The judge in the David Westerfield trial rejected another defense request to sequester the jury but said he still considers it "a possible option." Posted on 07/30/2002 7:13:26 AM PDT by FresnoDA
By Alex Roth
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 30, 2002
The judge in the David Westerfield trial rejected another defense request to sequester the jury but said he still considers it "a possible option."
Superior Court Judge William Mudd said he didn't think it was necessary at the moment but has asked the county to prepare "a back-up contingency plan" just in case.
Westerfield's lawyers have asked several times for jury sequestration, and they renewed their request yesterday. Lead defense lawyer Steven Feldman said he worried that the jury might be affected by the publicity in the Samantha Runnion kidnap-murder case in Orange County.
Feldman cited comments made by Samantha's mother about Alejandro Avila, the man charged with kidnapping and killing the 5-year-old girl. In an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live," Erin Runnion blamed her daughter's death on a jury that acquitted Avila of child molestation charges two years ago.
Feldman said he worried that jurors in the Westerfield case might hear about the interview and feel pressured to convict his client, who is charged with kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam of Sabre Springs.
The judge said he would remind jurors about news coverage they should avoid. He also said he talked to them about sequestration last week after receiving reports that someone in the media followed some of the jurors to their cars and wrote down their license plates.
"They're a hearty group and they didn't appear to be intimidated by what occurred, and I continue to believe in their integrity," the judge said yesterday.
With the trial in recess for a day, lawyers spent yesterday discussing legal instructions to give to the jury before they begin deliberations. It seems likely that testimony will continue into next week.
Prosecutors are expected to finish their rebuttal evidence today, at which point the defense will put on evidence to rebut the prosecution's rebuttal. One possible defense witness probably won't be called until Monday, Feldman told the judge yesterday.
It's rare for him to not examine evidence.
True.
A professional that states his science is good and other experts science is no good ends up with no credibility, especially when he bases his conclusion on those other experts investigations.
She says he appears to be cleaned up for court today and she hasn't been able to spot the diamond earing.
Someone is a friend of him..rodrigous? SP??
It is a basic premise to see flies right away.
He's unaware of any physical barrior to the remains. Dang this is too fast.IMHO Goff is trying to prove there's an exception to every rule
Having attended numerous seminars in my expertise on topics there is a huge difference in the choice of language and its preciseness when discussing with colleagues and when giving our written or stated opinion.
When talking with other CPA's we can be less specific and qualifying because the audience understands the topic and the related limitations.
feb 12th day, 21/2 day delay, without body rapped...9th? Argumentative..sustained.
???
small animals
he visited the scene last week with dusek..alone.
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