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.

[nycgal]

Damon and Brenda both were trying to say those Pj's, laying on Danielle's floor, inside out, were NOT HERS,

IIRC Brenda said that the pjs that were on the floor were not those Danielle was wearing that night. Danielle supposedly was wearing the twin of the pair her grandmother held up for the media. That pair was, according to Brenda, worn by Danielle's friend at sleepovers. I wonder if the friend's mother can corraborate that.

[Yeti]

Thank you very much for your very informative post.

I don't recall seeing you on these threads before, I hope we see more from you. You seem very knowledgable, and we can use all the smarts we can get in here.

[fatima]

Ahh Bass,you forgot Amen,I know Fresno has been waiting for me so hit me with your best shot,how did you know I had a pickle at dinner.

[demsux]

But Brenda testified she got it from Rich but couldn't remember exactly when.

Yeah, I remember, BUT denise claimed it was barb's dope...that's why they went back for barb's cigarette pack.

[Jaded]

Either late Saturday or early Sunday. LE was told to check him out in the little pow-wow at HQ early in the AM. Around 5.

[demsux]

BTW, my BIL is over watching the cardinal game, so i'm not paying much attention here

[Rheo]

LEO entered the MH on 2/4, twice....the dogs were run thru on 2/6 and 2/8, IIRC.

They staked out his house until the wee hours of 2/4....even tho he had been at his house Sat am and afternoon...and talked to his neighbors.

[demsux]

I thought so, that's why I asked silentwitness to do a drive by.

[the Deejay]

I couldn't find the article about a day in the life of
David Westerfield. One time I was able to find it in
FresnoDA's archives, but not this time. Maybe he can
find it and post it again.

[Yeti]

LE would have to have a vial of her blood in order to plant on the jacket, etc.,

You're letting me down DJ, I know you have a better imagination than that, and besides, this has been covered before.

First of all, not a a vial, a q-tip. Second, presumptive only, could have been panty-DNA swabbed onto a blood stain of DW's from the scratches that we know he got that weekend. Third, all of Danielle's blood in the VD house would be more than enough to swab up and move to DW's MH. What about all the blood spots on the stairs that were "not analyzed" ?!?!?!

You're slipping on us.

[John Jamieson]

It's really to remember when you made your last dope run.

[nycgal]

John Kobelt and Ken Champeau, the co-hosts of the "John & Ken Show" on LA's KFI AM 640 during afternoon drive time. AKA; "idiot talk show hosts from LA".

I think John and Ken's recent activism in regard to Davis' SUV bill, Judge Kline ouster, Catholic priest sex scandal, Condit, etc. and the publicity surrounding their antics have sent them over the edge.

I used to get a kick out of them but they're playing with a man's life right now, and considering they've probably not read a line of trial testimony they have become a lynch mob of two.

[Rheo]

You are so on top of things!

[the-gooroo]

huff huff puff puff wheeze wheeze---Holy cow! I didn't think I'd ever catch up!

Rheo, I know you're familiar with the testimony of Dorie Savage. Isn't she the one who when asked what she did when she left the VD home on the 2nd said, I went home. Then recovered real quick and said Oh, I mean I went back to the precinct? (evidence room, (whatever)

Maybe it's nothing but that jumped out at me. What if she DID take evidence home? Anybody could have gotten their hands on it.

[the Deejay]

I'm tellin' ya, you cannot believe a bloody thing
that crew says.

According to BVD, there was only one stick total for
the entire night. Four of them took "hits" from it
at the vdam house. Later that night, four or more
of them finished smoking it at Dad's parking lot.

BVD never once said "Barbara had a stick." But Denise
did.

[hoosiermama]

SO write their company and complain.

[UCANSEE2]

Was Ott in the MH?

(/sarcasm time) In the MH, In the DW house, laundry room, at the body, in the SUV. Had a basket with blue/grey/orange and red fibers in it he would throw out like petals at a wedding.

[demsux]

Couldn't have been "on top of it" w/o your posts while I was on vacation.

[the Deejay]

I'm trying not to slip on you. LOL Just getting tired.
I just don't know how else blood can be planted without
it coming from a vial or directly from a person. Okay,
call me "stupid". LOL

[Rheo]

Yes...and Feldman had to question a few times to get her to remember her stop at the NE station.

He was really trying to get something about the NE station and wasn't sure what it was.....is that where Ott and Keyser work out of?