Posted on 03/31/2002 1:52:12 PM PST by FresnoDA
Account set up for Danielle's search still has about $24,000
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By Kristen Green March 24, 2002 As of Friday, more than $33,000 had been donated by people from New Jersey to Oregon. During the search for the 7-year-old, donations totaling more than $10,600 flowed into an account in Danielle's name. And since the discovery of her body in rural East County nearly a month after she was reported missing, an additional $22,800 has been deposited. "We didn't go open an account and ask for money," said family friend Bill Libby, who handled donations for the van Dams. "I opened the account because people wanted to donate money." Initially, the family expected to use the donations to pay for search expenses, like posters and fliers. After Danielle's body was found, the family Web site said additional donations would be used to pay memorial expenses. But Libby said the family's expenses have been limited because of numerous donations, from fliers to cremation fees. So far, the van Dams have spent $4,200 of the donations to buy banners, posters and buttons. And they are writing a $5,000 check to the Laura Recovery Center, which coordinated the search for Danielle.The family hasn't decided how to use the remaining $24,000. "I'm sure in due time that they will turn their attention to the appropriate and productive use of those funds, but right now they're really still dealing with the loss of their daughter," said family spokeswoman Sara Muller Fraunces. Close friends have suggested the van Dams take their time considering how the money will be used. Libby has said the funds could be used to pay for counseling for the family, and the van Dams are considering establishing a local foundation to conduct searches for missing San Diego children. After Danielle's parents realized she wasn't in her bed the morning of Feb. 2, people began donating money to cover search expenses. Libby tried to open an account at Wells Fargo on behalf of the van Dams. But the account had to be set up by a nonprofit organization, and a family friend who attends Community Bible Church in Scripps Ranch asked the pastor if the church would sponsor the account. Even though the van Dams aren't members of his congregation, the Rev. Barry Minkow agreed. Minkow, who was convicted of securities and bank fraud in the late 1980s and served a 71/2-year prison sentence, doesn't have access to the van Dam account, church treasurer Bruce Brown said. Brown said he is the only person who can withdraw money from the account, taking requests for checks directly from Libby, who acts on the van Dams' behalf. |
While it is sop to talk to all the neightbors and people that had been in contact with the VD's, I can speculate when DW's name came up the PD was told more about DW than they were originally about their drug supplier.....LOL......or Barbara......
Kim, that was the first time I have seen those close up enough to actually see them. You would think they have DNA from the fingernail scrapings. If they don't bring that (fingernal scrapings) out at trial, I am going to join the dark side. Cause if she made those marks, it HAS to leave evidence under the fingernails. I don't see anyway around that. If it is there, it's a nail in his coffin. BUT if logically expected evidence is not there, then something is wrong.
I bet the initial interviewing LEO was very interested in those marks too. Love to see those notes!
I tried it on my husband's arm and I could hardly apply any significant pressure with thumb and fingers on top. It was hard to even scrape the surface; let alone dig in.
I also don't think they look like fingernail scratches, period. At best, it seems a child would leave long, thin scrapes rather than holes.
Rape victims = adult Rape victims
Walsh has credibility as an expert too. NAMEC is listed (in many places, like our own local Amber Plan literature)as an LE resource and information clearing house. They are recommended by the FBI to local LE enduring an abduction investigation. The fact is, they can come up with money, manpower, equipment and expertise in a faster time frame than most LE localities have or can afford. AND they do it for free.
Far outshines your own credibility, by far, FDA. You have far more in common with the sensationlist Network newsreaders (Rather, et al) you compared him with, "just a newsreader" he's not.
From pictures and logic, I weigh on the side of the marks being unrelated to anything having to do directly with Danielle. Perhaps time will prove me right or wrong. I'll settle for either one as long as I get an explanation.
Then again.....we may never know. I believe that unless the marks can be traced to hard evidence, the prosecution might not go there.
True, and if no hard evidence isn't produced, I'm wondering if the judge would refer to it in his jury instructions.
Hey, did you read that he requested a speedy trial? Less money spent..and to fast pace it like that..I'd be scared if I were him. I wonder why the defense requested that.
Which "him"? The judge, the prosecutor, DW or Feldman?
Physical Evidence Associated with Fingernails Alan Keel
Ed Blake
Jennifer Mihalovich
Forensic Science Associates
3053 Research Drive
Richmond, CA 94806
A total of 36 cases, examined from 1988 to the present in which fingernail scrapings and/or clippings were submitted as physical evidence were reviewed. Biological materials found associated with fingernails included blood, skin, hair, epithelial cells, and sperm. As much as 1250 ng of DNA was recovered from a fingernail specimen. PCR-based genetic information was obtained from all of eight (100%) scrapings submissions, 20 of 25 (80%) clippings submissions, and three of three (100%) found nail submissions. The five clippings cases in which no typing results were obtained were from PCRs in 1991 or earlier. Failure to obtain results from these specimens likely reflected PCR inhibition. Recently, a complete 10-locus STR profile was obtained from fingernail scrapings that were over 30 years old and stored at room temperature. Of those with typing results, foreign DNA was detected in 13% of the scrapings and in 50% of the clippings submissions. Multiplexed STR analysis (i.e. Profiler Plus) provided highly discriminating foreign DNA profiles in four of four (100%) clippings submissions that were subject to STR analysis.
These successes with biological materials recovered from fingernail scrapings and clippings indicate that clippings from victim fingernails (living or dead) are more likely to yield informative genetic data than are fingernail scrapings. This is so because body fluids such as saliva and semen coat both the top and under surfaces of the nail. Scraping only the under surface fails to adequately capture these dried fluids. Fingernail clippings also allow the scientist more flexibility in specimen sampling. For example, areas of concentrated blood on fingernail clippings can be avoided during sampling. Also, it is impractical to attempt to separate debris scraped from under fingernails that is usually pooled in a bindle or on the same scraping tool. Therefore, we recommend the routine collection of fingernail clippings from both dead and living victims as a more efficient procedure for obtaining fingernail-related evidence.
private & incentives = fast work output
For that reason, I think it may be the prosecution that suffers most from a speedy trial. Their case is complicated and circumstantial.
My guess is that the quick trial benefits DW or at least is expected to do so.
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