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.

[GoldenBear]

I agree with you, we must make sure that those in law enforcement are held criminally responsible when found to be corrupt.

[JudyB1938]

I have a Yahoo email address that I never use. I guess I could use that one. Thanks. (Have you checked your FReepMail?)

[Jaded]

I believe so.

[John Jamieson]

I saw it atleast 3 times this morning on CTV.

[Spunky]

I wonder if that is the video I asked about earlier. The one where she is wearing a white blouse, black pants. Lots of people around. A women walks by and does a double take like what are you doing. (Danielle is running forward to whoever is at the camera.) I thought maybe it was in a mall but a freeper said they thought it was when they went to Disney land.

If this is the video I don't remember her clothes looking dirty, but I will look for that next time.

[JudyB1938]

I had to go back to the post you were answering to see what I'd said. I thought you were saying I'd told a lie. Getting paranoid. ROFL

[GoRepGo]

Dusek really seems lost in his questioning. Think I'll take a nap....

[Rheo]

This might be a still of that "mall" video....looks like a mall or something...(if you can't see the pic...right click on red x and show pic....pics from the site don't stay showing here for some reason.)

[the Deejay]

What if the perpetrator is one's own family member, living in the home?

[John Jamieson]

He's trying to drag this trial out; looking for a break in the case to save his butt.

[cyncooper]

I'm just disagreeing that she looks dirty and unkempt. If she has a stain on her shirt (I have not noticed that) that, too, would be normal for a seven year old. Especially if it is the Disney World video as it makes it more likely they were eating on the go. (I try to get stains out of my daughter's clothes but I will not throw them out if a stain doesn't come out completely)

[Green]

When the prosecution rested their case...didn't the judge say that they may be allowed to call an additional witness due some test results (or something) that had not yet been completed. I wonder if that might be why he seemed to go on and on with some of these witnesses...dragging it out for purposes of still having time to get that other witness on before too late.

[Jrabbit]

They love showing that video. Danielle dancing around and DW's face superimposed with a sneer like look on his face. CTV is not subtle!

[spectre]

Miz..we got to watch our membership in Refugee...I vote, NOOOOO!!! :~)

sw

[UCANSEE2]

What is the first place on a body that an animal normally attacks first? I thought it was the belly.

Score one for JUdyB1938. That would be if there wasn't an area already bleeding at the . But your assumption if basically correct.

[John Jamieson]

Yes, and they still bring on rebuttal witnesses for specific points, but no new subjects.

[Spunky]

...(if you can't see the pic...right click on red x and show pic...

I did what you said above, but still didn't get a picture.

[Rheo]

Here is a first, I believe.. I agree with you :-)..I don't think she looks dirty in the pics either, for a 7 year old.

[JudyB1938]

Nope. Not concerned about band width. Just hoping we can be a little friendlier around here. And I agree with you. If people CAN'T act civilized, they need to go someplace else to do their Snit Dances.

There's some really good input from the people here. I hope they don't get disgusted and leave.

Now, being guilty in this thing myself, I am going to follow my own advice and Let It Go.

Back to the trial. My Real Player won't hold the program, so I have to depend on you guys for what's going on. I refuse to watch CTV.

[cyncooper]

Here is a first, I believe.. I agree with you :-)..

Hehe, thanks Rheo. Hey, it just started RAINING at my house for the first time in over THREE MONTHS. WhooooHooooo