BREAKING: BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH WESTERFIELD: (Modern Day Westside Story?)7-9-02 Trial Watch

KFMB ^ | July 9, 2002 | KFMB

[FresnoDA]

WITNESSES SAY BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH DAVID WESTERFIELD

(07-08-2002) - Three defense witnesses testified Monday that Brenda van Dam and David Westerfield, the man accused of murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, danced together the night before the girl was discovered missing.

"Mr. Westerfield and Mrs. van Dam were dancing," said Patricia LePage, describing the scene at Dad's Cafe and Steakhouse the night of Feb. 1.

Since the prosecution introduced hair and fibers found at the defendant's house and motorhome, the defense has tried to show the evidence could have been transferred in some other way, such as dancing.

The 50-year-old defendant would face the death penalty if convicted of kidnapping and killing Danielle van Dam, who lived two houses away in Sabre Springs. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

In testimony near the beginning of the trial, Brenda van Dam told the court she did not dance with Westerfield.

But LePage said van Dam rubbed her hips and chest against Westerfield during several dances together, recalling the movie "Dirty Dancing." That was just part of what LePage described as "frisky" behavior exhibited by van Dam that night.

LePage said she was in a smoking lounge at Dad's with her daughter, Cherokee Youngs, when van Dam came in and struck up a conversation with the younger woman.

"Well, she did ask my daughter if she liked girls," LePage said when asked to describe the conversation. Van Dam, she said, asked Youngs if she wanted to come to her house for a party later that night.

Youngs testified about the encounter last week.

Duane Blake, a fisherman who said he goes to Dad's a couple times a week, said he caught a glimpse of the defendant dancing with van Dam.

Blake confirmed an interview with the District Attorney's Office, in which he described their dancing as, "huggy, huggy." He testified he even thought Westerfield might be trying to pick up on van Dam.

Earlier Monday, another woman testified she saw Westerfield dance with Danielle's mother.

Glennie Nasland, who began her testimony last week, said she was on the dance floor and saw the pair turn toward each other while dancing with other people.

Nasland, who described herself as a friend of Westerfield, said she watched them for 20 seconds before they turned away again.

In other testimony Monday, Dave Laspisa said that going to the desert to look for friends, and without bringing an all-terrain vehicle, was not an unusual activity for Westerfield.

The witness, a self-employed Poway man, said he's known the defendant for 15 years and has camped with him near the Imperial County community of Glamis for 10 years.

The witness was one of several people who testified as the defense began to move away from what happened at a Poway night spot the night before Danielle was discovered missing Feb. 2 to Westerfield's weekend wanderings.

Westerfield's attorney, Steven Feldman asked Laspisa to explain why someone would avoid Interstate 8 while taking a motorhome to the desert. Laspisa said high winds and black ice were common on that route, which traverses altitudes over 4,000 feet.

Heather Mack, a security guard at Coronado Cays, testified that she saw Westerfield drive his motorhome into the exclusive neighborhood in the afternoon or evening hours of Feb. 3.

Mack said Westerfield smiled and waved at her as he drove past her security kiosk, but she never saw him again.

The witness told Dusek that she originally told a police officer that she "vaguely remembered" seeing the defendant's recreational vehicle.

Glen Seebruch, an engineering manager at Nokia, testified earlier that Westerfield called him the morning of Feb. 1 and told him he planned to go to the desert that weekend.

Feldman, told Judge William Mudd that his case may be completed by the end of the week.

Insect expert David Faulkner is expected to testify about how long the victim's body may have been in the East County before volunteer searchers found it on Feb. 27.

Feldman has said Westerfield would have had no opportunity to dispose of the body because he was under constant police surveillance from Feb. 4 until his arrest Feb. 22.

[irgbar-man]

I'm not sure, I'll have to dig WAAAAAY back to early reports from back in February to get the church's name ...

Wasn't the converted flim-flam man Barry Somebody (From ZZZ Best Carpet Service) shilling for the VD's? I have a vague memory - is it associated with this case.
Sorry if this has been covered; I am about 2 hours behind in reading threads.

[GoldenBear]

I am not able to listen to the arguments, but the hearsay rule on this point is fairly straight forward (for the most part the hearsay rule is a way for lawyers to make things more difficult)"A statement is not hearsay if the declarant testifies at the trial and is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement, and the statement is (a) inconsistent with testimony, or (b) consistent with testimony and is offered to rebut a charge or allegation against him etc." Does that help?

