EXPERT LINKS PORN TO WESTERFIELD'S SON!: (Feldman's Message To "The Damon"; Don't Leave Town!)

KNSD NBC ^ | July 3, 2002 | KNBC

[FresnoDA]

Expert Links Porn Images To Westerfield's Son

Defense Hopes To Show Child Porn Wasn't Downloaded By Defendant

 

POSTED: 12:15 p.m. PDT July 3, 2002

UPDATED: 2:55 p.m. PDT July 3, 2002

 

SAN DIEGO -- A computer expert hired by David Westerfield's defense team said that at least some of the pornography seized from his home was downloaded by the defendant's son.

---

Marcus Lawson (pictured, right), president of Global CompuSearch of Spokane, Wash., testified Wednesday that he found two photographs of naked women and Japanese "anime" computer animations on the hard drive of a Gateway computer in an upstairs bedroom used by Westerfield's 18-year-old son, David Neal Westerfield. The former Customs Service agent said that a detailed analysis of the files showed the pornography was downloaded at about the same time someone was accessing an email account belonging to the younger Westerfield.

David A. Westerfield, 50, is charged with kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography. Prosecutors have said the 80 or so images of child pornography taken from Westerfield's home indicate sexual interest in children.Defense attorneys are trying to show that the defendant is not responsible for the pornographic images -- including those of young children -- found on his computer equipment.

David A. Westerfield, a 50-year-old self-employed design engineer, is on trial for the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.

Lawson told jurors that he examined copies of hard drives, zip disks and compact disks made by police and took numerous screen captures -- essentially photographs of what came up on the computer monitor at a given time.

Defense attorney Steven Feldman asked Lawson if there was a theme to the animations.

"A considerable number of the screen prints showed bondage -- where women were tied in ropes," Lawson said.

A screen print of an e-mail to a DNWesthotmail.com, as quoted by Lawson, said: "Thanks for joining anime.com."

Lawson also confirmed screen prints the defense entered into evidence last week, that a computer in the office of Westerfield's house was used to access pornography on Feb. 4 at 4:47 p.m., when the defendant was busy with detectives.

Feldman mentioned last week's suggestion that the clock on the computer may have been doctored.

"Did you see any evidence that that happened on any of the computers you examined?" Feldman asked.

"No, I did not," Lawson answered. He said there's usually signs when a clock has been tampered with, such as files being accessed before they were created. Nothing like that was apparent on Westerfield's computers, he said.

Tuesday, San Diego police Detective Johnny Keene testified that he collected Westerfield from his Sabre Springs home that Monday around 3:40 p.m. and took him to the Northeastern substation in Rancho Penasquitos. The defendant remained there until approximately 11:30 p.m.

[Freedom2specul8]

Copycapt = is of course, copycat

[rolling_stone]

Kim, if they compared evidence and it pointed to someone other than DW what do you think they should do?

[pyx]

Click here .

In my opinion, this is one of the single most important mitigating factors in this entire case IF AND ONLY IF the distance from the one place to the Van Dam's house is as close or closer than has been suggested. Someone copy and make an archive backup of the webpage above please. Why on earth was this not reported or mentioned earlier ?!?

[NatureGirl]

Or maybe a honest police officer saw DW being railroaded and slipped him Feldmans card.

That makes more sense, doesn't it? I've read that the police don't have a big love of Defense lawyers (because they tend to undo all the work the police have done, if someone is indeed guilty). Why would a cop suggest not just a local defense attorney, but a darned good one?

[Freedom2specul8]

Follow thru with it of course!! It could be a copy cat crime....and if it is....you definitely don't want to stop this trial in the middle of it..... :( That's why I asked Amore's professional opinion. Testing against new evidence, in the middle of the trial...would that cause a mistrial? That would show the prosecution itself has doubt that the defendant is guilty. Now if the police did it without telling the prosecution, that may be ok...

[Freedom2specul8]

Excellent post!! In the mean time, predictions really are coming true!

[NatureGirl]

the dumbing-down of the populace (and by extension, the jurors);

This is a frightening thought. I asked myself the other day, "Do I know twelve people ("peers") that I would consider level and logical enough, uninfluenced enough by the media to be jurors, if I were ever tried for something?" Heck, I don't know 12 people like that, let alone having to put any faith in twelve yoohoos off the street!

[alexandria]

Why would a cop suggest not just a local defense attorney, but a darned good one?
Most likely because if you retain "the best" defense attorney around, you're (in eyes of media) probably "the most" guilty. As opposed to someone who just goes and consults or retains a generally unknown defense attorney.
Honestly I don't know. Now, if we knew which "honest" cop it was and he was not testifying for the DA then I would say it was that he was just a good cop in the senario. JMO. Happy 4th!

[Freedom2specul8]

If they are smart enough to *follow* the judge's instructions... they shouldn't be influenced by media...unles you are considering how much the media has influenced their ''so called'' education in the years leading up to that point. I'd LOVE to speak to consultants who study jury psychology to find out if they have changed the way they are interviewed..dumbed down voir dire questions etc.. Would be interesting would it!

[Two-Bits]

You and I are on the same page. I could not have said it any better!

[pyx]

Please review post #697 and BUMP.

[Valpal1]

It was reported in the media and mentioned on previous threads at the time it occurred.

Generally, negative results of investigations are not reported, being considered non-news.

I do wonder if Freeping an area reporter, asking them to find out if comparison's were done, would perhaps generate an answer to the question.

[small_l_libertarian]

Wow. I saved it to my hard drive. Good detective work.

[small_l_libertarian]

Sorry - I jumped straight to the last page of the thread and didn't see your post. Good detective work.

[meadsjn]

"Do I know twelve people ("peers") that I would consider level and logical enough, uninfluenced enough by the media to be jurors, if I were ever tried for something?"

I'd have to answer, "No, not in any one local jury pool." This makes it all the more important for us to stay involved in our civic duties, to keep voting, showing up for jury duty, and educating our families, friends, and neighbors, and ourselves.

[pyx]

No. Not me. I should be so lucky to make a find like this ! :)
rolling_stone deserves the credit.
And if others have posted this before on previous threads, they deserve the credit also but, I don't recall reading this on threads since March or so.

BTTT for post #697

[small_l_libertarian]

Got it. :-)

BTTT #697

[MizSterious]

There were articles posted at the time. They might still be here somewhere, but with so many VD threads, forgive me if I don't dig it out for you. But yes, it did happen.

[MizSterious]

Woops, never mind--I see RS had it handy!

[NatureGirl]

I have a book about that very thing. Unfortunately, it's still packed in a box somewhere. If I can think of the name of it, I'll tell you.

And I do think people are influenced by the media, far more than they care to admit. Or far more than they realize, maybe that's a better way of putting it.