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.

[Karson]

The VDs moved (from Arizona) to SD five (5) years ago and moved into their current house in SS Four (4) years ago. Does anyone know where they lived during that one (1) year interval?

[demsux]

Bring on Barb...wake the jury up

[Freedom2specul8]

Men's shorts and swimshorts do not use ''thin'' material for fear of the see-through factor. OTOH, thin material on what is more than likely the horndog's undies would be common cuz they need to feel comfortable underneath jeans, sweats, pants, jeans and shorts. BTW, wonder what if anything was left out of the clerks testimony...

[MizSterious]

Lisa Bloom is trying to talk about maggots without gagging. Fun to watch, if you have Court TV!

[bird humming]

What kind of justice is that?

What kind of justice allows Crttv to be the Executioner? Ya get 4 'Hang em Highs' to 1 'No, Lisa, (or Ricki, Nancy, Cathy) the evidence does NOT support your biased opinion.' :-)

[MizSterious]

Gosh, Kim, your knowledge of men's underwear is just astounding. How many "horndogs" underwear have you inspected?

[Jaded]

Thanks for sharing.

[Jaded]

LOL

[Freedom2specul8]

http://www.harriets.com/mensworkcw.htm

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Bring on Barb...wake the jury up

LOL......wake me up too. ; *)

[Freedom2specul8]

History

http://www.pastpatterns.com/501.html

[MizSterious]

Oh, I don't think so, Kim. With your prurient interests in porn and horny men's underwear, I'm not going to take a chance that this link is going to provide all those popup porn pics people talk about.

[jacquej]

Your description of a Malinois is right on! I might add that they are so easily trained, that they "get it in about 5 minutes, if not just from watching other dogs being trained.

There is a downside, though. I heard a rumor that the Border Patrol folks won''t use them, because in their training, they expect the dog to check car after car after car, all day long, and the Mainois gets so bored by repetitive training that they shut down, and start doing extraneous things, such asfooling around to entertain themselves.

I keep my training sessions very short, and keep them interested by never repeating an exercise more than twice when they are sucessful.

Now, while making dinner during the break I was listening to the disccussion of the tire sniffing and the MH sniffing... Those of you who have dogs ever notice all the tire sniffing that goes on when you come home?

I wonder how Hopi and Cielo's trainer managed to train them not to sniff for dog pee, etc... I would find that very hard to train for, even in my smart Malinois, and wonder if Feldman has thought about that...

Remember the dog in Glamis? Male or female? Did he pee on the tires? Pee on the side of the Motorhome? Does the guy where he stroed the MH have a dog? cats?

[Freedom2specul8]

I swear, it's just a snippet about the history of men's underwear..I would not do that to you ..even you. :)

[theirjustdue]

"The VDs moved (from Arizona) to SD five (5) years ago and moved into their current house in SS Four (4) years ago. Does anyone know where they lived during that one (1) year interval?"

Someone did a great job of tracking their migration, many threads ago and I believe there might have been a brief stopover in Texas, along the way, but I can't say with any certainty.

Perhaps the person that posted that accounting will see this and can clarify it for us.

[Jaded]

Cool. Raimaments is good too.

[Freedom2specul8]

I'm cracking up here... LOL

[shezza]

Just now on Court TV they were discussing the pros. resting its case and what we might expect from the defense. Commercial break: "Momma's got the magic of Clorox bleach."

[Freedom2specul8]

vintageskivvies.com LOL!

[UCANSEE2]

Here is the latest PING list. Please feel free to copy and use this to PING everyone if starting a new thread, or if you have some breaking info on this case.

If you want on the PING list, please PRIVMAIL me and I will add you to it.

I try to catch everyone who asks in a reply, but I might miss those. ANyway, here it is:

UCANSEE2;FresnoDA; Mrs. Liberty; demsux; MizSterious; Jaded; skipjackcity; RnMomof7; spectre; Poohbah; BARLF; Valpal1; FriarTom; DoughtyOne; Amore; Travis McGee; BunnySlippers; Hillary’s Lovely Legs; fivecatsandadog; mommya; Doc Savage; ~kim4vrwc's~; goldenstategirl; Politicalmom; southflanknorthpawsis; Lauratealeaf; mini_teacup;Snow Bunny; Alamo-Girl; Republican Wildcat; Howlin; Fred Mertz; onyx;SusanUSA;MdmKoochie ;Uni-Poster;fnord;Uni-Poster; Registered; TXDeb; tutstar; theirjustdue;notpoliticallycor ewrecked;lady reaper;Beach_Babe;brneyedgirl; wonders; HoHoeHeaux; vacrn; Karson;sbnsd;Rheo;John Jamieson;jacquej;let freedom sing; nycgal; hergus; Hildy; tutstar; ThinkingMan; Amore; Howlin; Mrs.Liberty; rolling_stone; wirestripper; Jhoffa_; GummyIII; Luis Gonzalez; Lanza; sneakypete; Tennessee_Bob; Greg Weston;Shezza;Dudley;Winstar1k;is_is;Wednesday’s Child;Donzerly lights;Mrs.O’Strategery;pinz-n-needlez;Angelique;Jdontom;Nancie;Tiger28;sunshine state;fatima;Henrietta;Blue Screen of Death;pubmom;mickie;Spunky;it’s me;TexKat;gigi;Yeti;alexandria;luv2lurkhere;JudyB1938