Damon Van Dam Testifies Tearfully, Fends Off Lifestyle Attack:Day 3 of Westerfield Trial

CourtTV ^ | June 6, 2002 | CourtTV

[FresnoDA]

DAY 3: Westerfield On Trial

[ThinkingMan]

day 3 ping

[spectre]

Good morning fellow *Infidels*...

JHP, it's a good thing Judge Mudd gave instructions to the Jury to not only pay attention to the testimony, but to the body language, as well.

Court TV should start their trial RERUNS at about 8am this morning, CST.

sw

[Freedom2specul8]

Thanks for the heads up thinkingman!

DAY 3..PING

[Freedom2specul8]

Excellent: click to see the trail DW took in his RV....

[MizSterious]

"I am astounded that parents of other children come to these folks defense so easily. All the concern seems to be about "their" loss. Pardon me, but my concern was for the little girl who was placed in harms way and paid the ultimate price. To hell with the parents. "

D1, that is so well-stated that I just had to come out of lurk-mode and applaud your courage in saying it. But it's the truth! The absolute truth. And certain members here now can no longer hide behind the "well, we don't know that they were swingers..." excuse. The lead-swinger, the grand poohbah of the swingers himself just said so.

I also do not understand the people who say, "they didn't 'deserve' to lose their daughter." Actually, they did. The daughter--and both young sons--should have been removed from the home long ago by the authorities.

It's the daughter, though, that didn't deserve the life she had, nor the death she suffered.

[Freedom2specul8]

day 1: recap
day 2: recap

[MizSterious]

"Detailed shot of Bedroom"

How on earth is the prosecution going to make the case that Westerfield was hiding in that closet? He'd have had a better chance of hiding under the rug! And--did anyone see a HAMPER? I ask because of certain arguments that the transcripts "meant" something other than what they said, about where the undies were found. (Transcript: "in the dresser"; Freeper: "must have meant the hamper")

And Fresno, I'd like to thank you for doing the work you do on these threads--despite all the messenger-shooting and general carping. It can't have been easy.

[Amore]

Miz, I was watching the beginning of the CTV showing of Damon's testimony (I think a lot of this is being shown on CTV for the first time at least on the East Coast), and boy, it's bad, though we knew it had to be there. Once he was on the stand and couldn't ignore a direct question any more, out it came. Anyway, I read the middle of your post, without knowing it was yours, and found myself just nodding in agreement,

I also do not understand the people who say, "they didn't 'deserve' to lose their daughter." Actually, they did. . . . It's the daughter, though, that didn't deserve the life she had, nor the death she suffered.

So true. Danielle herself did not deserve what happened.

[MizSterious]

From Rick Roberts' page:

Who's Who In The Westerfield Trial

Danielle Van Dam: 7-year old daughter of Brenda and Damon Van Dam. She was kidnapped from her home and murdered, allegedly by David Westerfield, on or around Feb. 1, 2002. Her body was found beneath a tree off the side of Dehesa Road, just east of El Cajon, on Feb. 27, 2002. Jeff Dusek: Deputy District Attorney leading the State's prosecution of David Westerfield. George "Woody" Clarke: Assistant DA, and DNA expert. He is Dusek's second chair. Steve Feldman: Defense attorney representing David Westerfield. Robert Boyce: Defense attorney, Feldman's second chair. David Alan Westerfield: the 50-year old neighbor of the Van Dams. He is charged with Murder with Special Circumstances, Kidnapping, and Possession of Child Pornography. The "Special Circumstances" charge reflect murder in the commission of a kidnapping. If Westerfield is found guilty of murder with special circumstance, he will face life in prison or the death penalty. Brenda Van Dam: Danielle's mother and Damon's wife. Peter Damon Van Dam: Called by his middle name, Damon is Danielle's father and Brenda's husband. Barbara Easton: Alleged "intimate" friend of both Brenda and Damon Van Dam. She at Dad's with Brenda and Denise Kemel on Friday, Jan. 25, and with them and Keith Stone, and Rich Brady at Dad's on Feb. 1, 2002. Denise Kemel: Close friend of both Brenda and Damon Van Dam. She was at Dad's with Brenda and Barbara Easton on Friday, Jan. 25, and with them and Keith Stone and Rich Brady at Dad's on Feb. 1, 2002. Rich Brady: Friend of both Brenda and Damon Van Dam. He was at Dad's with Brenda, Barbara Easton, Denise Kemel and Keith Stone on Feb. 1, 2002. He supplied Brenda with marijuana. Keith Stone: Friend of both Brenda and Damon Van Dam. He was at Dad's with Brenda, Barbara Easton, Denise Kemel and Rich Brady on Feb. 1, 2002. Dan Conklin: Glamis tow truck driver who pulled Westerfield's RV out of the sand on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2002. Judge Mudd: Presiding judge in the capitol murder case against David Westerfield. Julie Hennis: A stay-at-home-Mom and across-the-street neighbor of the Van Dams. Karsten Hiemburger: Volunteer searcher for Danielle. He was with Chris Morgan when he found Danielle's body. He took photographs of the body and later turned them over to the DA's Office. Chris Morgan: Volunteer searcher for Danielle, who found the body of Danielle just off of Dehesa Road on Feb. 27. Erin Miller Supervisor for Club Sycuan at Sycuan Casino. She testified that Westerfield had, on Oct. 1, 2001, signed up for a Club Sycuan card, proving that he was familiar with the area in which Danielle's body was found. Larry Alston Sheriff Patrol Deputy and first officer on the scene when Danielle's body was found at Dehesa Road.

