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.

[L,TOWM]

Actually, we are having a Santa Ana here today.

[spectre]

Looks the the PR team the Van Dams have hired have done a super job for them. Wonder if Lisa Bloom is on the payroll..with todays's latest PR tactic saying there's "Nothing wrong with Brenda enjoying a little sex outside her marriage, nothing wrong with her smoking dope. She is a wonderful Mother"..

THANK the Lord I am not a Liberal.

The Jury is out for the day, untill Monday. What's with the Court in California? Don't they buy these people lunch or dinner?

sw

[the Deejay]

Santa Anas, hot or cool?

[NatureGirl]

I wonder why things are so different right now

Hmmm indeed.

[VRWC_minion]

David Westerfield has been in JAIL since February 22, at approximately 11:00 am.

I did the math. My memory is the first arest on this was January 27 or 28. That would ordinarily mean the police would have been watching these folks for a while.

Did Westerfield get wind of impending arrest and was that his cause for snapping a few days later ? Is the info that is worse than a confession that he was part of this ring ? Is this why his girl friend left him ? Was this kept from the jury because its only alledged at this point ?

All speculation but the timing is curious.

[crypt2k]

Santa Anas, hot or cool?

HOT. And I have a sister in law and her family near Lake Henshaw possibly in the line of a wildfire if the wind shifted!

[Politicalmom]

That's because apparently LYING to the LE isn't suspicious!!!

[the Deejay]

Ya know what slays me? The vandams don't allow
smoking cigarettes in their home, but allow and
do swinging (imoral acts) & yet they attend
church?? With that type of life-style, they
attend church? Of course we don't know how
often they attend. I haven't heard very
much in regard to them and church attendance.

[the Deejay]

"January 27 or 28"????? Did you have a Dr.
Rodriguez moment?

The murder hadn't happened yet on Jan. 27 or 28.

[VRWC_minion]

Its not one by one. Its total. Does all the evidence point to guilt or to some innocent scenario.

You are making the same logical error in thinking that everyone who thinks Westerfield is innocent is making. You have to take all the evidence and testimony as one and then make an inference. You don't make an inference for each piece.

[FresnoDA]

Spec...the VD's using a PR Firm...

With all their genuine grief and sorrow...

seems they would have saved that money to buy an XM Radio Receiver for the new BM'er...

Go figure...

 

FDA/frr

[Politicalmom]

Time to post the article about the swinging pastor, Fres.

DeeJay wants to know more about the Van Damneds'church!!!

[meadsjn]

Excellent synopsis.

[Jaded]

Thanks, great summary. Can I use it?

[crypt2k]

I haven't heard very much in regard to them and church attendance

I'm sure they regards themselves as Ubermensch and attend only to keep up appearences. Earth goddess religion and dancing naked nature nympths don't sit well yet in conventional American society.

[L,TOWM]

HOT. Very, very HOT...

[demsux]

The vandams don't allow smoking cigarettes in their home,

Yeah, the REALLY strange thing is that at 3:30 am+/-, according to DVD, the slider is found open...DVD figures it was left open by one of the pizza crowd that was smoking, IN THE KITCHEN?

[small_l_libertarian]

But that's the exact opposite of what the jury instructions say. The jurors are instructed that they cannot assume any inference made by the prosecution if the circumstance or fact that it is based upon is not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, they cannot even consider a "whole picture" type of view until they have first decided that each circumstance supporting that whole picture has been proven. They must start at the same place the "reasonable doubters" among us started. One piece at a time - is it proven? No? - have to throw it away. Yes? - can add it to the "whole picture."

[SilentWitness]

Hi there. Thanks for responding. From reading the instruction as per post 145, my interpretation is to determine the reasonableness of each fact/evidence.

I wonder if jurors have to consult their lawyers for the real interpretation? grin.

[NatureGirl]

Did Westerfield get wind of impending arrest and was that his cause for snapping a few days later

Quote o' the Day, for me!

So Westerfield knows he's going to get busted for porn, goes out and kidnap/kills a little girl? Yeah, that'll solve all his problems! Much better to be under surveillance and get charged with MURDER than to get busted for porn.

GEEEZ..