Westerfield On Trial (WEEK 1 Recap): Brenda Van Dam, Dad's Bar

KGTV 10 News-San Diego ^ | June 7, 2002 | KGTV

[FresnoDA]

MIZ....click on the link in Red...choose your speed.  Likewise, there is something very bizarre about the BVD 911 call.  I can't find her sense of urgency...but then again, I can't find her sense at all....FDA

Van Dams' lifestyle on display
 WITH VIDEO
Danielle van Dam's mother weeps about her daughter's death, glares at the man charged with killing the girl and fields questions about her unconventional sex life during a day of emotional testimony.

	Listen to Brenda van Dam's 911 call. Cable-DSL / 56k RealMedia)-->
	Day 2: Damon van Dam admits hiding sexual liaisons, marijuana use

[Politicalmom]

Have any of you seen the pic of Danielle and Brenda? Looks like Danielle is about two. I had to see the pic three times before I figured out it was Brenda with her. Looks 20 years younger than what is sitting in the courtroom. Must have been a really rough 5 years....

[Tiger28]

But what was more interesting to me--and will likely get me flamed--is that Brenda did not sound distraught to me.

i completely agree with you--in fact i was shocked at how calm she sounded during the call--i know if it were me i wouldnt have been able to even make the call i would have been so hysterical- my husband would have to call- in fact, i find it odd that she called and not him (he was obviously sitting right there as she was talking to him and the operator during the call)

[nycgal]

It would be possible to tell the difference between Danielle's and Brenda's hair. Brenda's is chemically treated...Danielle's wasn't.

[FresnoDA]

Sung to the Surfing Classic...Barb-Ra Ann....

(Opener)

Ba-ba-barb...bar-bar-bra-ann.

Ba-ba-barb...bar-bar-bra-ann.

(Chorus)

Barbra-Ann......

I'll take the stand.....

Barb-Ra-Annnnnnn

You got me thinking bout more swinging...

Telling coppers thingies....

Barb-Ra-Ann Ann Ann. Ann Ann-Ba-Ran

(Verse 1)

Went to the garage...

Backward locks installed...

Smoked Maui-Wowwie

I am glad I'm not your daddy...

Barbara Ann....(Chorus)

(Verse 2)

Went to Dad's Bar...

Rode in Brenda's car....

Girls night out...

You really went all out...

Barbra Ann.....(Chorus)

(Verse 3)

Things getting hot....

Never make pool shots...

Cues all around....

Horny guys abound....

Barbara Ann....(Chorus)

(Verse 4)

In the parking lot...

Keith is looking hot...

Goofy little pill...

Looking like a Dill...

Barbara Ann....(Chorus)

(Verse 5)

Home to Sabre Springs....

Living the swingers dream....

Pizza not real hot....

Cookies hit the spot...

Barbara Ann....(Chorus)

(Verse 6)

Running up the stairs....

Playing truth or dare....

Brenda says we're rude...

Let's GET HER IN THE MOOD!!

Barbara Ann....(Chorus)

(Verse 7)

Back to the garage....

Blinking lights are "Mod"!!!

Friends on the floor....

Lock the bleeping door....

Barbara Ann...(Chorus)

(Verse 8)

Cookies are all gone....

Nothing for the Bong....

Keith and Rich are leaving......

Gee the night was pleasing...

Barbara Ann...(Chorus)

THE END

FresnoDA

[Jaded]

The Westerfield case is a bigger news story, Evans said, "because there are a lot of spaces in between (the case) that aren't adding up."

Whoda thunk it?

[John Jamieson]

I've heard speculation to that "fact" but no testimony. We'll see.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Maybe I'm just cynical, but it occurred to me that the prosecution might have suggested she not be so friendly with "Dave" this time--no waves, smiles, etc. Bad for the case, you know. (But she did call him "Dave" a few times in her testimony.)

Yep........they have done their best to make a piece of coal look more like a diamond.

Pssssssst, prosecution.....it didn't work.

The glaring at DW was too deliberate and the look of "what do I do now" when she looked toward the prosecution was not a reassuring sight.

