Just an independent opinion, but I'd re-register under another aka if I were you. (Glad I'm not you!)
But hey, let's get to the real meat of the trial. Westerfield may indeed be guilty. I don't know the truth and neither do you. But I do know this:
1. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Danielle van Dam was abducted.
2. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Danielle van Dam was murdered. She died alright, but the prosecution has failed to state exactly how she died, if she died as a result of a homicide, manslaughter, or an accidental death.
3. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DW was ever in the van Dam residence.
4. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DW was ever on their contingent property at any time. Of course there is always the possibility that DW was delivering the "mail" while Damon was at work, but we don't know that for a fact.
5. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DW abducted Danielle van Dam.
6. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DW murdered Danielle van Dam.
7. The prosecution has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DW dumped the body of Danielle van Dam after having supposedly killed her.
Now you and the executioner Greg Weston can slap each other on the back until you're silly but you can't rebut anything I just said. If you want to convict him on circumstanstial evidence, be my guest. But the burden on the prosecution was to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and they failed to do so.
Any verdict of guilty, in my opinion, will be the result of a generalized hysteria sweeping this country involving child abductions and child pornography. That is not to say that we as parents shouldn't be concerned about the welfare of our progeny, but when someone's life is on the line, we should exercise our best judgment and and make every effort to force the prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
And as for this, Mr. Strong, determined "man of character" (ROFL!):
I often speculate on why certain FReepers take certain names. Take my name for example, Doc Savage! Strong, determined, a man of character! Take your name, wimpycat. Wimpy and feline. Eats tuna and hair balls. Just an independent opinion, but I'd re-register under another aka if I were you. (Glad I'm not you!)
I'm just going to chalk that up to mounting stress as the wait for the jury's decision continues. The wait's getting to you. As each day passes, more and more of you are starting to trip off the rails, lashing out indiscriminately at anyone whose opinions don't conform to your own. Real men, as well as "men of character" such as yourself, don't get so petty as to divine character traits from people's screen names. So it must be the excruciating wait clouding your reason.
I agree.
How convenient it is, to see people who have never contributed to these threads for the last 6 months, suddenly come on board when they smell a guilty verdict.
It's safe and easy to go with the popular opinion, isn't it?!
sw
Very well said.