Police tried to talk with Westerfield without his attorney! (Big No No!!) van Dam Case Update

KNSD NBC ^ | March 6, 2002 | KNSD NBC

[MizSterious]

Very little in that essay makes any sense, yet it is the story we're supposed to believe.

[It's me]

One more thing, the police also said there were Westerfield's fingerprints in Danielle's bedroom.

That, I believe, is not true. I have been watching this very closely (I live within a few miles from the VD's). I have never heard about a fingerprint of Westerfield's in Danielle's room. Unless, this is a brand new "leak".

[rolling_stone]

Now with no sexual assault, and no apparent cause of death, where did the blood come from and what is the REAL motive, since apparently it is not sex...?

[spectre]

KABC-TV and the Associated Press 03/05/02 GRAND TERRACE

San Bernardino County sheriff's officials say a seven-year-old girl kidnapped from her bedroom early this morning escaped by jumping from her abductor's car when he stopped to look for his lost wallet. Sheriff's spokesman Chip Patterson says police found a wallet in front of the girl's Grand Terrace home and waited for the suspect at the address on his driver's license.

Dennis Martin Castro was taken into custody after three hours after the 3:30 am abduction. Patterson says the girl "is unharmed, aside from being frightened."

The kidnapping occurred a little more than a month after another seven-year-old girl, Danielle van Dam, was reported missing from her San Diego bedroom. Her body was found last week and a neighbor has been charged with her murder.

Hummmmm? Copycat?

sw

[It's me]

"I absolutely cannot understand why Westerfield would consent to having his home and belongings searched when he knew there was all that evidence there (porn,blood,etc). It doesn't make sense! Can he be that stupid?"

This has bothered me, too. For such a highly regarded inventor who some have called a "genius," this is really some low-wattage thinking. Why? Stress maybe? Or something else?

Oh, I don't know, innocence maybe? Just a thought...

[scholar]

San Bernardino County sheriff's officials say a seven-year-old girl kidnapped from her bedroom early this morning...

Any information re this abduction?--this little girl was apparently awake and capable of escaping her abductor when the opportunity presented itself, so I am curious how this little one was removed from her home without arousing the parents.

Would appreciate any available links.

[MizSterious]

Uncanny, isn't it? It might bear no relationship to the van Dam case, but how ODD to see two such similar cases, so close together.

[FresnoDA]

Police Acted Inappropriately Toward Westerfield

Detectives Attempted To Visit Suspect In Jail

Posted: 8:17 a.m. PST March 7, 2002
Updated: 9:03 a.m. PST March 7, 2002

SAN DIEGO -- Two San Diego police detectives who attempted to visit accused child killer David Westerfield in his jail cell one day after his alleged victim's body was found acted inappropriately, a police captain said.

"I have confirmed that that did happen," Capt. Ron Newman said.

Given the fact Westerfield is represented by counsel, "I question the appropriateness of it," he said.

"I'm sure the detectives felt that it was the appropriate thing to do, given the set of circumstances they were under," he said. "But we will be handling that internally. So it's not something that we would normally do. In fact, we should not be doing it, frankly."

Newman said Westerfield, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering Sabre Springs 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, refused to talk to the detectives on Feb. 28, then called his attorney to report the attempted questioning.

In a motion filed in Superior Court following the attempted visit, defense attorney Steven Feldman asked a judge to issue an order prohibiting law enforcement from contacting Westerfield except through counsel.

Feldman said that the actions of the detectives was improper since they knew Westerfield had retained legal representation.

"This court has a duty to protect Mr. Westerfield from police misconduct, especially when it is put on notice that misconduct has occurred," Feldman wrote.

A hearing is scheduled Friday on Feldman's renewed request for a gag order in the case. A preliminary hearing is set for Monday.

Westerfield, 50, is charged with murder, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography in connection with the death of the second-grader.

---

The actions of SDPD will most likely swing the gag order decision in DW/Feldman's favor......

[rolling_stone]

Uh don't try to fool people by using common sense and logic, and remember investigators are supposed to collect facts not make them.../sarcasm>

[spectre]

I got it off the forum websleuths.com. It's a good read. I printed it out and typed it, since I am WebTV deprived to link.

I realize it is a monkey wrench in the scenerio we have all been looking into, but they MUST be looking into this Castro fellow throughly, and it is possible neither the van Dams nor Westerfield had anything to do with Danielle's murder, just happened to all be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was from KABC-TV and the AP, according to the article.

sw

[FresnoDA]

Seven-Year-Old Girl Escapes Kidnapper in Grand Terrace: (Eerie similarity to Van Dam Case)

[asformeandformyhouse]

Looks like these guys are as incompetent as the FBI. Just the latest in a long line of police screw-ups. If this guy walks, the cops should be shot.

[rolling_stone]

The actions of SDPD will most likely swing the gag order decision in DW/Feldman's favor......

Excellent point..notice the police in the photo, one is young and the other should be cited by the fashion police...nice yellow tie!

[FresnoDA]

Fashion Police violation, agreed......LOL

[Amore]

The articles about the DA are very interesting, and indicate that a good house cleaning is necessary. Pfingst obviously isn't doing a very good job and has lost the confidence of many. Having said that, I'm about to head over to the other side with Greg & Luis & Kim & Val. I have never seen such wild speculation in my life. It's a defense attorney's dream. Anyone can pick holes in anything, and y'all have certainly done that. If someone here isn't already on the defense's payroll, several of you ought to be.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I'm still hung up on the DA thing. If it's true that Pfingst is prone to move tough cases out of the county, it is very significant.

He got his arrest and then fed an unusual amount of "information" to the public. There was a powerful attempt to firmly establish DW's guilt in the public mind and rapid fire clearing of anyone else.

If the case is moved to another county and there is a failure in getting a conviction, Pfingst can claim little responsibility.

[rolling_stone]

IMO, no he isn't trying to get it moved, wait till he decides to try the case himself...LOL...

[nicmarlo]

No, not new. I read it on one of the posted articles, last week. I don't recall the date of the article, but it was in the article----not someone's ideas about the article. I will try to find it, unless FresnoDA finds it first.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If someone here isn't already on the defense's payroll, several of you ought to be.

Funny that you should say that.

I find myself in a position that I have never been before. I am so pro prosecution and have such intense dislike for defenders.

That said, I feel like I am looking at an innocent man when I see Westerfield's face. I can't explain it but it is supported by all the bizarre twists and turns in what we have witnessed thus far.

Many people have talked about a gut feeling and I have to say that is what I feel too. Time may change my mind but if there is not a lot more evidence than it appears right now, I'm leaning toward thinking DW is not guilty.

I am shocked at myself for the way this case has affected me; not my normal reaction.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

wait till he decides to try the case himself...LOL...

That would be the icing on the cake, wouldn't it?