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Prosecutor: Westerfield Guilty 'Beyond Possible Doubt'(Many Still Find Van Dam's Culpable)
Court TV ^ | August 7, 2002 | Harriet Ryan

Posted on 08/06/2002 8:53:49 PM PDT by FresnoDA

Prosecutor: Westerfield guilty 'beyond possible doubt'

Photo
Lead prosecutor Jeff Dusek traced the fingerprint, blood and fiber evidence linking defendant David Westerfield to a murdered girl.

SAN DIEGO — Calling the murder of Danielle van Dam an "evil, evil crime" that shattered notions of suburban safety, a prosecutor urged jurors Tuesday to convict her neighbor, David Westerfield, of capital charges.

Before a courtroom filled to capacity for closing arguments, prosecutor Jeff Dusek said the 50-year-old engineer snuck into the second-grader's bedroom last February, snatched her from her canopy bed, killed her and then "dumped this 7-year-old child naked in the dirt like trash for animals to devour."

"He's guilty of these crimes. He's guilty of the ultimate evil. He's guilty to the core," Dusek told jurors at the end of a closing studded with drama despite its three-and-a-half-hour length.

Dusek shouted and jabbed his finger at the defense table when he discussed Westerfield and the child pornography the prosecution says reveals a motive in the killing. But when he mentioned Danielle's death, his voice dropped to a whisper, forcing jurors to lean forward when he said, for example, of the moments before her killing, "This was not an easy time. This was not fast."

 

Westerfield listened to the prosecutor's closing argument Tuesday.

At one point, he slammed his hand again and again on the jury box rail to simulate, he said, Danielle's head striking Westerfield's headboard as he raped her. The image was too much for Brenda van Dam, Danielle's mother. She leapt up from her seat at the back of the courtroom and ran to the door in tears.

Westerfield's lawyer, Steven Feldman, began his closing late Tuesday afternoon. He is to conclude Wednesday morning and then Dusek will have one final opportunity to convince the panel to convict Westerfield of felony murder, kidnapping and child pornography charges.

The six women and six men who have heard evidence in the two-month long trial appeared to pay close attention to Dusek's summation, which focused on the forensic evidence connecting Westerfield to Danielle's disappearance and problems with his alibi for the weekend she vanished.

A spot of her blood on a jacket Westerfield took to the dry cleaners, Dusek said, "in itself tells you he's guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That alone. But it doesn't stop there."

He also listed fiber, fingerprint and hair evidence linking Westerfield to Danielle and said, "all of it comes back to his lap." Of two blond strands found in the defendant's recreational vehicle and genetically matched to Danielle, he said, "Proof beyond a reasonable doubt? Proof beyond a possible doubt."

Dusek pointed to an autopsy photo showing Danielle's badly decomposed remains and ticked off the fiber and hair evidence technicians gleaned from her body.

"From Danielle herself, she helps to solve this case," he said.

Westerfield gazed straight ahead, and in the back row of the courtroom, Brenda and Damon van Dam held hands and stared at the floor. A row in front of them and three seats to their right, Westerfield's sister, who was attending the trial for the first time and was in the company of her husband and son, stared at the image.

Dusek also attacked Westerfield's claim that he spent the weekend Danielle vanished on a 560-mile solo road trip in his recreational vehicle.

"He gives us a bogus story that just doesn't wash," said Dusek, referring to his account of driving from his home to the beach then to the desert then to another part of the desert before returning to the beach.

He said Westerfield spent that weekend sexually assaulting Danielle and then after killing her, searching for a place to dump her body.

The prosecutor listed other potential suspects, including the van Dams, their friends, Westerfield's teenage son and even "the bogeyman," but said each was investigated and cleared.

He criticized what he said were defense attempts to implicate Westerfield's son, Neal, in the crime and said testimony about the van Dam's risque sex life, which included swinging, was irrelevant.

"All the sex, the alcohol, who's doing this, who's doing that. That's got nothing to do with her kidnapping," Dusek said.

With Westerfield's mug shot projected on the courtroom wall next to a passport photo of Danielle taken the day she vanished, Dusek said, "I think at times we've lost track of the other person. We've lost track of Danielle, what happened to her, what he did to her."

The prosecutor downplayed bug evidence presented by the defense suggesting Westerfield was under surveillance when Danielle's body was dumped and therefore couldn't have been responsible.

"Everyone's different, has a different estimation, approximation, some might even say guess," said Dusek. He added, "This is not an exact science. This is not DNA."

The prosecutor told jurors repeatedly that he did not have to prove to them why Westerfield killed Danielle, only that he did, but he said he was certain jurors wanted to know, "Why would a regular, normal 50-year-old guy kidnap and kill a 7-year-old child?"

There was no answer, he said, just another question. Pointing to print outs of some 85 images of child pornography found on computers and discs in Westerfield's home, Dusek said, "Why would a normal 50-year-old guy have pictures of young naked girls?"

With some of the images of elementary-school aged girls, naked and exposing their genitals, flashing on the courtroom wall behind him, Dusek pointed at Westerfield and said, "These are his fantasies."

Westerfield stared toward the empty witness stand, never looking at the photos.

Dusek acknowledged that "if (Westerfield) is the guy, that destroys all our senses of protection."

"That's the scariest part — he was a normal guy down the street," said Dusek.

Defense lawyer Feldman promised jurors the heart of his argument Wednesday, but in a little more than an hour before the panel, he seemed to be hoping for a hung jury. He presented jurors with a list of "Jury Responsibilities," several of which seemed aimed at encouraging any panelist for acquittal not to cave to pressure from other jurors.