If I were a prosecutor, I think I would have put in for my vacation about the time I figured this case would go to trial.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I had some real problems with Brenda on the 911 tape as well. I recalled the time my daughter and I had to call 911 because my 8-month-old granddaughter was having a febrile seizure. We were trying to decide if that was what we should do.

I figured it was a convulsion (old term) because she had a very high fever. However, when foamy material started coming form her mouth, I said we better call.

We both remembered that once the decision was made it was like we were admitting that we were frightened, helpless and that this situation was serious. It's almost as if it was avoided in hopes that it would be okay without it.

In contrast, it appears that the VDs were all too ready to get to that step. Had they exhausted all other typical possibilities? And.......since they had reached that point, does it make sense that it took Damon soooooooo long to grasp the "gravity of the situation"?

2 + 2 = 3..........I don't think so.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

form=from ;*)

[demsux]

It will be interesting to see if the prosecution can PROVE that DW entered the VD home. To date, there has been NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE disclosed that he entered the home...if the prosecution had this evidence, I think they would have mentioned it in the opening remarks.

Further, it has been established that the MH was parked one house away from the VD's on a regular basis (DW would move it every now and then so as not to violate the CC&R's of the neighborhood. This FACT apparently really upset Rich Brady as well as the VD's. Why? Because it was an eyesore? Because the neighborhood children played in and around it? Because they did not like DW?

Anyway, until the prosecution puts DW IN THE VD HOME, I think all this whole prosecution is tainted by the lies of the parents.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Anyway, until the prosecution puts DW IN THE VD HOME, I think all this whole prosecution is tainted by the lies of the parents

I have to agree. It appears that the People may plant little seeds of "maybe", but proof without reasonable doubt seems a monumental task.

A lot of "reasonable doubt" sat in front of the jury yesterday and the day before.

Since sexual perversion is the angle the People want to use for motive, they look about 180 degrees off.

Let's see.......We have a murder. Our suspects are Jack the Ripper, the Boston Strangler, the Night Stalker, and Joe Six-pack. Hmmmmmmmmm

We have a never-before-in-trouble supposed pedophile versus a group of anything-that-moves-or-not-ophiles and the latter is cleared in 12 hours.

I can't make sense out of that no matter how I twist it.

[Karson]

I noticed that neither of the VDs wore wedding rings this week. I did not notice the absence of rings before. Did they used to wear them and have taken them off or did they never wear rings?

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I actually heard the absence of wedding rings discussed on local SD news.

One analyst's take was that it would be almost offensive to look at wedding rings while hearing of the escapades of Brenda and Damon.

I think (not sure) that they did wear them before; or at least he did. I seem to remember thinking about it in the PH and what a joke it was. I could be wrong though.

Another guess is that they probably do normally wear them because it adds to the perverted adventure of being married, advertising it and putting oneself on the open meat market at the same time. Just a guess since a lot of these sleazeballs are married.

[MizSterious]

And consider the testimony I posted in #37--it appears the vds had their own collection of porn. The question got an objection and a sustained this time, but I wonder if it will be allowed when the prosecution's porn expert is on the stand? If the vds have kiddie porn too, can we start making assumptions that they're pedophiles, too?

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Oh yes.....the VD porn. I got the distinct impression that Feldman was just letting everyone know that it will be forthcoming.

I feel certain that he (of course) knew the objection would occur and be sustained, but felt it a good idea to plant that seed in the minds of the jurors as they have three days off.

[MizSterious]

Well, I guess my question is (preparing flamesuit), if Damon had a collection of kiddie porn, and if he indulged in the kinds of activities we heard about on the witness stand, why wasn't he investigated more closely? After all, he is the one person with no real alibi for the evening. He acted just as squirrely as DW, maybe more so, that evening and the days just after they discovered her absence. Could Diane Halfman have anything to do with how he was treated?

[MizSterious]

TRANSCRIPT OF THE 911 CALL

June 7, 2002

Operator intro: Feb. 2, 2002, 09:39 hours 911 call to (unintelligible) position 13:

Dispatcher: Emergency Diane. San Diego emergency Diane.