[Freedom2specul8]

Thank you for sharing your heartfelt post. As for myself, I've said all along, that all I wanted to do was wait and see if what RR said proved to be true in trial..I don't care about the vd's being "outted"....as much as I've ALWAYS cared about the fact as parents of a murdered child were getting attacked. Just because I didn't join the "vd's are disgusting bandwagon" doesn't mean that I was defending them. We didn't know at the time if what RR was reporting was true. OTOH, I also felt that entirely too much devotion was given to this topic.

I have to quote myself from a freepmail I just wrote. It saves time and fingers....

"There is no one that can disagree with your comments about the VD's. Their "private" behaviour is disgusting and filthy... but even more, they've brought on way too much publicity, thereby distracting from the actual problem. Does this mean we need govt in the bedrooms of US citizens? Does this mean the US will now make laws against extra-marital affairs? Does this mean it will now be a crime?

On the other hand, the images on DW's computer are IMHO worse...the rape scene of the little girl was real and disgusting....a child was harmed and all people can talk about is brenda watching her husband have consensual legal sex w/a 3rd party "

Doughty, do I fault people for wanting to focus on their consensual sex lives? NO...the parents have been proven in trial to be morally bankrupt, disgusting and are bad role models.

Do I find it distressing that at the present time (at least for some) it outweighs the evidence being collected from DW's property..I'm not sure. It's bothersome..but not distressing. This is the beginning of the trial, and I'm confident that as time goes on, more evidence will be revealed, and I'm sure the focus, at least on FR will be on the evidence that is collected... Remember, the gag order prevented the media from getting many details...so as time goes on..we may find out that the evidence collected in the VD home may be worse than expected. I think the gag order prevented it from being revealed.

You asked What does a child think when they find dad kissing a woman other this their mother? Do they think that it's okay because they've grown up seeing that over and over?, I too am curious as to if they've ever gotten "caught" doing any of the admitted behaviours by the kids..

[Amore]

Oh, and just went back and read the start of your post. Maybe I've missed it, but HAS anyone ever said, "ok, you guys, you were right & I was wrong about the swinging, now let's move on"? Some, and again, Kim, I'd ping you to this thread if I could type your name, but some (not just Kim) have been defending the VDs for months with arguments like how the VD's (themselves!) didn't deny the swinging allegations on Larry King because they didn't want to dignify it with an answer. Oh, please!

If I'm wrong, I'll admit it. I've done it before here and will most likely have to do so again. I recommend such an action, it does a lot to keep anger from escalating. Well, hopefully that will be my "can't we all just get along" bromide for the day.

[MizSterious]

"Danielle herself did not deserve what happened."

This is the one thought we should all keep as we watch what goes on in this trial. I was actually surprised that this testimony was allowed--I had thought the judge would not allow it. I'm glad he did. Someone--is it John Jamieson?--has wisely said, what's worse, someone looking at pornography, or someone living it? I would only add--and living it with children present to watch. We can pray it was only watching, but the vDs are so depraved, I would not say that for certain.

[MizSterious]

Not to my knowledge, Amore. In fact, all I see are denials that such things were ever said. However, I do have a fairly good supply of posts that prove otherwise--don't see much point in posting them, though, since we all know what was said and by whom.

[Amore]

One more -- quick question, please. Is it really the prosecution's theory that DW was hiding in her closet? Good grief! I know that theory has been talked about endlessly here, but I really never thought that was the prosecution's official version of events.

[Amore]

Ok, I know you've been at FR far longer than I, but are you sure you aren't Frez in disguise? You sure sound like him. :- )

[Freedom2specul8]

Amore, I never said they didn't do it, I said it was a rumor started by a talk show host. I said I hope that the allegations prove to be untrue. I've said from day one that all I want to do is wait and see if the trial will prove the allegations true. Why does that mean I was defending them and why does that mean I was wrong? ALSO, it wasn't "our side" that said they've not denied it..it was the "other side" who said "why won't they admit or deny it ". When I said "why should they reply" that was a legitimate question..but wasn't a statement indicating their guilt or innocence. Can you imagine having to deal with not only the death of your daughter but all the publicity about your sex life?

OTOH, if it is proven that their grief was fake, I will admit being wrong.

[spectre]

OK...sw

[rambo316]

Thse parents ought to be brought up on criminal charges themselves for endangering the life of this little girl.

Give them life in prison because they took part in the murder of this little girl.

What is happening in this world is absurd and there has to be changes made.

[Marysecretary]

I noticed that too. He looks more human and chunkier without his beard. I'm sure that was a lawyer's suggestion.

[bvw]

He look less damonic.