WESTERFIELD TRIAL: Week Three - Day Four

San Diego Courtroom Trial | none

[NatureGirl]

Here's the new thread, all ready for Thursday.

Testimony recently discussed includes fingerprint evidence, as well as Westerfield's clean laundry. The Van Dam home was (strangely) devoid of fingerprints, except for a couple of latents that didn't match any of the pizza party people or, apparently, David Westerfield.

Westerfield's motorhome didn't contain any of his fingerprints, but did have one print from Danielle L. (the daughter of Westerfield's ex-girlfriend), Jennifer (a friend of Danielle L.), and a partial from Danielle Van Dam.

The prosecution said yesterday that they would be finished "in seven court days".

[BigBobber]

Note that the DNA experts gives the long odds (15 zeros) for people not related to the known sample. What are the odds for related persons?

Does anyone understand this DNA stuff? How do you get odds of 57*10^15 when there are only 13 markers. Wouldn't it be more like 2^13?

[nycgal]

Bleach can destroy DNA

[mommya]

witness says - substances can't alter dna so as to type wrong - but can destroy dna altogether - bleach used to clean thier own work surfaces.

[nycgal]

Nuclear dna comes from both parents; mitochondrial dna from mother only.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

On the subject of stretches.......

Something just occurred to me. First let me establish that I am one to immediately scoff at frame-ups and especially by the police. But........this case has its unique circumstances.

As soon as sex or sexual deviation enters the scene, people in high places get nervous. History shows us that they will go to great lengths to cover their activities.

Retired SDPD, Dianne Halfman, acted as practically a bodyguard for the van Dams from the beginning. Coincidence???

The van Dams and their sex playpals are still lying about that weekend and many of us wonder why. However, there must be a reason.

At this point, all scientific evidence goes only one direction. Ironically there is no trace, DNA or fingerprints that tie Westerfield to the VD home, Danielle, or the discovery area. Coincidence???

If no scientific evidence turns up that places Westerfield in key places and there is no evidence found that gets Danielle from her house to his house to the MH, I am going to begin to think this actually could be a frame job. Maybe that "lifestyle" and its shame is more of a stranglehold (pun not intended) than we know.

[nycgal]

Hair contains nuclear and mitochondrial dna in the root but only mitochondrial in the hair minus the root.

[sbnsd]

I might take a break until they bring simple people back on....human molecular genetics might be hard to transcribe on the quick.

You're doing a great job, Rheo.

This case has run the gamut of witnesses with the IQ of 80 or so, to DNA & molecular scientists. It's definitely interesting. I have a BA in Biology, and this stuff numbs my brain.

[mommya]

I having a hard time accepting the frame-up theory - though I agree with what you said - I just can't figure out where they would have gotten Danielle's blood to plant. I have an easier time believing that all the evidence against DW is coincidence - and that the true perp is just riding it out while certain LE look the other way.

[nycgal]

Retired SDPD, Dianne Halfman, acted as practically a bodyguard for the van Dams from the beginning. Coincidence???

Hmmm...Was Halfman printed? Where was she the evening of 2/1/02? Could she have left the unID'd palm print?

[NatureGirl]

This has crossed my mind as well. Have you read any of the threads on FReep about the child abuse/murder cases in Belgium? Apparently, they went very very high up - politicians, judges, police. There was a whole ring of people involved.

This situation also makes me think of Jon Benet. I've only read some of the background on that, but IMO it is possible that she was being given as a "sex toy" to some important men in town - say, men with connections, men rich enough to cover things up. Perhaps one of them accidentally killed her, then said (basically), "Whoops! Sorry about your luck! Oh, and by the way, if you try to pin this on me, you'll be very very sorry. I control things in this town and you don't."

[UCANSEE2]

Your scenario, with DW running over Danielle,etc.

I had the same theory. Problem with it was NO DAMAGE TO SUV.

ME says no broken bones, etc. so death from collision unlikely.

BIGGEST PROBLEM. Why do VD and partiers continue to lie, change stories?

[FresnoDA]

Ditto....BTTT

[FresnoDA]

)

03-15-2002

POSTED: 03-15-02 by Douglas H. Pierce- Millennium Children's Fund
mail@mcfworld.org

INVITATION came after I asked parents if I could bring something of child's
in front of press pictures, toys, whatever to make her ALIVE (poor choice of
words).

