In taped interrogation, Westerfield tells police 'my life is over'

San Diego Union Tribune ^ | January 7, 2003

[TomB]

In a videotaped interrogation with San Diego police detectives four days after Danielle van Dam was kidnapped, an exhausted David Westerfield says "my life is over," seemingly coming close to an admission that he murdered his 7-year-old neighbor.

"As far as I'm concerned my life is over, the life that I had, the life that I was living is over," Westerfield says in the interrogation conducted the evening of Feb. 5, 2002. Danielle was last seen the night of Feb. 1.

"But you can't blame anyone but yourself, Dave," answers one of the police detectives.

"And I have no problem with that," Westerfield replies.

In the tapes released Tuesday, Westerfield admits "unusual" sexual encounters with his wife, denies anything improper about his alleged use of binoculars to watch neighbors and says the child pornography found on his computer was simply something he downloaded along with a lot of other pornographic images and that he had no sexual interest in children.

Superior Court Judge William Mudd agreed Monday to unseal the videotape along with hundreds of pages of transcripts, documents and recordings in the Westerfield case, as well as transcripts of police interrogations and court hearings conducted in secret.

Some of the material – audiotape and videotape of Westerfield being interrogated during the early stages of the investigation – was released Tuesday afternoon.

The remainder of the material, which ranges from transcripts of closed-door court hearings to motions regarding potential evidence, will be released Monday, Mudd ruled.

The ruling Monday came three days after Mudd sentenced the former design engineer to death for kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, his neighbor in Sabre Springs.

Monday's court hearing came in response to a request by The San Diego Union-Tribune, which has been seeking access to the information for months. The San Diego-based 4th District Court of Appeal has ruled that Mudd must release the information.

The San Diego chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists made a donation to the legal costs.

Westerfield, who attended Monday's hearing, is scheduled to be moved within days to death row at San Quentin State Prison outside San Francisco.

During earlier court appearances, Westerfield was always dressed in civilian attire, but he appeared in court Monday in a green jail jumpsuit. He sat in a holding area so he couldn't be filmed by a television camera.

[EllaMinnow]

And I'll give it a big "Me, three!"

[Freedom2specul8]

So neal, brenda, damon, all their friends that were in the house PASSED the polygraph. But dear dad didn't..that IS worth repeating.

[Freedom2specul8]

"But . . . I know they'll get three to five, five to 10, or something, "

Boy was he ever wrong..

[BunnySlippers]

So neal, brenda, damon, all their friends that were in the house PASSED the polygraph. But dear dad didn't..that IS worth repeating.

Clearly it was a "set up" by Redden.:)

[Freedom2specul8]

But hey, since the polygraph test wasn't used in court, and neither could the interrogation...looks like the chances of going to appellate over those issues decreased tremendously.

[Freedom2specul8]

""If you were to ask me, do I consider myself emotionally stable, I don't believe that I am, to be honest with you," he told Redden at one point"

Of course we perceptive freepers already knew thanks to his girlfriend's honesty.

[Ditter]

Thanks for the ping!

[EllaMinnow]

I posted a snippet earlier - I can't find it now - where he referred to himself as "forceful."

[nycgal]

Would you mind sharing what about the tapes forced you off the fence?

Basically his responses to the officers' questions and his body language. He said that as far as he was concerned his life was over, asked for the officer to leave his gun behind(presumably so he could shoot himself), etc.

The closest thing to a confession I have ever seen.

[BARLF]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Amore I know these westie defenders like the back of my hand. Check it out! Just as I was musing that some would still deny that a polygraph (whoops, make that polygraphs, plural!) was ever taken and failed, this post was being made: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/816251/posts?page=402#402 211 posted on 01/09/2003 6:56 AM CST by cyncooper

Hi cyn, Hope you won't mind my asking a question. I ask it with all due respect.

Why do you mind that some of us on these threads feel that the prosecution did not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?

[cyncooper]

Why do you mind that some of us on these threads feel that the prosecution did not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?

I wouldn't say I mind if some don't feel the prosecution did not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

I certainly disagree with that position, and if one bases their conclusion on false premises then I argue those points. And yes, in the face of what we know now in total, I think it ridiculous for some to cling to certain ideas.

You highlighted my pointing out that now that it has been shown beyond even a shadow of a doubt that DW was given a polygraph test, that some would still deny it. That is not a reasonable assertion for one to make in the face of proof positive that DW was given four polygraphs.

It would be different if one wanted to state they don't think polygraph tests are scientifically sound. I disagree, but wouldn't argue their opinion on that.

The fact is, I, for one, surmised DW had failed a polygraph and that the van Dams had passed, and I was mocked for that. Well, it turns out I was correct. I think it is because I am able to understand the information I read and hear correctly. (And yes, I am saying that some are not able to do the same, at least when the subject is this case.)

So I would say that some confuse arguing facts with people with trying to silence their voices. Not so.

These statements are not directed towards you in particular, except to answer your question in a general way. Thanks.

[Amore]

Excellent post!

[Amore]

But hey, since the polygraph test wasn't used in court, and neither could the interrogation...looks like the chances of going to appe[eal] over those issues decreased tremendously

Try totally. The parts not used won't/can't be an issue on appeal. What COULD be an issue would be to argue that the court should have thrown out the entire interview and not allow the jury to see the small portion they did see. Won't work, but it's at least something they could argue.

[Valpal1]

Kudos, Cyn, that's exactly what it has been about.

I took enormous grief for correctly understanding that LE tagged DW from the first minute he talked to them in front of his house. They thought he was lying then, and the more they dug into his story the shakier it got.

But LE instinct got it right!

And lets not forget the assertion that Brenda "fingered" DW because his name was on the list of recent contacts. Didn't matter that procedure would have required questioning all neighbors anyway, or that recent contanct lists are SOP in crime investigations.

This crime was solved by simple and basic policework. no corruption, no conspiracy. Just following the playbook and bingo!

What blows me away is that DW returned to the neighborhood that afternoon to check out the action. I will always wonder if he meant to let her go, but the enormous response and police presence frightned him so much that he left and then rambled around trying to figure out what to do.

[EllaMinnow]

I've always wondered if the reason he went back was to throw her body into the pool.

[Freedom2specul8]

http://www.courttv.com/trials/westerfield/docs/police01.html
Unofficial polygraph transcripts

[cyncooper]

Unofficial polygraph transcripts

Kim, that is a link to the portion of the Redden interview that was admitted as evidence at trial and played for the jury.

[Freedom2specul8]

Your post is an excellent, well thought out response. It really sums up why there have been so many disagreements and accusations over the past year. I'm sorry to say that it's doubtful it will reach the hearts of those it's about.

[Freedom2specul8]

How embarasking. :) I've got polygraph on the brain. Saw the link over at websleuths..but didn't read it. That'll teach me for not reading FIRST.

[cyncooper]

Thanks for your thoughts on my post and for the link.

Even though it is not the polygraph, it IS what the jury heard at trial and might be of interest to those that didn't follow the case all along.