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.

[the Deejay]

"Besides, they apparently had 'accepted' her death before they called police."

I'd say so. Brenda to 911, "She had green eyes." For starters.

And that LKL interview had a number of past tense slip o' the lips. I think that interview was on Feb. 6. I read
the transcript quite a while back.

[domestice]

< Was there any open casket wake at all for others to accept this death? >

You're not serious?

[the Deejay]

I'd say from Doosuk's closings, he was actually holding a rope! For heaven's sake!!!

[spectre]

I'm getting ready to hit the sack..but before I do, I want to leave YOU with a question.

I was listening to a tape of Brenda testify at the trial. She said "we looked everywhere for Danielle, under the bed, in the closets..blah, blah...everywhere".

So if they looked EVERYWHERE, under the bed and in the closets, why weren't their fingerprints in her room? Or was it JUST Danielle's prints that weren't in her own room?

I suppose, in this case, it doesn't mean a thing...sigh.

Night all. Tomorrow, Friday...maybe a verdict...maybe just a half a day?

sw

[Krodg]

I need to put Ott in the motorhome.

That might be where Feldman was going when he questioned Keene about which officers were in the MH. Of course, he wasn't allowed to go very far on that issue.

If you think about all the things Feldman tried to bring out, you'll see a very clear picture of police tampering with evidence. IMO

[crypt2k]

So if they looked EVERYWHERE, under the bed and in the closets, why weren't their fingerprints in her room? Or was it JUST Danielle's prints that weren't in her own room?

All fingerprints were wiped clean. After all, they want to give their scapegoat an even chance to walk.

[Rheo]

You read correctly.

[the Deejay]

"If you think about all the things Feldman tried to bring out, you'll see a very clear picture of police tampering with evidence. IMO"

Couldn't agree more!

Goodnight all!!

[domestice]

That I DID see with his closing rebuttal! Yes he sure was!

[UCANSEE2]

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[the-gooroo]

You are right on the money. In fact Feldman's last question to the fingerprint guy was about that. "Did you find ANY fingerprints on the closet (mirrored) door?" "NO"

[spectre]

LOL!

sw

[SilentWitness]

Bill Libby

That was very interesting info, thanks.

Do you know who I contact to get on the verdict list. I'm voting for Mis-trial. Can't say why.

[NatureGirl]

That mirrored door (IMO) was the best possible place for fingerprints - nice, smooth surface.

[domestice]

We have mirrored closet doors & I can clean them, in a matter of minutes..finger prints from the kids all over them.

It is hard to believe they found no prints. Maybe they are neatnicks...but wait, how come they weren't thought suspicious because of being 'so neat', as DW was????

[dread78645]

This is off the wall.....but I recall some years ago a Senate confirmation hearing for a Supreme Court nominee that involved porn. That nominee had rented porn videos and the police went to the video store WITHOUT warrant and asked the store for a list of titles that the nominee had checked out and they got that information from the store. I don't think he went on to become a rapist/murderer (name of Thomas, wasn't it?)

The video rental bit concers Robert Bork, who rented "The Parent Trap", "The Sound of Music", "Birth of a Nation", "Silent Scream", and "Triumph of the Will".

Thomas was covered by the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (the "Bork bill").

[JudyB1938]

Don't forget either that the parents had just searched that closet. Why weren't their fingerprints on it? When a child turns up missing, the last thing a parent does is start cleaning house. Yet amazingly, the VD's seems to have done just that.

[the-gooroo]

You betcha! They also want us to believe that she was wearing the blue floral pj's. Well, assuming they were in her dresser, why no fingerprints? Not even a partial print. She even closed the drawer nice and neat without a sound. DW had all the time in the world. Makes perfect sense.

[crypt2k]

Yet amazingly, the VD's seems to have done just that

And they will justify every action "because we have two fine boys left to bring up".

[The Other Harry]

I just wanted to start the next hundred...