their already online, folks! YEA!!

[MagnoliaMS]

Oh, I do, too! Looks like they are setting their own rules, which I see as a good sign there are some independent thinkers on there. I certainly hope so. My only interest is that the REAL perpetrator be found and punished, whether it's Westerfield, Damon (my "perpetrator pick"), or whoever. If it turns out that Westerfield actually did it, I could live with that. But I have just not seen the proof that he did. They would have to show me much, much more before I would ever be comfortable with his conviction.

[UCANSEE2]

Wasn't done.

After they FOUND her body, and rehydrated her hands to get PRINTS, they then went back to the MH and , VIOLA', They found 1 print.

WHY NO prints found in her room. Because, they took one of the prints from her room to use as coming from the MH. If they had ID'd and entered into evidence all the prints from Danielle's room, one would be able to see there was a duplication.

SO, they just said, NOPE, we didn't, uhhhhhh, find ANY prints in Danielle's room.

[the Deejay]

Excerpt from the transcript on the color of the
sweater.

HUGGY, DIRTY DANCING IS ANOTHER. MRS. VAN DAM'S WEARING AN ORANGE ACRYLIC SWEATER IS ANOTHER.

MR. DUSEK: OBJECTION. THAT MISSTATES THE EVIDENCE.

THE COURT: MISSTATES THE EVIDENCE.

MR. FELDMAN: YOUR HONOR, --

THE COURT: THE JURY IS TO DISREGARD THE LAST PORTION AS TO THE COLOR, COUNSEL. IT'S RED. MOVE ON.