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.

[Rheo]

Ott wouldn't have to have been in the VD home...he has access to the labs..he could have taken a swab of DNA from the items taken from her home on 2/2...he needed Torgerson to drive around for a few days until opportunity presented itself.(thinking on the fly here...holes galore)

[hoosiermama]

SO true!

[RnMomof7]

Doesn't Cocaine cause bleeding from the nose? (This is what I've heard.) Then why is it Danielle was the one with the frequent bloody nose?

Long term snorting damages and destroys nasal tissue..

[Rheo]

9750 OVIEDO ST

Is this off Community Road?

[Politicalmom]

There was blood ALL over that house. A massive amount in the bean bag from Dylan, I believe.

[domestice]

The only comfort I get when it comes to sooo many injustices in this world, is that there is the highest judge..that every man will have to answer to.

God does indeed, intermingle in the affairs of men in this world!

[small_l_libertarian]

Good point. It did take Torgersen at least a day to get to the drycleaners. Evidence certainly was in police custody by then. Good one.

Both of the incriminating bloodstains were destroyed by testing. I need to put Ott in the motorhome.

[Guenevere]

#589...I'm with you.....it's hard to look at him because yes, he looks beaten.--Poor soul.

I did read some interesting tidbits scrawled across the ctv screen yesterday.

If it's already been reported here, forgive me.

What I read was......DW's sister has visited him, in jail, 10 times.
...his ex-wife & children have visited him 12 times.

Who knows what transpired during the visits.....but I would like to think they went to encourage & nurture him.

The replay of DW's friend (who rv'd with him) sure showed a good corroboration of DW's own testimony, and a genuine friendship, I thought.

Just meanderings from Guennie....

[BARLF]

Keene in the PH:

Q. Who called you to the scene on Feb.4th.?

A. I believe Sgt. John Ray advised Sgt.Judy Woods that Mr. Westerfield was home and Sgt. Woods asked me if I would go--asked myself and Det.Parga to go talk with him.

Sgt. Ray,Det.Morris and Det. Stetson all followed Keene and Parga to the MH in High Valley.

(my addition) These are the first LE(apparently) that went to the MH. After MH was moved by LE to compound there is no telling who all entered it.

[the Deejay]

Hahahahaha!!! Once when I was reading the closings,
I suddenly thought, 'this doesn't sound right'!
I 'thought' I was reading Feldman's but it was
Doosuk's!! EEEWWW!

[Rheo]

Derek....and the non reportable DNA on the garage floor blood...wonder whose that was?

[RnMomof7]

I hold to my belief that Danielle's death was child abuse by daddy...he slapped her or pushed her and there was an accidental death . they needed a cover. The "kidnapping " was cover ...DW is victim 2

[Rheo]

I think he was there...Dorie Savage, IIRC, tried to really evade the issue...Ott and Keyser were all over this case from day 1...when DW got home...when they sat in his car..at DW's dining room table..they took him to a hotel..they took him on the recreation journey, etc.

[hoosiermama]

Why all this different types and locations of blood in the VD home that doesn't belong to Danielle? Perplexing to me?

[domestice]

I do believe.....Where the heck is Dr. Doolittle when you need him??????

[hoosiermama]

I agree. It seem much more likely the SND scenerio.

[John Jamieson]

Ott doesn't even need to be in the motor home, althought it was described as having a revolving door after it was in LE custody. All he needed was access to the evidence room before the DNA tests were done.

[Rheo]

Sgt. John Ray

This is Detective John Wray..the detective who was wandering in DW's house while DW was showing Keene and Parga around....the one who was in the laundry room while they were in the garage.

IIRC....Ott and Keyser are mentioned as also being there...mentioned only once and then not again...have you found that?

[the Deejay]

Well, I did read the full article in the SDUT about a
day in the life of DW. It was very sad. But I do
think we all know his family isn't visiting him and
saying things like, "Did you do this? Did you kill
her?" blah, blah, blah.

I am sure they are all standing behind him 200%. And
you are right about his friend, also his neighbors that
testified for him. They all seem to like him. This type
thing does not happen with an obviously guilty person.

[Jaded]

That was interesting because they were certainly big enough. Remember when they were spouting about how small the spot could be and they could still extract dna? They did destroy all of the sample.