Brenda: "Douglas how about something she just wrote to her dad"

Hidden in (Danielle's) nightstand.

The "Daddy forgive me note" was handed to Douglas H Pierce. I read the torn 2 sided note,
(That I NOW believe was from Journal/DIARY) AND WAS SHOCKED COULD NOT LOOK
AT (Damon's) FACE.

I stuttered and said is there something else?
Brenda: "Douglas would you like to see her room"

I could only say ok.... Douglas H Pierce followed Brenda and walked 18' (Damon) stayed behind in
MASTER bedroom.

Brenda's sister came up stairwell that is closest to the children's rooms', she was
behind me Brenda steps over dog gate in front of child's room and she enters room
like nothing at all NO HUMAN EMOTION. Douglas H Pierce stands in front of gate looking
in room.  Brenda: "it's OK Douglas come on in the POLICE are done in here just
don't touch anything".

Douglas H Pierce steps over gate enters at least 6-7' inside,
Brenda is moving things around on shelf and picks up a SILVER JOURNAL
Brenda asks Douglas H Pierce" how about her Journal and the frog she slept with?" Douglas H Pierce said
....I start backing out of room I HAVE A HORRIBLE DARK DARK DARK feeling
come over me. I became emotional, stuttered and stumbling over dog gate
going to stair case. Now all three of us (not Damon) are standing at top of
stairs Brenda, Douglas H Pierce, Brenda's sister, Brenda starts to open Journal/Diary.

(NO FURTHER COMMENT ON READINGS).

Damon comes from MASTER bedroom and slides past us and goes down stairwell.

NOW ARE THEY READY TO MEET ME AGAIN? LET'S PLAY THE GAME "LIE DETECTOR",
who will FAIL again. Not Douglas H Pierce.

If Douglas H Pierce is wrong about the bedroom than why did a witness say "I know
something bad happened in her room".

Hmmm ... Please tell us

---

The original comments by Douglas Pierce were made after he visited the VD household, and spent over 8 hours inside of the VD house.

If you are not  up to speed on this, listen to the John and Ken show interview with the VD's......very strange.

van Dam neighborhood	02/15/02	16:13
Excerpts from the live broadcast on the street where Danielle van Dam was abducted 2 weeks earlier. John is accosted by members of the Psychic Friends Network, David Westerfield leads undercover cops to fried chicken, then slams the door in John and Ken’s face. Neither Mr. Westerfield nor Mr. Kobylt were arrested over the course of the broadcast.

Brenda and Damon van Dam	02/07/02	11:05
Brenda and Damon van Dam join the John & Ken show via telephone to discuss their efforts to find their missing 7-year-old daughter.

 

[sbnsd]

ME says no broken bones, etc. so death from collision unlikely.

What if no bones were broken, but there were internal injuries? I don't know if you they tell if there were internal injuries after she was found so mummified, can they?

[ethical]

Stairs in houses most always only have one banister so when coming down stairs you walk next to the banister and the same when going up. It would not be odd then to find hand prints going both ways.

[demsux]

I see the blood as an issue, more than any hair in the MH. We already KNOW that Keene and Parga went through DW's home looking IN PLACES THAT WE KNOW DANIELLE stood/walked. They then went to the MH and walked all through it WITH THE SAME SHOES ON THEIR FEET. Hair would be easily transferred.

[cyncooper]

The van Dams and their sex playpals are still lying about that weekend

I don't agree with this conclusion, so we'll have to agree to disagree on this point.

Regarding framing: How would they plant blood? The forensic evidence was gathered before her body was discovered. Even then, it has been pointed out at trial that her poor body no longer had "blood" that could have been used. That is why the underwear DNA is important---it shows the blood found was her's before they could do DNA taken from her body.

There are other points (her fingerprints, for one) that would eliminate the framing theory, but this one is the biggest, imo.

[Rheo]

Q8.1..mitochondrial test on hair from rug in MH cannot exclude Danielle....cannot exclude Danielle L.....or any siblings.

[nycgal]

It depends on which hand the print is from. IOW, If bannister is on your right going up, and a right palm print is facing downwards...that's unusual.

[Rheo]

cannot exclude BVD either