One "responsibility" read "All of you have the right to have your feelings respected."

Just before court broke for the day, Feldman held up a blank piece of posterboard and said, "This is the only evidence they have of David Westerfield in the van Dam residence."

He suggested the van Dam's swinging lifestyle endangered their children.

"You don't know what pervert is coming in the door when you're in the bar, drunk, making invites," he said.

 
Comprehensive case coverage


TOPICS: Society
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To: MagnoliaMS
We may see it come to pass. It may well become one of the "Cold Case Files" on A&E once DW is acquitted. The Demon will get his comeuppance(sp?) some day.
741 posted on 08/07/2002 4:21:06 PM PDT by nycgal
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To: VRWC_minion

Who is the girl. She is very cute.

Minion...

You have with your terse reply....totally invalidated EVERY post you have ever made on the VD threads....

Duh-Knees is a witness...and SWUNG AND SWAPPED with Brenda and The Demon...

But I forgot...

Transcripts, Schmanscripts...VDA's don't need no stinking Transcripts.....

UNBELIEVEABLE.....

FDA/frr


742 posted on 08/07/2002 4:21:47 PM PDT by FresnoDA
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To: mommya
I forgot, the DW didn't do it crew has no sense of humor.
743 posted on 08/07/2002 4:21:48 PM PDT by VRWC_minion
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To: VRWC_minion
how can I describe the process without giving case example? In the cases that I have personnaly seen - the process was STOPPED before that happened. But I have seen maggot infestation in wounds, bedsores, incisions, ears and vaginal openings. Heck, I've even seen cockroaches lay eggs in people's ears and such! - and that is a few.

you stated that the bugs could have been deterred is Danielle was not dead but lying injured and in a coma. Jaded and I told you that maggot infestation can and does occur in living subjects. If you do not believe me, look it up for yourself.

744 posted on 08/07/2002 4:21:58 PM PDT by CAPPSMADNESS
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To: VRWC_minion
If he thought that the majority of the jurors were on his side he would have encouraged the juror to go with the majority.

THis goes directly against Feldman's whole disposition during his closing argument. DUSEK wanted one juror to go with the majority, he said so.

Feldman told the JURORS to JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES. MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND.

You have your opinion of what those words mean, and I have mine.

745 posted on 08/07/2002 4:21:59 PM PDT by UCANSEE2
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To: VRWC_minion
loose = lose???
746 posted on 08/07/2002 4:23:16 PM PDT by FresnoDA
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To: VRWC_minion
On the off chance that you're not kidding....

It's Denise Kimel (sp?) - the former flight attendent and swing partner of Damon VanDam.

FRegards,
PrairieDawg
747 posted on 08/07/2002 4:23:29 PM PDT by PrairieDawg
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To: MagnoliaMS
I happen to believe that Bill Libby was one of the people who "lawyered up". I don't know if Barb did, but it wouldn't surprise me.
748 posted on 08/07/2002 4:23:33 PM PDT by Politicalmom
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To: mommya
You mean post 734? LOL! You are right!
Who wouldn't know HER??
749 posted on 08/07/2002 4:24:22 PM PDT by the Deejay
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To: UCANSEE2
Feldman's example was a jury that was hung and the judge sent them back to reconsider. He said that the juror who is in the minority should use this as an opportunity to state his posistion and that he didn't have to change his mind.
750 posted on 08/07/2002 4:25:18 PM PDT by VRWC_minion
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To: All
Dusek better hurry up......TICK TOCK the clock is running down for the day. He's made no points.
751 posted on 08/07/2002 4:26:13 PM PDT by the Deejay
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To: FresnoDA
I have Pubic Skool Diplomo
752 posted on 08/07/2002 4:26:32 PM PDT by VRWC_minion
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To: the Deejay; All
It's almost 4:30PM. How long is Dusek going to bore the jury?
753 posted on 08/07/2002 4:26:53 PM PDT by nycgal
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To: VRWC_minion
Dusek is putting the Jurors into a COMA...they'll never wake up from it!

This is soooo pathetic. He can't shut-up..

I'll bet he is boring his own Mother..

sw

754 posted on 08/07/2002 4:27:08 PM PDT by spectre
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To: Politicalmom

I happen to believe that Bill Libby was one of the people who "lawyered up". I don't know if Barb did, but it wouldn't surprise me.

You are probably correct PolyMOM...he was lawyered up...

But the Barb is just ANKLES UP....

LOL


755 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:07 PM PDT by FresnoDA
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To: nycgal
When he said, "this was a 'business' trip) I cracked up!!
Where does he come up with assinine statements?
756 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:28 PM PDT by the Deejay
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To: Henrietta
I will be submitting my application this month to take the bar exam in February. Think I had better hand-carry it since they will likely try and reject it. Would be a heck of a civil rights claim if they did. LOL On the other hand, if they simply take my application, what cause of action would I have. Better to let one guy do it than risk a sure loser in court and then the word would be out to everyone. I think this is funny as all get out.
757 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:29 PM PDT by connectthedots
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To: FresnoDA
DUSEK: back to the theory Danielle was in the MH the whole weekend.
758 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:40 PM PDT by UCANSEE2
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To: spectre
I'll bet he is boring his own Mother..

She will scold him when he gets home.

759 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:47 PM PDT by VRWC_minion
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To: FresnoDA
ROFL!
760 posted on 08/07/2002 4:28:57 PM PDT by Rheo
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