BREAKING: BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH WESTERFIELD: (Modern Day Westside Story?)7-9-02 Trial Watch

KFMB ^ | July 9, 2002 | KFMB

[FresnoDA]

WITNESSES SAY BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH DAVID WESTERFIELD

(07-08-2002) - Three defense witnesses testified Monday that Brenda van Dam and David Westerfield, the man accused of murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, danced together the night before the girl was discovered missing.

"Mr. Westerfield and Mrs. van Dam were dancing," said Patricia LePage, describing the scene at Dad's Cafe and Steakhouse the night of Feb. 1.

Since the prosecution introduced hair and fibers found at the defendant's house and motorhome, the defense has tried to show the evidence could have been transferred in some other way, such as dancing.

The 50-year-old defendant would face the death penalty if convicted of kidnapping and killing Danielle van Dam, who lived two houses away in Sabre Springs. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

In testimony near the beginning of the trial, Brenda van Dam told the court she did not dance with Westerfield.

But LePage said van Dam rubbed her hips and chest against Westerfield during several dances together, recalling the movie "Dirty Dancing." That was just part of what LePage described as "frisky" behavior exhibited by van Dam that night.

LePage said she was in a smoking lounge at Dad's with her daughter, Cherokee Youngs, when van Dam came in and struck up a conversation with the younger woman.

"Well, she did ask my daughter if she liked girls," LePage said when asked to describe the conversation. Van Dam, she said, asked Youngs if she wanted to come to her house for a party later that night.

Youngs testified about the encounter last week.

Duane Blake, a fisherman who said he goes to Dad's a couple times a week, said he caught a glimpse of the defendant dancing with van Dam.

Blake confirmed an interview with the District Attorney's Office, in which he described their dancing as, "huggy, huggy." He testified he even thought Westerfield might be trying to pick up on van Dam.

Earlier Monday, another woman testified she saw Westerfield dance with Danielle's mother.

Glennie Nasland, who began her testimony last week, said she was on the dance floor and saw the pair turn toward each other while dancing with other people.

Nasland, who described herself as a friend of Westerfield, said she watched them for 20 seconds before they turned away again.

In other testimony Monday, Dave Laspisa said that going to the desert to look for friends, and without bringing an all-terrain vehicle, was not an unusual activity for Westerfield.

The witness, a self-employed Poway man, said he's known the defendant for 15 years and has camped with him near the Imperial County community of Glamis for 10 years.

The witness was one of several people who testified as the defense began to move away from what happened at a Poway night spot the night before Danielle was discovered missing Feb. 2 to Westerfield's weekend wanderings.

Westerfield's attorney, Steven Feldman asked Laspisa to explain why someone would avoid Interstate 8 while taking a motorhome to the desert. Laspisa said high winds and black ice were common on that route, which traverses altitudes over 4,000 feet.

Heather Mack, a security guard at Coronado Cays, testified that she saw Westerfield drive his motorhome into the exclusive neighborhood in the afternoon or evening hours of Feb. 3.

Mack said Westerfield smiled and waved at her as he drove past her security kiosk, but she never saw him again.

The witness told Dusek that she originally told a police officer that she "vaguely remembered" seeing the defendant's recreational vehicle.

Glen Seebruch, an engineering manager at Nokia, testified earlier that Westerfield called him the morning of Feb. 1 and told him he planned to go to the desert that weekend.

Feldman, told Judge William Mudd that his case may be completed by the end of the week.

Insect expert David Faulkner is expected to testify about how long the victim's body may have been in the East County before volunteer searchers found it on Feb. 27.

Feldman has said Westerfield would have had no opportunity to dispose of the body because he was under constant police surveillance from Feb. 4 until his arrest Feb. 22.

[cubreporter]

Thank you God for the parents I had. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

[cubreporter]

To think all my mother ever taught me was how to play jacks and to respect myself and others.

[cubreporter]

To think all my mother ever taught me was how to play jacks and to respect myself and others.

[cubreporter]

To think all my mother ever taught me was how to play jacks and to respect myself and others.

[Jrabbit]

Unfortunately, we lost pyx over this. I can see why some would be happy he's gone. There is going to come a day when only one opinion will be allowed. It's becoming very difficult to have a discussion about the actual trial. It's like someone or a group is constantly trolling the thread looking for something to be offended by. There are pages of posts and replies spent on the subject of an offended member. The testimony of the trial is forgotten which I suspect is the goal after all.

[Freedom2specul8]

wrt#35

I will add it too

[RnMomof7]

Does anyone know what Brenda was so upset about this morning? It's been rumored that she was trying to speak with Dusek. Any truth to it?

Where did you hear that? did the damon confess to her? :>))

[cubreporter]

To think my mother only taught me how to play the childhood game of jacks, to help with chores around the house, and to love and respect myself, my family and others.

[RnMomof7]

BUMP to your HUGE ping list...but one question...why no photos to go along with it...give it some, shall we say...spice?

Mine would not attract anyone..so just put a ? there:>)

[FresnoDA]

That's cute cub....I get it every time you post it....FresnoDA

[RnMomof7]

If it walks like a slut and talks like a slut and acts like a slut ..it is a slut..case closed

[RnMomof7]

Why NOT Barbara..

[Freedom2specul8]

I don't think it's trolling, and for the record, aside from the differences in our opinions and how we decide to handle tham, personal attacks vs respectfully disagreeing/debating..I did tell pyx that pyx should stay. BTW, in the past month or so, there have been at least 3 threads devoted entirely to personal attacks to freepers. Jim Rob is against it... Creating political parodies against headline making people is not the same....and is actually quite fun.

[Freedom2specul8]

Most people don't accuse sluts of beastiality, but then fres is not like "most" people. nuff of this!! Time to move on!

[kcvl]

ROFLOL!!!!!!

[ethical]

If she is a good friend too. I used to go out with my mother all the time. We both liked the same music though, swing, big band and my husband is a musician who plays that kind of music so we had a lot of opportunity to go out together.

[Freedom2specul8]

You gots that right...

[Jaded]

RR assistant little River was running around talking about it.

[kcvl]

First Choice: Australian Lobster Tail
Brushed with lemon butter and served with fresh vegetables
and a baked potato 24.95

Second Choice: Coconut Macadamia Jumbo Shrimp
Lightly breaded in chopped macadamia nuts & tropical
coconut and served with mango cocktail sauce & rice
Vera Cruz 19.95

Let me know when I should arrive...LOL!

[ethical]

When I went out with my mom I was not looking for guys, we were going out to have a drink and listen to music, big band. If we danced we danced together or with my husband.