Account for Danielle's search still has $24,000 (What about money promised to Laura Recovery?)

Union Trib ^ | March 31, 2002 | Kristen Green

[FresnoDA]

Account set up for Danielle's search still has about $24,000

Van Dams undecided on how money will be used

By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

March 24, 2002

After Danielle van Dam was abducted from her Sabre Springs home, neighbors, friends and even strangers volunteered to help out. Some put up fliers in storefronts around the county, and others joined the search party. But many also opened their checkbooks.

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.

[Freedom2specul8]

And you should be working for the defense..cuz dang girlfriend, I see you spending little time on DW. LOL

An oldy but a goody He had a REAL bad weekend, getting rejected by a druggie/partier on friday night, getting set up (blood, dna and a handprint) for the murder of a neighbor girl who was found nude, getting caught with his "sons" 60,000+ porn pics, beastiality pics, rape animations and possible less than 100 questionable pics of underage looking girls, paying way too much for his rent-a-room at the beach, getting stuck in the sand, being late for an appt, getting bad scratches on his arm... sweating in front of cops and all (/sarcasm)

[Jaded]

Sorry Kimmie the porn/pedophile angle really doesn't work. The DA used it more to inflame a potential jury and to damage David's character. Everything the DA has is circumstantial. As of the PH, there was NO DNA EVIDENCE placing him in the VD house or Danielle's room. Shrieking about pedophiles isn't going to change that no matter how many pages of statistics you post and or link or how much misinformatio you refer to. I thought Freepers were more objective than that.

[MizSterious]

It's actually quite familiar to Oklahomans, because our D.A. Bob Lacey said some of the same things just before he "retired." It looks like Pfingst hung in there, but it's not over yet--I believe there's another election before this is going to be decided, and he really needs this case to win it. FresnoDA was the first here to point out that there is more riding on this case than guilt or innocence--such as political careers. He was right, too.

[Freedom2specul8]

J, we don't know if there has or has not been evidence found in the vd home, correct? Testimony quoted said the prints found within the home were not identified at the time of the PH. If he left no dna at the home, how does that make him less guilty? Mis Information indeed....let's talk about that. The swingers club fres keeps posting info about....WHERE was it testified to that the VD's were members of that club? And being a professional swinger..where was it testified to? AND...how is that any more or less important than the rape and beastility stuff on dw's puter?

[Freedom2specul8]

oh, and he definitely has damaged character...his highly organized files show that he spent a lot of time keeping his lustful fantasies and desires about rape and beastiality easily fed.

[MizSterious]

Unfortunately, for some, facts are an annoying impediment to the viability of certain dearly-held opinions. One way to handle this untenable situation, apparently, is to flood the thread with irrelevant data dumps.

[Freedom2specul8]

is to flood the thread with irrelevant data dumps.

as someone well knows :)

Ok ok, we all know what someone really wants....and has wanted for a very long time. A neat little packaged thread...one that is highly organized. One that only supports his/her theories and rants with no dissenting opinions, facts or information that counters whatever someone posts. To be held accountable is unnappealing and to actually THINK that there are other view points are just too much to handle for someone who has such tunnel vision. Someone who assumes that everyone else who doesn't follow his/her party line is unable to admit they were wrong is pretty narrow minded and possible reflective of him/herself.

[MizSterious]

".WHERE was it testified to that the VD's were members of that club?"

Kim, use your mind for a change. Refer back to the court transcripts. If you don't have them, go search for them and keep them handy.

The answer to this one is the same one we've given you before, over and over. The defense was not allowed to put on a case. This was a preliminary hearing, NOT a trial. This hearing was to decide if the prosecution had a case. The judge decided they did. So now there will be a trial. With your criminal justice background, I would have thought this one was a no-brainer for you.

"And being a professional swinger..where was it testified to? "

Now THIS one was really good for laughs! What the heck is a "professional swinger" anyway? Who said there was such a thing, and if so, who said the vDs were? Swingers, yes, but professionals? C'mon!

[Freedom2specul8]

Didn't want to make you feel like you were in a tug--o--war game...but you were the rope for sec. LOL I have things to do this morning..will check back in later.

[rolling_stone]

we don't know if there has or has not been evidence found in the vd home, correct? Testimony quoted said the prints found within the home were not identified at the time of the PH. If he left no dna at the home, how does that make him less guilty? Mis Information indeed....let's talk about that.

Well Kim, speaking of Misinformation, the testimony did not say that prints found at VD's was not identified yet, that question was not allowed to be answered.