[Jrabbit]

I was looking at him yesterday during the trial and all I could think of was "The Twilight Zone." Everything seems upside down and sideways. The people that Danielle lived with and the people she was exposed to because of her parents lifestyle choices were passed over in order to get DW. I want to know why. So far, DW gave consistent statements, the party people can't seem to get their stories straight. This whole sham of a trial just stinks. IMO.

[Spunky]

Susan L. Westerfields ex-girlfriend has reportablely been seen to be in the hallway. She is the mother of Christina Gonzales, and Danielle L. (whose photo Westerfield has of her in a bikini) She may be the next witness.

[John Jamieson]

Too valuable as a possible mystery perp.

Remember this is the woman Brenda was afraid of and said "keep her away from Danielle". She's been cast as a far more likely sexual preditor than DW.

The jury's watching!

[jacquej]

I suppose it is important to stay close to the fence until the prosecution has rested it's case, in the event a piece of evidence comes forth that we have not yet heard, but if not, then I have an idea.

Someone who hass a paypal account could set up a fund to help Westerfield with his legal bills, and to get his life restarted. We could all contibute according to our means, and those of us who are fed up with JimRob's bannings, the pulled threads singling out those not guilty of starting snit-fights, etc., could donate to this worthy cause instead.

But, we should wait until all the evidence is heard, and the verdict is read. And, any of you who now think this man is being railroaded, as I do, please speak up. Some here have decided this guy is nothing short of Darth Vader, and I do not get it.

Middle-aged bachelors who have their squalling infant stage in the past jusually are not willing to take in needy daughters of girlfriends, especially when they work at home. This man is truly nice, and will put himself out to help someone, even if it is a major inconvenience.

[Phyllis]

Just read post #149, but don't see it that way.
I think FDA is the gold standard on how to "smoke-'em-out". He is the best!
There are many things not right with this trial. A strong antidote to the media's spin is necessary. He does that with good humor, but dead serious intent. Some might say it's shocking -- but he gets your attention. It's a comfort to me to know there are good souls such as he out there in cyberland. I'll bet Danielle is up above saying, "Go, Fresno, go!"

[Jrabbit]

Good info. Thanks. All I have is CTV today with Nancy disGrace and Lisa Bloomingidiot!

[Rheo]

Yes, thank you.

[Spunky]

The people that Danielle lived with and the people she was exposed to because of her parents lifestyle choices were passed over in order to get DW. I want to know why.

Probably because the VanDam's have a swingers address book,(with law enforcement in it) just like Heidi Fliess (sp)had an address book of clients.

[jacquej]

Spunky, I am the last person to defend the horrible behavior of the VDs', but didn't I hear somewhere they were fairly new to the swinging lifestyle?

I do not know what "fairly new" means, but if it means within the last year or so, how could they get hooked up with LE so quickly?

Just wondering...

[irgbar-man]

Thank you for posting that. [full reverse lunch]

[Jaded]

Another great post from you. I'm sure some of the posts today would be of great comfort to his family, would that they could troll the internet.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

One quick invite to off duty cops at Dad's some Friday night would do the trick.

[JudyB1938]

I agree that if the man is not guilty that financial help would be in order. However, I think that's against the rules of this forum. It would probably have to be done offsite.

As far as the being "fairly new" to the lifestyle ... BULL! They are merely parsing words. Remember when that skank Brenda testified they'd switched partners three years ago.

[Spunky]

I am not sure how long they have been into swinging. But I do not think it would take to long to find like minded people. Especially at bars.

[crystalk]

My own feeling is that if Danielle was ever in DW's motor home after 4 pm on the Friday, it was because she had entered there to stow away, take refuge, or play.

I further think she had played in there a number of times before, as she had in his entire home on one or more occasions. I doubt that her parents were entirely unaware of any of this.

I would like to hear the VD's deny that Danielle had ever been on a camping trip with DW in his motor home. The Defense is unlikely to bring any such thing out needless to say, for it might give rise to the suggestion that DW WAS in fact a pedophile.

What are we then to say of Damon VD, however, who surely must be the main reason for a 7-year-old girl not to be a virgin.

[JudyB1938]

Correction ... I meant that Kemal gal. She's the one who testified that.

Is there a picture of her husband? I think she and DVD look alike. I was wondering if the husband and Brenda look alike.

[jacquej]

Well, if the time comes, and it seems to be needed, I know just the offsite to go to... the FR refugee board.


It is a flame-free site, with none of the sniping and personal innuendoes that get slung around on the Westerfield threads... We all respect each other over there, and while we may have different takes on the evidence, we do not play "junior-high" schoolyard games.

[JudyB1938]

I think I went over there once, but the requested information was too invasive for me. Might have been another site though. Not sure.