Deliberations Resume Friday, 8-9-02 In Trial Of David Westerfield (VERDICT WATCH CONTINUES!)

CNN.com ^ | August 9, 2002 | CNN

[FresnoDA]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) --A San Diego jury began deliberations Thursday in the trial of David Westerfield, accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.

The panel of six men and six women adjourned for the day without reaching a verdict. It is set to resume deliberations Friday.

[alisasny]

I hope she is broadcasting when the verdict comes in. If DW is aquitted she will show her true colors and perhaps loss her job.

[gigi]

"She literally said, " I guess David Westerfeld logged on and voted for himself 11 times."

I was even shocked.....


Nasty says that about every poll. Its getting old.

I think she got online and voted 89 times, LOL!

[L,TOWM]

this could happen to any one of us if the circumstances were right.

You've just hit the nail on why I feel so strongly about not convicting him. God forbid anything happen to the 7 year old girl behind my house, and playmate of my 8 year old daughter..., but:

If something did happen, I would have trace evidence all over my house. If it happened a weekend my wife was in SD visiting family, I would have no allibi for many hours. If my computer had some pop ups that stayed in the cache, suddenly, I'm a porn freak and child ______. (I don't even look at adult women porn deliberatly, I think it is sin.) It does'nt take much imagination on my part to see myself in court, innocent, fighting for my life and having even those closest to me wodering if "I am really the guy they THOUGHT they knew".

This just gives me the willies, along with so many people on these threads that seem to think "If the cops arrested you, you must guilty" or making statements that seem to think Kangaroo Courts are OK, depending on the accusation.

[pinz-n-needlez]

Welcome to Nasty Grace-land, Alisa. LOL

[gigi]

I hope she is broadcasting too, I want to see her head explode.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If DW is aquitted she will show her true colors and perhaps loss her job.

Well, I won't hold my breath but it would be a great improvement for CTV. I might even dare to tune in once in awhile.

[KnutCase]

Be sure to have the TV on Mute...or you'll be making an appointment at the ear clinic!!

[Green]

I must say that I really appreciate the back and forth dialiogue between everyone since the jury diliberations started. They have been very informative to me and the tone was much more conducive to more people posting than during the trial.

Up until the diliberations started I was undecided how I would vote if I were to have that burden placed on me. I must say though that after the closing arguments and the discussions on this forum the past couple of days, I would, no NO WAY, be able to vote him guilty.

[Neenah]

Thank you for this post, Judy, it was one of the best I have read of ALL of them. Thank you !

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

tone was much more conducive to more people posting than during the trial.

Hmmmmmm.......I wonder why things are so different right now. Some new folks here and some old folks absent. Hmmmmmmmm.

[KnutCase]

Too many loose ends not nailed down. PA did not present rock solid case. No evidence of any kind at Vam Dam house, i.e., Danielle's bedroom, linked to DW. If prosecution cannot in any way put a suspect at scene of crime, how in hell can you in good conscience put that person to death? I don't care what went on in the DW home regarding computers. Doesn't matter if DW cannot be linked to visiting Van Dam house on night she disappeared. Gotta give me more proof. Fact that none of the dogs could find scent in MH would indicate that she was not there that weekend. Ergo...DW cannot be placed in Van Dam home + Danielle cannot be placed in MH = Reasonable Doubt. Can I get a good argument from anyone on this ???

[YaYa123]

As I understand it, Nancy Grace's segment on CourtTV starts with the well known premise that she's coming to us as an advocate for the prosecution. That's her background, that's why her guests are most often, criminal defense lawyers. Here's her very interesting background:

"Legal Expertise: Trial Strategy, Political Analysis

Key Cases/Trials: Clinton Impeachment Proceedings, OJ Simpson (Civil and Criminal), former au pair Louise Woodward, South Carolina¹s Susan Smith

Nancy Grace joined Courtroom Television Network LLC from Atlanta's Fulton County District Attorney's Office where she served as Special Prosecutor of major felony cases involving serial murder, serial rape, serial child molestation and arson. Ms. Grace compiled a perfect record of nearly 100 felony convictions at trial and no losses.

Previously, she clerked with a federal court judge and practiced antitrust and consumer protection law with the Federal Trade Commission. Ms. Grace serves as a legal commentator on CNN (where she has been profiled), CNBC, MSNBC, NBC's Today, ABC's Good Morning America, and network affiliates.

Ms. Grace, who is currently pursuing her LLM in constitutional criminal law at New York University, has written articles for the American Bar Association Journal and various law reviews. She was also a litigation instructor at Georgia State University School of Law, a Business Law Instructor at GSU's School of Business. Ms. Grace has been a victims' rights advocate since 1980."

She's hard to take sometimes, really grates on my nerves, (except when she's on Larry King Live, sparring with Mark Geragos), but I've always appreciated her background. As I understand her story, she never intended to be a lawyer, but when her fiance was murdered, her entire life changed, and she decided to become a lawyer.

[kayti]

"Can I get a good argument from anyone on this?"

Nope, not here. Not only do I believe him "not guilty", I believe him to be innocent.

Where can he go to get his reputation restored? I would love to see him file a civil suit against SDPD/VD's/PR firm, etc.

[james_hayes]

They are still posting on the previous thread.

[Jrabbit]

Did anyone see the news of the arrests today of the child porn ring out of Ca. Brooks Rowland was one of those arrested. We've been talking about him. Also, I've noticed that CTV and others have new/different pics of Danielle up. The VD pr people at work I guess. The VD's would have to release these.

[demsux]

Duhhhhhsek never did address that spent shell casing which was brought up by Feldman in his closing argument.

That casing to me just reeks of crime scene contamination...if I were a juror, that would influence my opinion of the entire investigation.

[CedarDave]

Previous thread here:

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

[KnutCase]

Casing puzzles me too. Wasn't Danielle's room vacuumed almost immediately? And wasn't the shell casing found on the police's second visist to the bedroom> Hmmmmmmm.

[rolling_stone]

Dusek did talk about the shell casing, said it might have fallen out of someone's cuff or such (nonsense) .22 caliber? What PD carries .22 caliber?

[small_l_libertarian]

Someone (I no longer remember who it was) posted a while back that the shell casing could have been purposely thrown into the bedroom by a police officer who knew/believed that the investigation was going the wrong way. The theory was that he/she threw it in there on purpose to "contaminate" all the evidence in there. That's always stuck with me throughout the rest of the case, though I'm not sure I believe it. Stuck in my head, though.