As far as evidence found in the VD home, yes we don't know that because it was not presented at the PH but blood & fingerprints in the MH was presented. If the DA had evidence why did they hold it back? Was it for publicity reasons, or suspense? They leaked everything else including misinformation prior to the gag order why would they hold back at the PH? I am not saying they don't have more evidence, but asking why would they wait if they do? Headlines?

Why not ask your son/s or other males you know about what they have seen on the net.....

[Freedom2specul8]

Gotta go after this...the testimony did not say that prints found at VD's was not identified yet, that question was not allowed to be answered.

Actually, he probably knew the answer before he asked the question..that's a pretty common tactic.

[rolling_stone]

64,000 "misreported" porn pics, one rape scene and a couple of dozen farm pics that may just be people posed next to animals seems like his highly organized porn pics were lacking in quantity of the sensational material...yep get the rope!

I have pics of scantily clad young ladies next to cars (calendar), does that mean I a)like to have sex with cars, b) like to steal cars c) like to have sex with young ladies d) like to have sex in cars or e) its on the fridge so those skinny models remind me not to eat so much food?...should I see a shrink or can someone help me out here?

[FresnoDA]

Bump...Post #62

[Jaded]

Gee, most people around here want JUSTICE FOR DANIELLE, not a witch hunt. The lynch mobs gathered here and on other forums (ut, websleuths and jamesons) with the rope and scare amounts of evidence calling it mountains.

A number of us, myself included do not see David as having this dramatic change because he was rejected by BvD. The numbers just don't add up with or without the "porn".

A couple of weeks ago I posted information from a friend who is acquainted with the wife of a SDPO. The information was blatantly wrong. I tried to show my friend with a MAP that some of her info was wrong. She wanted no part of it because she had already made up her mind as to his guilt. Sound familiar?

46 days and counting...

[FresnoDA]

SHAKEUP AT SAN DIEGO PD????  What's this all about?????  Certainly dovetails with MizSterious findings about DA's office!!

 

Veteran police officers turn in badges - Retirement benefits too good to ignore

By Joe Hughes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

March 30, 2002

One officer spent more than 40 years with the San Diego Police Department, a record for the agency. Another spent 34 years on the force and oversaw the Danielle van Dam investigation.

In all, eight senior San Diego police officers will be turning in their badges within a week, taking with them about 300 years of experience.

Police officials cannot remember another instance when so many veterans with so much experience left the department at the same time.

More retirements of longtime veterans may soon follow. The reason for the exodus, police say, is an enhanced retirement policy that allows officers to retire with up to 90 percent of their salary after 30 years of service.

"There is some concern because we are losing an awful lot of good people," said Bill Farrar, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association. "You can teach people how to do the job, but so much of it is experience."

Homicide dectective Capt. Roy Newman, right, with Chief David Bejarano leave van Dam home after telling parents the body found Wednesday Feb. 27 was that of their daughter Danielle.(North County Times photo)

Officers who are leaving say the lure of retirement was too strong to ignore.

"I'm going to play golf, spend some time with the grandkids and smell the roses," said Capt. Ronald G. Newman, 60, who left yesterday.

Lt. Richard Bennett, 58, also left yesterday. He has spent more than 40 years with the department, surpassing by 12 days the record for longevity held by Officer George Pringle, who retired in 1936, according to Steve Willard of the San Diego Police Historical Association.

A graduate of Mission Bay High School, Bennett said he made his move into law enforcement through journalism.

During a high school journalism class, he was assigned to do a story on a now-defunct police cadet program. As part of the story, he applied to become a cadet and was accepted at the age of 18.

He later became a sworn officer.

"I never dreamed I'd be here 40 years," said Bennett, a supervisor in the narcotics division. "It's been a great ride."

Newman headed the Danielle van Dam case and has been involved with more than 900 homicide cases during his tenure. The soft-spoken, Hoover High School graduate who now lives in Escondido also has been the department's spokesman in explaining the recent rash of officer-involved shootings.

He never shot anyone in his career. Last month, however, he had his gun in hand in the middle of a busy downtown freeway, facing an ex-con begging him to shoot. The matter was resolved peacefully.

Co-workers said Newman's forte was getting homicide suspects to talk. He became one of the best in the business at obtaining confessions.

"About 80 percent of all homicide suspects give incriminating statements during police interviews," Newman said. He would use those statements to get suspects to divulge more information.

Newman's peers said the veteran detective's secret was his compassionate personality. Simply put, he got criminals to relax.

Newman said his approach invokes common sense.

"People would be surprised at the number of times just getting someone a cup of coffee brings results; it's more difficult for you to turn down someone who is decent to you."

