Mudd Letters Opened To Public: Van Dam Jurors Continue to Mull and Ponder Westerfield's Fate! 8-15

Union Trib ^ | August 15, 2002 | Union Trib

[FresnoDA]

Letters to judge opened to public

SIGNONSANDIEGO

August 14, 2002

The judge in the trial of David Westerfield today allowed reporters to see court log entries of notes from jurors, as well as letters to the judge from the public about the murder of Danielle van Dam.

The letters from the public included a variety of theories about the case.

Jurors ask to review pictures, interview

One letter-writer sent the following theory to Judge William Mudd: "Danielle van Dam killed herself.''

A nearly illegible postcard with a Spokane postmark alluded to at least one ex-wife "with a drinking problem (who) lives in Spokane.''

 

DAN TREVAN / Union-Tribune

Some of the folders of documents made public by Judge William Mudd.

The writer failed to indicate whether the reference was to ex-wives of Westerfield – who has been married and divorced twice – or someone else connected with the case.

The postcard was unsigned.

Another missive came from a man who referenced another high-profile murder trial – that of O.J. Simpson.

"The O.J. Simpson case was a miscarriage of the state's justice mainly because Judge (Lance) Ito was too lenient with the actors defending O.J.,'' the man wrote.

There was no news Wednesday afternoon about the status of deliberations, but Mudd announced he was holding a sealed hearing 9:30 a.m. Thursday to consider an unspecified defense motion in the case.

Wednesday was the fifth day of deliberations. The prosecution concluded its closing arguments last Thursday.

Westerfield is accused of kidnapping 7-year-old Danielle van Dam from her Sabre Springs home and killing her.

He could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of murder with special circumstances.

He has also been charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

The log entries show that on Friday, the jury requested ``all available evidence of pornographic images'' and a photograph of a teen-age daughter of the defendant's ex-girlfriend.

[irgbar-man]

You are excused from jury duty for life. ;D

Your comment hits home, especially about the paid assassins of character.

[nycgal]

And I suppose the DUSEK-MUDD prosecution team is still denying the need to sequestor?

You got it! Mudd has seen no evidence that the jurors are being harassed. I kid you not. I guess following jurors and taking down their license numbers doesn't constitute harassment to Mudd.

[UCANSEE2]

And pardon my ignorance but how do you prepare for a penalty phase when you have no idea if you have a guilty party to penalize?

YOu didn't know? DUSEK was guaranteed a GUILTY verdict by Judge Mudd and Paul Pfingst. (/sarcasm)

[Rheo]

Correction....the Shen/Dulaney testimony on July 9th was the prosecution calling during the defense case..IIRC

[Krodg]

Oops. :-)

[spectre]

Mudd reminds me of a parent who keeps telling their child to go out on the playground and face the school yard Bully! What a piece of work this guy is.

Court TV is going to replay Jennifer Shen's testimony, for all of you who are interested in hearing the selective portions that will help out the Prosecutions case.

I'm outta here for awhile..

sw

[UCANSEE2]

Yep. I was totally wrong.

[cyncooper]

The police had been told by DW that he took his items to the Twin Peaks (shades of Northern Exposure) Dry Cleaners, he gave them the receipt (yeah, he took his jacket in because it had Danielle's blood on it, BUT he gave the police a receipt so they would have no trouble identifying and picking up the jacket!),

This is not correct. They found the receipt in his SUV and they got the name of Twin Peaks drycleaners from Det. Ott as he is a customer there and recognized the type of receipt they give. There is no evidence that Westerfield ever gave the police the name of the drycleaners.

[spectre]

Good to see you, cyn. Always nice to hear from the other side..:~)

later, sw

[Rheo]

According to the unsealed affidavits they are talking about...he did give them the dry cleaners name and that he went there that morning.

[Green]

Are these affidavits evidence that the jury can look at?

[the Deejay]

"the JURY is begging for help, and is being ignored. What the heck is going on?"

The judge's way of torturing the jury into reaching a quick verdict? Seems that way, doesn't it? I've never seen a judge so aloof to his jury and their pleas for help.

[KnutCase]

This brings up a question. The evidence that is now being UNsealed during jury deliberations may IF KNOWN BY THE JURY PRIOR to deliberation have an affect on their verdict, one way or the other. Would this absence of evidence available to the jury during the trial be cause for a mistrial? Feldman must know. I'm not a lawyer, so could someone here enlighten me??? Thanx.

[Rheo]

I don't believe so Green....hopefully, somebody will clarify that knows for sure.

[Rheo]

I had asked the same question elsewhere..didn't get an answer.

Someone will let us know I hope.

[KnutCase]

This has puzzled me for a couple of days now...somebody must have the answer...please post if you know.

[UCANSEE2]

Hey cyn, WELCOME BACK.

Way to go. You tell him. He goofed that one up, didn't have proper info, and you really showed him who's right! (oh.....crap, that was me.)

You, I assume, are right. I got carried away and spewed without really checking to see if what I said was according to testimony/transcript. My imagination got the best of me.

My Thanks to you, and my apologies to everyone else for providing mis-information.

[Jaded]

Dulaney

[Space Wrangler]

Put me down for Thurs. Aug. 22nd.--- hopelessly deadlocked.

[Bluebird Singing]

Mudd closed the media out of the courtroom because of "the frenzy". It's really getting to him! Of course, the jurors are affected by it.

Who was the red-headed scarecrow woman on with Nancy Graceless today calling Westerfield "creepy"?