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.

[Rheo]

He's not an attorney..a builder or something, I think

[John Jamieson]

You may be right! I looked up the definition and "a sexual interest in child" is all it requires. I suspect the legal definition requires action though.

The child porn was mostly stored, not in his computer, but in an evelope on the shelf or in the son's computer. We don't know that he ever even looked at it.

If he is a confirmed pedofile (much more evidence needed to prove that I would think), that would put him in the group of convicted sexual offenders in the area. It wouldn't really single him out.

[Freedom2specul8]

So every married man or woman that LOOKS at porn is guilty of adultery?

lusting is a sin but that's another topic of discussion...

[MizSterious]

And, I hate to say it, but it's true--pretty much disliked by almost everyone. It's up to 57 now on the Refugee site, and everyone says they're there for the same reason.

[Freedom2specul8]

WHoops, this as to you ucan..sorry momo

So every married man or woman that LOOKS at porn is guilty of adultery?

lusting is a sin but that's another topic of discussion...

[Rheo]

How's your migraine?....hope you are feeling better!!

[spectre]

Well, I'd like to know if the child porn was labeled as such, separate from the rest. It could have been "downloaded" from a porno site, that threw in a different mixture and variety of porn...to include the kiddie porn and beastiality.

What I am suggesting, is that perhaps DW didn't even know what was on the disks?

sw

[UCANSEE2]

So every married man or woman that LOOKS at porn is guilty of adultery?

To be fair, she did say CP (Child Porn).

But even there, she is making the leap that many others want to make.

Was it on his computer, or was it on CD's or Zipdisks. (this has all been completely listed in court transcripts, and on these threads. But, the ANTI-DW crowd does not want to know where it was, if he ever viewed it, or anything. They just want the words CHILD PORN on HIS COMPUTER to be put in the San Diego Tribune or on CTV and they will gobble that up forever.

Even if it is true that he viewed the MOVIE fILE that was shown in court, that is a possible LINK to MOTIVE.

But they would willingly ignore any facts or reality to jump on this bandwagon.

Is he guilty of possession of CHILD PORN? (Anyone, please, answer this)

She thinks so, and has convicted him, like many others, of it already. TO HELL with the COURTS, it is what overemotional Soccer moms believe that counts.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

It's up to 57 now on the Refugee site, and everyone says they're there for the same reason.

Wow......that says a lot.

I really need to try to get there more often. I know it's a very good place to discuss the trial, but I find I barely have time to keep up here. :(

[Rheo]

If it had been seperated out, I think the prosecution would have made that issue clear...they didn't.

Still wonder why Det. Armstrong said no prepubescent kids in the 68,000 (# mentioned at PH) images?

[RnMomof7]

I would not be surprised if he did ..is it not true that the cross can only be on what was covered in the original exam?

What if the defense asked only one question "Did you kill DVD?" thats it..

[John Jamieson]

It's very likely that the disks were not even created on his computers. LE tried but could not tie them together.

Often whole directories are zipped together for downloading. Already named.

[MizSterious]

Yes, and I wonder why the prosecution didn't call Armstrong as a witness--NOT!

[ethical]

do they think the dog hairs came off of daniel or off the dog? If the dog then what the heck was the vd's dog doing in dw's MH? If off of daniel, can a kid carry that much dog hair?

[MizSterious]

And remember, they meticulously avoided fingerprinting the disks and cases. Maybe it's because someone gave them to DW? Maybe revealing who it was that gave them to DW would ruin their fine case (and the DA's reelection plans)?

[Rheo]

Don't you find it odd that Feldman had Keene go thru his notes and he finds this info in the notes that is different from everything reported or testified to so far??..regarding DW not being able to find Garry's number on his computer.

[UCANSEE2]

Another thing. Many women side with Brenda, and have feelings of sympathy and that is normal. As a mother, they can not help it.

But, this picture of Brenda as the GIRL SCOUT COOKIE MOM is all a bunch of PR HYPE.

Sure, Brenda made cookies. It was the one thing she could do that didn't interfere with her activities. She was unemployed, so she was home anytime she wanted and had plenty of time to make the cookies. For those that don't believe me, think about this. A GIRL SCOUT MOM would MAKE their daughter WEAR her GIRL SCOUT UNIFORM while selling/delivering cookies. IT's THE RULES!

Did Danielle wear her UNIFORM? (anyone...... )

Mom did what was convenient to make herself look good. It is becoming glaringly obvious that Brenda didn't really pay much attention to the kids. That Danielle and the boys ran wild.

Even so, I will give her a break. She is not the perfect mom. But she was a mom. She had her own selfish interests at heart, and now she has to live with that.

They have a saying, "The worst thing that can happen to us, is that we get exactly what we deserve". Maybe Brenda got hers.

[Rheo]

Weren't the dog hairs from dw's house, not the MH?...I can't remember now.

[MizSterious]

I was away when that testimony came on--but yes, I find it very odd. To put it politely.

[John Jamieson]

Is he guilty of possession of CHILD PORN?

Probably, until somebody reads the the Supreme Court ruling made after he was arrested, that says most child porn is not illegal.

He would get....what 200 hours community service for that alone?