Others retiring are Lt. Bill Hoover, 58, who spent 34 years on the force; Sgt. Wesley Ashcraft, 60, who spent 33 years on the force; Detective Phil Cooper, 60, who spent 35 years on the force; Detective Gary Reichle, 56, who spent 34 years on the force; Detective Eduardo Medina, 57, who spent 29 years on the force; and Gary Yoshonis, 59, who spent 35 years on the force.

[Freedom2specul8]

I'll pop in and out--in between my other stuff.

I refer you to this thread..it also has fres's transcripts..I think there are at least 3-4 articles discussing 60,000+ pics. Where is the misreporting...show me the corrections because if that is the case, I need to add that thread or whatever to my links..BTW, he could have easily worn gloves in the vd home when she was kidnapped.

Court Testimony: DNA, fingerprints from motor home link Westerfield to Danielle

Quotes from the thread

"Graham said he obtained full handprints from the hands of Danielle's body, which though mummified when found were rehydrated with embalming fluid following an autopsy Feb. 28. Fingerprints taken from the motor home matched those prints, Graham said.

Annette Peer, a police DNA analyst, said DNA from a bloodstain taken from the carpet in the motor home and more taken from a bloodstain on a jacket Westerfield left at a dry cleaner Feb. 4 matched that of a yellowish stain on underwear taken from Danielle's bedroom. "

Remember, they found and copied the harddrives of what 3 jor 4 computers..
A police computer specialist testified that some 64,000 pornographic images and 2,200 MPEG-format videos were found on computers and computer disks taken from Westerfield's home.

Detective James M. Watkins, a computer forensic examiner for San Diego police, said some of the sexually explicit images portrayed bestiality, bondage and what appeared to be underage females. Watkins estimated the number of pornographic images involving minors at fewer than 100. "

[10:36] girls under age of 18 appear to be in sexual photos
[10:36] yes, in sexual acts
[10:36] humans, female, fairly young, engaged in sexual activities and photos
[10:36] 4 pages animals
[10:36] annimation photos
[10:36] a series of animations, with a dialog
[10:37] rest of the pages - girls under 18 - sexually explicit poses
[10:37] appears to be young Female, bound by rope
[10:37] hands behind back
[10:37] drawings with dialog -
[10:37] hands above head in series, bound by leather strap, dress being pulled up

Detective James Watkins testified he copied the hard drives of four computers and the contents of a "Palm Pilot" device in Westerfield's home three days after van Dam was reported missing. Investigators also seized three CD-ROMs and two "zip" disks, he said. ,

A total of 64,000 images were found in "very highly organized" files, Watkins said.

"Overall, there were thousands of pictures," Watkins said, but of "a questionable nature there were less than a hundred

[MizSterious]

"Someone" here has posted:

"He had a REAL bad weekend, getting rejected by a druggie/partier on friday night, getting set up (blood, dna and a handprint) for the murder of a neighbor girl who was found nude, getting caught with his "sons" 60,000+ porn pics, beastiality pics, rape animations and possible less than 100 questionable pics of underage looking girls, paying way too much for his rent-a-room at the beach, getting stuck in the sand, being late for an appt, getting bad scratches on his arm... sweating in front of cops and all"

Well, first of all, it repeats a lot of informatin we now know to be patently untrue (but what the heck, it bolsters "someone's" opinion so throw it in), but even if we don't consider those, ahem, misstatements, one would have to presume that we should hang everyone who:

1. Overpays for a room (I thought he rented a camping spot, but I'll let that one pass)
2. Has 100 or fewer porn images on their computer
3. Gets stuck in the sand
4. Is late for an appointment
5. Perspires

And someone else here often claims that having any pictures whatsoever of children can be a sign of pedophilia. Proof of guilt becomes easier every day, doesn't it?

[Freedom2specul8]

I AGREE with you, not everyone is on a witch hunt....look at this post
Why parents kill or something like that. It wasn't about the VD's..but hmmm, strangely it looks like that. I do remember the map situation... I know it's not a perfect world..and we can find situations where the media publishes errors. If the errors can be proven, I just want to know the source that makes the corrections.

[Valpal1]

< but why a major PR firm would accept such an assignment.

Because QWEST asked them to, and they are Damon's employer.

[MizSterious]

Kim, you make our argument for us. Thank you.

A total of 64,000 images were found in "very highly organized" files, Watkins said.

"Overall, there were thousands of pictures," Watkins said, but of "a questionable nature there were less than a hundred."

For the record, the word "images" means just pictures, not porn pictures. In all likelihood, everyone here has at least 64,000 "images" on their hard drives. I'm as concerned as anyone else about the 100 "questionables." The media is, like you, loathe to give up on the 64,000 (some have it even higher) "porn images" but the actual testimony shows far less. If we want to get at the truth of this story, we really have to quit repeating the lies.