Trial of David Westerfield: Experts Testify At Closed-door Sessions: (DEFENSE BEGINS!! 7-02-2002)

Union Trib ^ | July 2, 2002 | Union Trib

[FresnoDA]

Animal genetics experts testify at closed-door sessions

SIGNONSANDIEGO

July 1, 2002

Two experts on animal genetics testified today in a closed-door hearing to determine if the prosecution will be able to call one last witness in the David Westerfield trial before resting its case.

One of the witnesses seen entering the courtroom for the hearing outside the jury's presence was Oliver Ryder.

Ryder is an adjunct professor of biology at UCSD and works for the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoo.

Joy Halverson, a canine DNA specialist with QuestGen Forensics in Davis, also testified.

A third man who took the stand declined to be identified.

Westerfield, 50, 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.

Dogs have played crucial roles in the prosecution's case.

A volunteer handler testified last week that two search dogs alerted several times while sniffing in Westerfield's motorhome four days after the victim was reported missing.

Also, police evidence technicians say hair consistent with Danielle van Dam's dog was found in the defendant's laundry.

Superior Court Judge William Mudd is scheduled to announce his decision on the final prosecution witness when the trial resumes tomorrow morning. Mudd has told defense attorney Steven Feldman to be ready to call his first witness tomorrow. 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 Westerfield 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 off Dehasa Road on Feb. 27.

Westerfield was arrested Feb. 22.

[Freedom2specul8]

Well, if all you say is true, it'll be great to see feldman rip it all to shreds.. to get the jury to ignore the hair, fibrs, blood, pulled curtains, getting stuck, overpaying his bill, walking in his undies barefoot in a public store/aka dry cleaners, out of character behaviour, handprints, child porn will be a major victory..

"As for Danielle's friends, that remains to be seem, imo more likely for an adult to testify, but most neighbors will be hesitant to testify to anything helpful to DW...jmo."

Well, if their child was in the MH, I cannot imagine them wanting to keep it a secret..

[Rheo]

Back in about an hour....I do so hope that this compelling testimony will continue!!

[FresnoDA]

 

Example of "close-blood-line" subject!!!

[Freedom2specul8]

Biased picture posting freeper you.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

How does your son-n-law feel about the lack of faith in the LE in this trial? Does it lower squad morale?

I guess the best answer is that LE being criticized is nothing new. A smaller department in the county is different than a bigger city department.

Actually I think there is more criticism of the DA's office and Paul Pfingst, in particular. He does not have a great amount of support from the rank and file LEOs.

So, I guess officers like my son-in-law might feel that it is more lack of faith in the prosecution who rushed this case unnecessarily. I have a real hard time believing that the quick and exclusive fingering of Westerfield and the primary election timing was sheer coincidence.

Suffice to say, I'm not alone.

[UCANSEE2]

Added. Thanks and welcome to the threads

[Freedom2specul8]

That's really awful cuz they're suppose to be on a team. What's worse is if you look at rolling stone's post. the LE is the ones being persecuted..The proscutors have had to deal with both the media putting DW on trial, but also dealign with their own working against them. Why or why can't they put differences aside when a child is murdered...what kind of justice is that?

[Freedom2specul8]

and..the LE leak to rr's show set this entire case on the wrong foot. If you look at the leak, the persecution and the prosecution, what does it all add up to?

[pyx]

I think the answer is obvious. Layla put on an orange body-wig and did it.

ROFLMAO !
I was also thinking of posting this !

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

what kind of justice is that?

What kind of justice is it that rushes into an arrest and ignores much potentially important evidence that could lead to other suspects?

What kind of justice is it that destroys a man's life before guilt is proven?

What kind of justice is it that does both of the above because of the political concerns of the DA in whose lap the case has fallen?

[rolling_stone]

Ah yes getting stuck and overpaying a bill, get a rope he's guilty. Now for the undies, I guess I missed that in the testimony what was so kindly provided me by yourself among others

A I DON'T KNOW WHAT MEN WEAR. JUST REGULAR MAYBE JOGGING SHORTS OF SOME KIND. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE, BUT I REMEMBER THEY WERE VERY THIN, LIKE BOXER SHORTS. THE MATERIAL WAS VERY THIN. Where does it say undies? Just regular (maybe jogging) shorts. What do joggers and boxers wear? How about a swimsuit? I hope the jury is alert, I would hate to see them make the same biased leap of testimony.

[Freedom2specul8]

"What kind of justice is it that destroys a man's life before guilt is proven?"

If the police viewed him as the strongest suspect, what should they have done to prevent his life from being destroyed prior to the outcome of the trial? Also, no one is accusing the police of fouling this case up on purpose to destroy psfingst, correct?

If the theory is the LE has it in for the DA...How can the police dept be so incompetant and persecuted (per comments of trial watchers and the defense), and biased against the prosecutor..and yet be smart enough to have an orchestrated conspiritorial effort to help the DA lose the election..

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Sorry.......you're getting too far out there for me to continue.

I meant to leave it at my canine post and it's best that way.

I only hope that you never serve on a jury; especially when a person's life is at stake.

[Freedom2specul8]

LOL Are you serious?

LIKE BOXER SHORTS

They were NOT referring to shorts that boxers wear..

http://www.uglies.com/
Uglies boxer shorts, where your undies will never be the same..

[Space Wrangler]

I own a border collie that is registered through the ABCA (American Border Collie Assoc.). The ABCA filed suit to keep the AKC from introducing the border collie's to it's breed standard. They lost, and now the ABCA maintains a 'blacklist' of breeders who breed for AKC standards. It seems that inbreeding is a fairly commom practice to get dogs that look the part. The AKC breed standards have been credited with ruining many breeds of dogs. Now, back to the DW trial!

[Freedom2specul8]

......interesting. I really looked forward to hearing your reply. We were discussing the issue surrounding the case..the effect of it on LE's MORALE, the destroying dw's life, politics, conspiracies, imcompetency and persecution. All of which are not being told to the jury..cept for maybe the incompentancy.

[pyx]

They don't not use many German Shepherds these days.

North American competitors within Shutzhund I and II are not what they used to be. Quite often, Sheps are imported from Germany, the old Chek republics and Russia now. North American breeders have almost destroyed this breed with their greed.

However, the majority of their dogs do come from Europe. Some are even trained in foreign languages and the new partner will learn commands in same language. Holland is one of the most command sources for canine dogs.

The Belgian Malinois are used because this breed has consistently shown he has heart in certain aspects of his training. The Malinois also have demostrated a pronounced PREY instinct during play(ie, the LOVE the ball). In the Dutch Police Dog certification, the Malinois almost always has placed near the top in competition. During the protection training several Malnois have injured themselves (broken neck) with the devotion and vigor they put into their work and training. Lastly, the Malnois are a "one man" dog. In that, the breed is inherently distrustful of strangers (a good thing) and latches on psychologically with its handler. It takes time to build a report with a Malinois. Although they are slightly smaller and generally thinner boned than German Sheppard dogs they make up for it with focus and raw guts.

[Freedom2specul8]

Boxing Shorts

[Freedom2specul8]

incompetancy = incompetency..

[theirjustdue]

"walking in his undies barefoot "

Kim, lets please be accurate. There are many garments, including swimsuits, that resemble boxer shorts and there is no proof he was wearing his underwear.

If he had been, prosecution would have no doubt tacked indecent exposure onto the myriad of charges brought against him. /sarcasm