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.

[fatima]

Dear last man standing -can I give you a push .

[UCANSEE2]

It is easier to get someone to follow, than it is to push them in front of you. They usually resist being pushed.

[UCANSEE2]

If you want to say something, feel free. I am listening.

[EllaMinnow]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/danielle/20030109-9999-westerfield_documents.html

Documents detail police suspicions Westerfield was 'Peeping Tom'





By Steve Perez
SIGNONSANDIEGO

January 9, 2003



One of some 1,200 pages of court documents relating to the murder and kidnapping case against David Westerfield that were released Thursday.

Police suspected David Westerfield was a 'Peeping Tom' who spied on neighbors using binoculors, videotaped them from afar, and secretly recorded himself and a woman having sex, according to court records unsealed in his murder trial on Thursday.

The allegations were included in volumes of motions made public by Superior Court Judge Mudd.

The suspicions were contained in a prosecution effort to present the evidence to the jury, stating it was relevant to the case.

Last Friday, Mudd sentenced Westerfield to death for kidnapping and murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, his neighbor in Sabre Springs.



View April 29, 2002, prosecution motion detailing 'Peeping Tom' allegation against Westerfield
PDF document
View April 22, 2002, prosecution motion detailing rape allegation, information on "Jenny N." allegation.
PDF document

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Other documents released January 9, 2003

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From the U-T: Westerfield failed polygraph test badly

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(The FREE Adobe Acrobat plug-in is necessary to view the above documents.)




The unsealed prosecution papers shed some light on a puzzling question in the case, how Westerfield was able to sneak into the van Dam's home and take the girl while her family slept.

"The first question that comes to mind is how did he know where to go," prosecutors stated in the filing. "The answer is that he is a 'Peeping Tom' and very likely scouted out the van Dam residence prior to entering.

[EllaMinnow]

He never was "Stealth Ninja Dave."

He didn't need special powers, just deviancy and perversion, and he had plenty to spare.

[cyncooper]

I'm reading through replies posted since I logged off last night.

Hmmmm. The only side I've seen criticize Judge Mudd is the Westerfield was railroaded side. So why oh why is someone making a reference to "the evil judge" as if the prosecution and the DW is guilty side has thought or said the judge was "evil".

Just goes to show that some can't see the big picture and assign thoughts and motives to others without basis. That leads one to conclude that that person's whole deductive reasoning capabililty is flawed. Big Time.

[EllaMinnow]

From the document about the niece:

"Ms. N said her father had just recently found out about the incident. She said her father was really upset about it. She said he basically changed his mind about the entire case. Ms. N said she looked a lot like Danielle when she was younger. She said her father had always thought that if Mr Westerfield had 'done it', that he would have tried it with her first."

[cyncooper]

Well, her father certainly has seemed to get over that reaction, hasn't he? How sad for her.

And, as I read through the thread, one of the most odious posters to hit the forum has informed us that he considers this young lady a "nitwit".

[cyncooper]

I am reading the document describing some of the contents of the 8mm film. I see I made a good guess here about the possibility that footage of neighbors was likely:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/819001/posts?page=326#326

I would say taping people through their windows, plus the established binocular behavior, proves unambiguously Westerfield was a "Peeping Tom".

[cyncooper]

You are a creepy little liar who misrepresents everything, except when you are making lies up from whole cloth.

Exactly right, Val. I just read the document in question. What a deceitful representation was made by the poster you were addressing. As you state, thankfully the documents are there for all to read.

I certainly appreciate your comments and observations.

[Valpal1]

It's pretty clear to me from the odius posters follow up comments that he has a low opinion of women overall.

His pathetic attempt to downplay Jenny N's testimony is the symptom of mysogony. A parent may massage the gums of a teething infant, but an adult male massaging the teeth of a sleeping kindergartner is not explainable as anything other than an attempt at exploitation by a perverse deviant.

There is no reasonable explanation, DW lies and dissemblings make clear that he is a low life, who uses others for his own gratification without consideration for them as fellow human beings.

Those who deny the reality of this behavior are his fellow travelers in demeaning human relationships.

[EllaMinnow]

Bravo, Val!
I was looking at the trash he spewed last night. He seems to hate everyone, but especially women.

[EllaMinnow]

On ALL the forums, the SaveDavers are doing the same thing. They are focusing on Brenda's statement, and ignoring everything else.
If that's all there is against the van Dams, it ain't much. Nothing in there about being cokeheads, or Brenda hanging out at gay bars, or bringing strangers home. I find her statement very sad.
There is nothing to buttress the claims of those who believe that the van Dams killed their daughter, but there is much to reinforce the belief that David Westerfield is a sociopath.

[Jaded]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/816251/posts?page=425#425

[Valpal1]

I just finished reading Brenda's police statement. Compared to the way it was first portrayed by RR and his leak, its pretty lame.

A sad woman with a bored and discontented husband. That the squeakies would choose to focus on this document, which only proves how much they exxagerated and exploited the rumors is just typical of their low reasoning capacity and unpleasant character.

The "LE source" who leaked his sensationalized version should be deeply ashamed of the pain he caused. It was a viscious thing to do.

[Freedom2specul8]

Here's a copy of what I think about your comments.

The phrase "gets off on" also means "excitement, or thrill of the adventure"--it does NOT always mean sexual gratification. The majority of Jerry Springer's Audience are spectators to the disgusting gutter level behaviour of life. They THRIVE on the misery of others. I realize that there is a small percentage of audience members who aren't like that. It isn't even comparable to people following and discussing the details of trials, news etc..

[Freedom2specul8]

If you glance at it show, and I don't recommend it..it looks like half of springer's audience is men...maybe someone has to fight the urge to join the excitement or thrill of the audience.

[Freedom2specul8]

If you glance at THE show,

[Valpal1]

The phone call that was suppressed

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/danielle/documents/SCN_20030109150608_001.pdf

The bummer is this is just the motion about it from the defense. Doesn't say why Mudd suppressed it. That's in the sidebar minutes that Mudd says its to much trouble and expense to redact.

Wonder if they'll ever tell us why Mudd suppressed it, or where the call was traced to?

[Freedom2specul8]

My apologies for sending out so many pings last night. I don't know what I was thinking. It won't happen again. :)