Posted on 06/10/2002 8:53:31 AM PDT by MizSterious
Second week of long trial scheduled to resume
SIGNONSANDIEGO
June 10, 2002
SAN DIEGO - The second week of what is expected to be a lengthy trial begins today in the case of People vs. David Westerfield, the 50-year-old Sabre Springs man who is accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam four months ago.
The trial of David Westerfield -- one of the most closely watched in San Diego County history -- could last up to three months.
Westerfield, a self-employed engineer, is charged with murder and kidnapping. He could face the death penalty if convicted.
The first witness called last Tuesday by prosecutor Jeff Dusek, was Julie Hennes, a Sabre Springs neighbor of Brenda and Damon van Dam. Hennes described the couple's panic when they could not find their daughter the morning of Feb. 2.
Two volunteer searchers testified about how they found the girl's body under a tree off Dehesa Road on Feb. 27.
A deputy sheriff called to the scene testified that Danielle's body was in an advanced state of decomposition and had been ravaged by animals and was missing a foot.
Dr. Norman ``Skip'' Sperber, a forensic dentist, testified that four of Danielle's teeth were missing. One eventually was found ``way in the back of the mouth, where the gum meets the cheek,'' he said. Sperber said it is common for teeth to fall out during decomposition.
However, no teeth were found at the scene, Sperber said. He explained that animals, who sometimes carry away human remains, normally leave teeth alone. Prosecutors theorize the loss of teeth shows Danielle could have been suffocated.
A nervous and occasionally tearful Damon van Dam admitted he initially lied to police about what had happened in his garage the night of Feb. 1, when two girlfriends of his wife, Brenda, arrived before a ``girls night out'' at Dad's Cafe.
The father testified that he initially didn't tell authorities that he had taken ``a puff or two'' from a marijuana cigarette the women were smoking. ``I didn't think it mattered,'' he said, ``and I didn't want to get in trouble.''
But van Dam said that after the officers told him they were only interested in finding his daughter, he was truthful with them.
Medical Examiner Brian Blackbourne testified that the girl's body was so decomposed it was impossible to establish a cause of death. He estimated her time of death at anywhere from 10 days to six weeks.
Blackbourne also testified he checked Danielle's body for signs of sexual assault but found none, primarily because of tissue damage from decomposition and animal activity.
On Thursday, Brenda van Dam broke down when asked to name her children and give their ages.
Dusek asked the mother about the first of two ``girls nights out'' on Jan. 25 at Dad's Cafe with the two girlfriends.
``Was there a sex party at your house when you got home?'' Dusek asked.
``There's never been a sex party at my house,'' she responded.
The woman also testified about previous contacts with Westerfield, including when he bought her a drink at Dad's, and a visit to his house with Danielle and her younger brother to sell Girl Scout cookies.
While the children were playing in his backyard, she said Westerfield told her he was interested in her friend, Barbara Easton, who had caught his eye at Dad's.
On the second outing to Dad's, Easton walked right up to Westerfield and began talking to him, Van Dam told the court.
Brenda denied dancing with the defendant on either occasion.
Leftover mj...oooh. She's explaining how 1 joint lasted allllll night.
Has that whiskey voice...
sw
Exactly! Thank you for saying it!
Has that whiskey voice...
Maybe from smoking....???
Her testimony is word for word the same as BVD...no new info so far.
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