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 Other Harry]

You would be a great juror.

If anything, I think you may be too analytical. But that's okay by me.

With respect to this case, I don't need to go so far as the SDPD planting the evidence in the MH. I could go there, but all I need to do is to think Danielle could have somehow gotten in there on an earlier date. That's easy enough to do.

I tend to go to the missing parts. How did DW get into that house? How did he leave that body there?

You do very well though.

Harry <-- who is now blowing smoke again. Twice in one one night is two times too many

[Politicalmom]

Yep. Doesn't jibe with an attorney who knows his guy is guilty.

[small_l_libertarian]

I'm going to have to go to bed. If you guys feel like poking holes in my theory, here's what I have left to do:

1 - Put Ott someplace where he has access to Danielle's hair, blood and prints BEFORE those things are found. That is, IMO, the van Dam house, but JJ suggested that it could also be the police evidence locker.

2 - Put Ott in the motorhome before February 6th. That's when the prints and blood in the motorhome were found. Don't know yet when the hair was found, but he has to beat that date, too.

[dread78645]

Riefenstahl? Griffiths? Bork is obviously harboring rascist nazi sympathies,

Well, it panicked the leftists. They can't possibly have anything to do with the National Socialist party, or the Old South political hegemony. And nevermind the scenes of whites hanging blacks, of course the evil Republicans did it.

[small_l_libertarian]

Thank you. I doubt any prosecutor would want me, though. I have a healthy disrespect for authority.

:-)

I wasn't thinking planted evidence, either, but go back to (I think) my post #451, and then try to find the photo of the drycleaning receipt back in the 300's somewhere. I think you'll see what I mean.

[The Other Harry]

Would Greg please come out. I need someone to insult. Come on down...

[sawsalimb]

And heaven only knows what the lefties thought about Haley Mills' underthings. They doubless figured it for signs of latent child molestation fantasies. You think I'm safe if I go rent Battleship Potemkin? That might be on the "approved" list.

Night,everyone-too tired to think straight,so I'll sleep on this.

[dread78645]

Also, I have heard, but cannot verify, that the VD's had the whole house painted inside???? Danielle was cremated????

She was cremated.

As for the painting, the LE folks cut out pieces of drywall for evidence. I'll assume the vDams had them replaced and then repainted.

[Spunky]

Well, the room must have been clean because Brenda asked Damon the next morning if Danielle slept in her bed. Don't you think she could tell if the bed had been slept in or not?

Here is what Brenda saw when she went to wake Danielle up.

Preliminary Hearing morning March 14, pg 534 2
Q DID ANYONE GO CHECK ON DANIELLE?3 A I STARTED CRACKING EGGS, I THINK I GOT TWO 4 CRACKED, AND THEN I REALIZED SHE HADN'T GONE UP TO 5 GET DANIELLE, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD DO IT MYSELF. 6 Q DID YOU?7 A YES. I WENT UP INTO HER ROOM. 8 Q CAN YOU REMEMBER IF HER DOOR WAS OPEN OR 9 CLOSED OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN?10 A IT WAS OPEN. 11 Q HOW OPEN?12 A ALL THE WAY OPEN. 13 Q AND AS YOU STAND IN THE DOORWAY TO HER 14 ROOM, WHAT ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE AS THE DOOR IS OPEN?15 A HER BED. 16 Q DESCRIBE THE BED FOR US, WOULD YOU?17 A HER BED HAD A LOT OF ITEMS ON IT. SHE HAD 18 PUT HER BEANBAG ON THERE. IT HAD A BIG DOG.19 Q THE STYLE OF THE BED IS WHAT I MEANT. 20 A OH, THE STYLE OF THE BED. IT'S A 21 FOUR-POSTER WHITE BED WITH A CLOTH SCREEN THAT HANGS 22 OVER IT.

[dread78645]

But, I'm 60 years older than you....senility may starting to set in.

That puts you at 103 years old. Senility might be expected.

[small_l_libertarian]

The Stealth Ninja Dave site puts the trip out to the desert with the detectives on Feb 5th. I believe SND.

I think Ott was in the motorhome before the bloodstain was found. I will try to find it in testimony tomorrow.

'Night all.

[JudyB1938]

Good night. You did a good job today!!!!!!!!

[The Other Harry]

The Stealth Ninja Dave site puts the trip out to the desert with the detectives on Feb 5th....

To my way of thinking, the real question is whether it's the desert or the dessert.

[Rheo]

I would have put the beanbag on the bed, IF I HAD VACUUMED THE FLOOR

Good One!

[Rheo]

You are good girl!

[Rheo]

Not sure if anyone answered you yet.

The jury requested the porn at 12:20 pm on Friday..they requested the pic of Danielle L at 12:55pm.

Monday, they requested the tape of the Redden/Westerfield interview.

Tuesday, they requested the transcript of same.

Today, the Jennifer Shen testimony, when prosecution called her during the defense case.

[Rheo]

Ott was everywhere.

How are your eyes feeling?

[Rheo]

Constellation of colors" fibers found on body and orange fibers could have all come from a multicolored blanket

Which was the blanket on Danielle's bed, with the unidentified DNA.

[Rheo]

anyone know the first names of ott and/or keyser?

Mark Keyser and Michael Ott, IIRC

[dread78645]

I don't like any of your guesses as to the body placement. It makes no sense to me whatsoever.

The bug-guys said the body wasn't there before the 9th (and it most likely the 14th - 16th).
PDvD was out "searching" on the 16th, to a big media show, and against the LE reccomendation.

David Westerfield was under close observation after the 5th, by the law and the press, and had a secret GPS device on his auto.

What is your guess ?