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.

[demsux]

Phew

[agarrett]

  The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.

Drew Garrett

[RnMomof7]

Why would that be a surprise..what have we learned? The MAJORITY of swingers are cops and teachers.....and people that abuse kids try to work in positions of trust with kids LIKE counselors and LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES

[small_l_libertarian]

I know what Torgersen testified, but seriously ... how much sense does it make for a business (any business) to issue a receipt to their customer that has no identification on it whatsoever, yet their in-store copy is covered with their name, the items, prices, etc.

That just doesn't make any sense. Besides, Torgersen said on cross that he had "some information that Twin Peaks might be the place."

[fatima]

I know what Fresno does at 666 and I will not be 666.I have not had time to read yesterday threads all the way through.Does it usually take a jury this long with a murder trial and if it does what is the feeling that the verdict will be,some deadlines have passed.

[small_l_libertarian]

Good, 'cuz I was gonna fight ya' for it. I've never won.

[MizSterious]

If it weren't for the pictures they air on the shows, they probably wouldn't be catching many "bad guys" anyway. The thing is, he gets a huge amount of his facts wrong. On the Danielle case, he claimed Westerfield had just moved into the neighborhood a month or so earlier--among many other completely bogus statements. I'm told it's the same with many other cases he airs. Sloppy work like that when they're (essentially) calling for citizens to hunt down people is completely unacceptable. They're supposed to be professionals, not a bunch of kids taping Wayne's World.

[RnMomof7]

What struck me was she said she would "know " his car but had no clue what color it was.

Now most women might have a hard time with make..but NEVER with the color. I think this woman uses something and is borderline..did she imply he was in his underwear(boxers) ...and have to be made to clarify it that they were just regular shorts?

[UCANSEE2]

I think that Brenda kept referring to a scratch on Danielle's back from Layla. That is didn't bleed.

Now, Danielle's PJ's had a bloodtype stain on the anklet. My guess is that Danielle had a scratch from the dog or something that DID BLEED (obviously, on the PJ's) and since Damon and Brenda both were trying to say those Pj's, laying on Danielle's floor, inside out, were NOT HERS, that would mess up their story. SO,somehow they had it already established that Defense couldn't bring that up as there was no proof, because the LE's test didn't come up with Danielle's DNA from it. Because someone (LE) didn't want it to.

[MizSterious]

While you're asking yourself some questions about the timeline with Watkins et al, ask this one: is it possible they were the ones at the house surfing the porn sites, and not Neal at all? Sort of padding their case, perhaps?

[sawsalimb]

I know what Torgersen testified, but seriously ... how much sense does it make for a business (any business) to issue a receipt to their customer that has no identification on it whatsoever, yet their in-store copy is covered with their name, the items, prices, etc.

Regarding the part about no name on the receipt-if it's a Mom&Pop type business that's been there for a long time.and with an established clientele,I could see where that might happen. Especially if the receipts are computer generated,and the owners are like me and spend more time swearing at the computer than doing things with it,lol. If a glitch developed where the customer's copy didn't have the store name on it,but the control number was there,and the items could be found,Mom or Pop might have just said,"To hell with it,it can stay like that as long as we can figure out what the customers dropped off."

[hoosiermama]

I had thought the same thing, but thought it to far out to mention......Maybe Just maybe.

[RnMomof7]

I have noted a slight switch in the last few days on CTV..has anyone else? The anchors are still jerks but they have balanced the presentation..could it be they were getting some viewer heat?

[UCANSEE2]

DNA from her rib was used to match to Brenda's to prove it was Danielle, and used to match against the Panty swab.

The JACKET DNA was matched against ? I am not sure which one. But I believe it was the panty swab.

[the Deejay]

A rag radio dissjock from L.A. who is a total radical/
lynch mob leader. He was broadcasting from outside
the SD court house. The judge is pissed at this dissjock
and called him an idiot.

the dissjock was handing out bunches of broccoli yesterday,
saying any juror that was holding out for a Not Guilty verdict is a "BROCCOLI HEAD", (I suppose we, on this site,
are also.)

Lisa Bloom was trying to talk to the jock, but all he did
was SCREAM & RANT. He screamed & ranted worse than Lisa can.

[UCANSEE2]

What did the Van Dam's know about Westerfield's computer and how??...Brenda didn't even know his name a week prior??(ya right)

And why were the zipdisks/cds in question in an envelope, and sticking UP from behind some books on the shelf, with a little SIGN on the envelope that said LE LOOK HERE FOR PORN!???????????????

[the Deejay]

"they were getting some viewer heat?"

Naw. They really don't "care what viewers think." Contrary to what they say.

I think they are realizing (because it was a fast verdict
return of "guilty"), they've been dead wrong and it may
well turn out to be Not Guilty.