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.

[Rheo]

I read somewhere that Damon graduated from Cooper City High.

He graduated from Cooper City High in 1984.

[The Other Harry]

The computer experts, Lawson and Watkins said there was NO pre-pubescent porn. There were some pics that they could not determine if the girls were under 18 or not.

Interesting. I'll believe you -- you seem to know your stuff on this -- but only just the other day I read an older newspaper account (month old?) that clearly stated that something like 16 of the files were of pre-pubescent girls. Goes to show how much misinformation has gotten into the media.

[The Other Harry]

I've been thinking about you analysis of the jury. Did you actually compare it to the profiling you did for the people on this thread?

I started out trying to, but it didn't really work directly. There wasn't enough information about the jurors contained in that listing, and there weren't all that many jurors to work with. None of the males, for example, seemed to be similar in their life situation to DW.

So, I reverted to going more on instinct, looking for people who I thought might be inclined to be skeptical / analytical / not necessarily willing to accept the DA's version of events. I had "my" profile in mind too, but I couldn't really apply it.

[Lucky]

Monday morning bump

[demsux]

bookmark

[I. Ben Hurt]

Hi Sunshine: A poster a while back said he/she lived in the same town as Adam Welsh and was there when he was abducted. I can't remember who it was and can't pin down a time frame of their post. That person could be of much help if he/she could be found. Maybe someone out there knows how to look for this type info. Maybe not.

[JudyB1938]

Fres, maybe you can do your ping list for IBH's inquiry just above?

[Bluebird Singing]

Hi - that was me. I have talked to someone who was on the police force at that time. According to him, thru the freedom of information act, all the files are availiable thru Hollywood. A reporter named John Holland for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel did a series of articles last year about the case. I think his email address is jholland@sun-sentinel.com. I haven't followed thru on this yet.

[I. Ben Hurt]

That was quick! Thanks. Wouldn't it be a shocker if one of those teen's name was Damon? It would open up a whole new can of worms.

[Bluebird Singing]

I check in now and then to see whats going on and I recognized myself in your post! I'm not sure how to get a copy of the files on this case, I think I have to fill out a request and pay a fee. I was thinking the reporter probably did all that already and may have the names.

[I. Ben Hurt]

Same here. I'm thinking someone on here will know exactly what needs to be done. Don't know what you'd do with the info if you found out one of those teens was Damon. Could use it on re-trial if it comes to that. Also might lead to bringing a killer to justice.

Another poster from Florida was frantically trying to find info about these teens. Hope he/she reads this.

[FresnoDA]

Are y'all aware there is another VD thread in General Interest section this morning?

FresnoDA/frr

[UCANSEE2]

WOULDN'T THIS BE A CASE OF TOTAL IRONY>

Just supposing the coincidence that Damon lived in the same town that John Walsh's child disappears from, wasn't such a coincidence.

That the disappearance of Michel Nigrete (whose father was a co-worker of Damon's) wasn't a coincidence either.

THE IRONY. That John Walsh has Brenda and Damon on AMW to help them recover their own child.

[crypt2k]

THE IRONY. That John Walsh has Brenda and Damon on AMW to help them recover their own child.

Perhaps Walsh has suspicions concerning Damon.

[pinz-n-needlez]

As my friend says "pleasantly eccentric in a creative sort of way"!

Gee, you just summed up one my major lifetime goals! :-)

[Lucky]

Remember he could of also went by the first name of Peter.