Testimony costs flight attendant her job

SignOnSanDiego ^ | July 12, 2002 | Kristen Green

[MizSterious]

Testimony costs flight attendant her job

Airline fires witness for admitting pot use

By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

July 12, 2002

Denise Kemal was fired June 28, more than two weeks after her nationally televised testimony, because the company has a zero-tolerance drug policy.

Losing her job has ruined her life, Kemal said yesterday. "I've always wanted to fly," she said. "It took me years to get my job."

She said she is appealing the dismissal because smoking marijuana "wasn't an everyday thing." While she waits for an answer, Kemal, 28 and recently divorced, watches the Westerfield trial from the couch of her new Florida apartment.

Kemal was called to the witness stand by the prosecution June 10. She was at the van Dam home Feb. 1, the night 7-year-old Danielle van Dam was last seen, and spent the evening with Brenda van Dam, the girl's mother.

The two had become friendly through their husbands, who both work at Qualcomm. A spokeswoman for Southwest confirmed that Kemal had been fired, but declined to elaborate. She said company policy states that the "illegal use of drugs, narcotics or controlled substances off duty and off company premises is not acceptable and may result in termination because it can affect on-the-job performance and the confidence of our customers in the company's ability to meet its responsibilities."

Kemal said she was just answering questions posed to her during Westerfield's trial because "I want to make sure he gets convicted."

"Because of him, it's just ruined everyone's lives," she said.

Kemal testified that she went out with her Tierrasanta neighbor Barbara Easton and Brenda van Dam to Dad's Cafe & Steakhouse in Poway two Fridays in a row, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1. They were celebrating Kemal's upcoming move to Baltimore, where she had been transferred for work.

The second night out, Feb. 1, she was introduced to Westerfield, whom she has described as "creepy." Westerfield is charged with kidnapping and murdering Danielle. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death.

Kemal said the three women first celebrated her move Jan. 25. Kemal and Easton, who lived in the same apartment complex, shared a bottle of wine before driving to the van Dams, Kemal testified. She said she smoked some marijuana in the van Dams' garage before they left for the bar.

The next week, the three women decided to spend that Friday night partying at Dad's again after Damon van Dam canceled plans to go out of town and agreed to stay home with the couple's three children.

On Feb. 1, they smoked pot in the garage a second time, Kemal testified, and she and Easton shared a beer. Later in the evening, they partied at Dad's, where they ran into Westerfield. At one point in the night, they went to van Dam's sport utility vehicle to smoke marijuana again.

Kemal said her supervisors learned that she had smoked pot because customers mailed newspaper articles about her testimony.

She had never had problems at Southwest before the trial, she said. In fact, she regularly received letters of commendation from airline passengers since she was hired in November 1998.

Once, a Texas couple she had met on a flight sent a box of candy to her home. Kemal, in turn, shipped them a set of candles for their living room.

Kemal said that even after Sept. 11, she didn't have any reservations about flying.

"I did it because it's my job, and I love my job," she said. "I get to travel and meet different people. I like to serve the public."

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

To tell you the truth, I wonder if these people have any sort of conscience at all. It seemed like all any of them cared about ultimately was covering his or her own rear end.

I imagine that life has just gone back to normal. I can't understand that, but it would not surprise me. I bet they have continued to swing too.

[spectre]

No ulterior motive... do you really think I am that stupid? Ha!

Start with reading the Preliminary CROSS exam of Brenda by Feldman..where she says "No" and "I can't recall"...to things that have later been proven to the contrary.

You do the footwork, kiddo...I already have.

sw

[spectre]

Well, Miz maybe they did not purchase a costly new home, but it takes time for things to be put into public record. We'll see...sw

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Always the victim. They never see their own personal responsibility in their troubles.

[alexandria]

Thanks. I've only been able to find one warrant on the home phone numbers and it doesn't specify who's number it is. Well, lets see they gave out one of DW's phone numbers, the last four numbers being the same as the last four digits in his SS number. It's somewhere in the computer testimony for the defense, I'll see if I can find it. Where did you get the info on warrant for the phone tap? I couldn't see any referance to that in the warrants I saw posted.

[Lancey Howard]

On Feb. 1, they smoked pot in the garage a second time, Kemal testified, and she and Easton shared a beer. Later in the evening, they partied at Dad's, where they ran into Westerfield. At one point in the night, they went to van Dam's sport utility vehicle to smoke marijuana again.

Maybe she was just trying to loosen herself up for Westerfield's advances.

[the Deejay]

gawd! I wouldn't be able to do anything pertaining to that fateful night, again ever. Including having pizza. I do think you may well be right, they have no consience & are back to doing "whatever" like everything's back to normal.

[the Deejay]

"it takes time for things to be put into public record."


This is true. It usually takes about a month before a property is placed on the county records. I did this recently, to see "who" purchased the house next door. And how much they paid for it. (Hehehehe.)

[rolling_stone]

While you are looking notice how Brenda calls DW "Dave" during her testimony at the PH...

[the Deejay]

omg! I know. I couldn't believe she called him, "Dave." Like they are old friends.

[Freedom2specul8]

I was under the impression that he used his nick name at all times....meaning everyone knew him as dave. Do you think it would have been more appropriate for her to call him "Mr Westerfied"?

[the Deejay]

Who was "loosening up"? Kemal? DW wasn't interested in Duh Knees Kemal. She is "too young" for him. And Barb? Well, that one never needs "lossening up", she's game 24/7.

[spectre]

We do the same..tee-hee..yourself!

PS..hope it was alot more than you figured :~)

sw

[alexandria]

RE: last four digits of one of DW's phones is 5203, I think. Or, it's possible that this was theorized here and I've gotten it mixed up, oh well, if it works it works.

[Freedom2specul8]

One rumor of a lie was the dance with westerfield...the last thing she said was something like "I don't remember"

[the Deejay]

"Do you think it would have been more appropriate for her to call him "Mr Westerfied"?"


You bet. "Dave" made it sound like they are close friends.

[rolling_stone]

I most certainly would have called him "that man" "the defendant" or Mr. Westerfield....I would not have called him only by his first name..at the least David Westerfield, horndog...lol...of course if I knew someone else was guilty I might call him Dave and be cordial...amazing how Damon is now aggresive towards DW but before he wasn't, almost like an actor who was given different instructions after the PH.

[cyncooper]

I never said "extensive cleaning" and you put it in quotes as if I did. I said "self-admitted" meaning DW told the police he took his vacuum and went to do some cleaning. As you point out, even dry-cleaning doesn't remove every piece of stuff that happens to be on it.

[the Deejay]

Hahaha! Yes, it was more than I figured, because it's the smaller home on the block & I have one of the larger single story homes.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

amazing how Damon is now aggresive towards DW but before he wasn't, almost like an actor who was given different instructions after the PH.

Yep.....how fake is that and why does he need to do it ? That's the real question. Why?????