Brenda: Ma'am I have an emergency. (heavy breathing)

Dispatcher: What's your emergency?

Brenda: My daughter's not in her bed this morning. (heavy breathing) She's only seven.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Brenda: Um

Dispatcher: Uh, when did you find her, just now?

Brenda: Just now. I thought she was in there sleeping and I went in there because someone came over I was babysitting and she's not there.

Dispatcher: What's your name, ma'am?

Brenda: Brenda van Dam.

Dispatcher: She doesn't have any history of running away or anything, right?

Brenda: No, no, not at all and, and...(heavy breathing) Oh my gosh.

Dispatcher: All right, take a deep breath, okay?

Brenda:(unintelligible)

Dispatcher: What's your daughter's name?

Brenda: Danielle.

Dispatcher: And her last name?

Brenda: Van Dam.

Dispatcher: V-A-N-D-A-M?

Dispatcher: Okay. And how old -- you said she's seven. What's her date of birth?

Brenda: 9/22/94.

Dispatcher: How tall is she?

Brenda: Um, I don't really know... She has brown short hair, we just had it cut, it's up to her shoulders...Um, she's probably about six feet tall. And um, um, I don't know how tall. I just can't....

Dispatcher: How tall are you, ma'am?

Brenda: How tall is she? How tall is she, Damon? I don't know..(unintelligible)

Dispatcher: Okay, how tall are you, ma'am?

Brenda: I'm five four.

Dispatcher: And, and, and is she that much shorter than you?

Brenda: Oh god.

Dispatcher: Picture a ruler in your mind.

Brenda: She comes up to my chest.

Dispatcher: She comes up to your chest?

Brenda: Yes.

Dispatcher: So she's probably about four...four foot, probably about, what, eight?

Brenda: Yeah.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Brenda: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

(unintelligible)

Dispatcher: Probably about 60 pounds, right?

Brenda: Yeah.

Dispatcher: And she's got brown short hair to the shoulder? And then what color eyes?

Brenda: Um, they were green.

(Chldren overheard in background)

Dispatcher: Oh my God.

Dispatcher: It doesn't look like anybody broke through the house or anything?

Brenda: Well, last night when I came home, cause I went out with my friends...

Dispatcher: Uh huh.

Brenda:...There was a door opened on the house and I couldn't figure out which one it was and it was our side garage door. But, but, um, I didn't check the bed and um..

Dispatcher: About what time did you come home?

Brenda: I came home about 2. And my husband was home with them. He was home. And he said the lights were on and I guess he went to sleep. The back door was cracked, he said. The back door and the side garage door, he found the back door cracked.

Brenda: Oh my God.

Dispatcher: Have you checked with the neighbors since...to see if she's possibly?

Brenda: Not yet. Not yet. I haven't.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Dispatcher: Okay, ma'am, we have an officer coming in.

Brenda: Okay.

Dispatcher: If you think of anything else, (unintelligible)...or if you find out anything, give us a call right back, okay?

Brenda: Okay.

Dispatcher: Take a deep breath and calm down. It sounds like you have other kids there.

Brenda: I have my husband and two other children and, and my neighbor just brought her kids over. I need to call her so she can come back and get them.

Dispatcher: Okay. Think positive thoughts and everything will be okay, okay?

Brenda: Thank you.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Brenda: Bye.

Dispatcher: Bye.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Could Diane Halfman have anything to do with how he was treated?

Yep, but be careful, Miz. The more you make sense, the hotter the flames. ;^)

I visited the SanDiegoChannel website earlier and randomly selected a few of the little VD videos that date back to the beginning days. It may just be my intense dislike and prejudice, but they sound even more shallow and fake now when you hear it.

Not one of us knows where this case will finally end up, but I will never believe that Brenda and Damon are truthful or good parents. If Westerfield is proven to be the perp, I wish the VDs could be charged with being accessories or at the least, unfit and negligent parents.

[Karson]

Brenda: Um, they were green.

Did she say Danielle's eyes were green?????? Past tense?