Maybe I need to borrow Pyx's cape. Or at least the sewing instructions for one of my own.
(07-01-2002) - Prosecutors in the trial of accused child killer David Westerfield should know by the end of Monday whether they will be able to call one final witness before the defense begins presenting its case.
One of the witnesses seen entering the courtroom Monday for a closed-door hearing outside the jury's presence was Oliver Ryder.
He is an adjunct professor of biology at UCSD and works for the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoo.
Ryder, who has published articles on mitochondrial DNA diversity in gorillas, also is the associate editor of the Journal of Heredity.
Superior Court Judge William Mudd has told defense attorney Steven Feldman to be ready to call his first witness Tuesday. Feldman has indicated he should be able to conclude his case by July 15.
Feldman told the judge he plans to call insect expert David Faulkner to the stand to try to pinpoint the time of Danielle's death.
In his opening statement, Feldman said the child's nude body could have been placed off a road in Dehesa as late as Feb. 16, a dozen days after his client came under 24-hour surveillance by law enforcement.
Prosecutors theorize that 50-year-old Westerfield, a twice-divorced father, killed the Sabre Springs second-grader and dumped her body at the East County site shortly after she disappeared Feb. 2. Volunteer searchers found the girl's decomposing body on Feb. 27.
Westerfield was arrested Feb. 22.
Westerfield is charged with kidnapping, murder and misdemeanor possession of child pornography in the disappearance and killing of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. The self-employed design engineer could get the death penalty if convicted of the felony charges.