Jury begins deliberations -Prosecutor says victim has pointed to her killer (keep it civil)

UNION-TRIBUNE signonsandiego.com ^ | August 9, 2002 | Alex Roth

[dread78645]

Jurors in the David Westerfield trial began deliberating yesterday after hearing a final statement from the lead prosecutor, who beamed a photo of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam onto the wall and urged the jury to focus on the physical evidence.

Finishing closing arguments in the two-month murder trial, prosecutor Jeff Dusek called a blood spot on Westerfield's jacket the "smoking gun." And Dusek imagined what Danielle might tell the jury if someone could bring her back to life "just for a moment" so she could answer the question, "Please tell us who did this to you."

"I've already told you," Dusek said the girl would tell the jury. "I've told you with my hair and where you found it. I've told you with the orange fiber that you found on my choker, and where you found it.

[John Jamieson]

The dog might have heard the shot, not a good plan. Sounds like a half assed attempt by a rookey. DNA is so much more subtle.

[small_l_libertarian]

How can one load a .22 caliber bullet into binoculars? *giggle giggle*

I've always wanted to say this...You'll shoot your eye out, kid!

[John Jamieson]

Kinda like the DNA on the carpet that fell out of someone's cuff. Or, the fiber evidence that couldn't have been transferred, but a shell casing can?

[sawsalimb]

point taken,but considering what he's going through at the moment,I wouldn't call it "free". And regarding that shell casing,can anyone provide a link? The reason that I'm asking is that if it's a SuperX,there's probably very little chance of ever tracing the thing. On the off chance that it's Eley,or some other slightly less common brand,there might just be a chance to figure out where it was bought.(not much of one,though,I'm afraid)

[the Deejay]

omg! Clinton looking through those binoculars with the lens caps on!!! OH how funny was that? I saw it on Rush's tv program and I thought I'd never stop laughing! (Still breakup every time I think of it!)

[the-gooroo]

JJ,the raason I asked about what Feldman said is because I don't think the judge would allow him to accuse LE of planting evidence.

[hoosiermama]

Just went to your site and voted AGAIN. Had a thought when I looked through evidence page. Someone was using DW computer to view porn when he was at police station. Neal testified he didn't correct? Maybe Neal didn['t lie! Maybe someone else had access to DW computer. Get him out of the house. Hack! Hack?

[small_l_libertarian]

What was funny were his facial expressions, as though he was actually looking at something besides darkness.

[John Jamieson]

Nobody wants to trace it now. It doesn't fit the body evidence.

That body messed up the whole prosecution case. It wasn't out at Glamis where it belonged and most inconveniently, was placed there at entirely the wrong time. Bummer.

[hoosiermama]

Truly a classic! WJC/binoculars? See no evil?

[sawsalimb]

Not really thinking as much as brainstorming. What I was wondering is-assuming that one of those vehicles does have a factory gps-could that be helpful in recreating movements of the vehicles around the time of the girl's disappearance? I really have no idea how those systems work,although I refuse to have a vehicle equipped with one.(since they make my tinfoil hat get all hot ;) )

[John Jamieson]

Feldman had to just imply.

[the Deejay]

"It was an old casing, probably fell out of someones cuff."

Oh sure, then why wasn't it found the previous day? I've forgotten which crimialist found it. But she said it wasn't there the previous day. You know, the day she spent "hours" on her hands and knees. Apparently, she wasn't part of the "planting of evidence."

[cynwoody]

Another idea was that Damon put it there with the intention of planting matching bullets, gun or something else at DW's.

Over on unposted.com there is an interesting theory in which Damon is the perp and frames Westerfield more or less accidentally.

[small_l_libertarian]

Maybe (a big maybe, IMO) Neal didn't lie about that, but he almost certainly DID lie about the anime/hentai porn being his. I would just have to completely disregard anything Neal said.

[I. Ben Hurt]

Hope he got a bargain on installation. It was put in a real inconvenient place.

[I. Ben Hurt]

Free is a good bargain. Someone is not paying attention.

[the Deejay]

"Or, the fiber evidence that couldn't have been transferred, but a shell casing can?"

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[sawsalimb]

Another possibility is that Westerfield,to keep the kid out of this mess to the greatest extent possible,told Neal not to own up to going anywhere near the comp.

[hoosiermama]

What I'm saying is Maybe he isn't lying It's not his nor his father's
TINFOIL: someone hacked in or planted it on the computer.

Can it be done?