Defense could pin hopes on insect life..Westerfield Trial Breaking News: BUG EVIDENCE QUESTIONS!!

Union Tribune ^ | July 10, 2002 | Kristen Green

[gigi]

Hmmm, Even if true, a one hundred thousand policy on a child is excessive. We have 5000.oo on each of our kids provided by my husbands work. I wonder where the info came from?

[hoosiermama]

Agreed very extravigant!
Have no idea where it came from, but there was a rather lively discussion about it and: Motive, debt, divorce-talk before Danielle disappeared etc. Not many sources, but lots of "DISCUSSION"

[Rheo]

That orange fiber was 1.5" long! Sounds too long for most fabrics and carpets, etc. Might be a nice match to one of those roughly woven search vest things

Or the orange tie they used to mark where potential evidence sightings were on the searchs.

[185JHP]

IIRC didn't the Brenda say "her eyes WERE green" on the "she's missing" report?

[juzcuz]

I have a question for ya: PYX

Wasn't Brenda's testimony impeached this pass Monday?

She stated in PH to the court : "NO" to the question of
dancing with DW.
" " in Trial to the court: "NO I DIDN'T" when asked
if she danced with DW.

Then defense shows three witness: that testified to the court that --yes she certainly did dance with DW..

Didn't those three witnesses impeach/invalidate Brenda's entire credibility to the court--- To the point of perjury---- Isn't perjury a felony ?????---

[pyx]

:)

[hoosiermama]

Since Brenda's testimony has been impeached by the other witnesses, and she made this statement and others; it sort of makes a person wonder if she isn't some kind of pathological lyer or something. Like to see a psych workup on her.

[sbnsd]

...wonder if she isn't some kind of pathological lyer or something.

I've been wondering what have the VDs told the TRUTH about, other than the fact that Danielle went missing, and that she went out 2 weeks in a row for a girls' night out? So far, it seems like everything has been "tweaked" or "modified" from the truth. I really do wonder why.

[CyberAnt]

I have worked in the insurance area, and I can tell you, parents do not take out a $100,000 life insurance on a 7 year old. I suppose they could, but I can tell you from first hand experience, that is very, very rare.

[hoosiermama]

I'm not even certain "Danielle went missing"? :<
Maybe it because their entire life...marriage, family etc. is a lie. Lying (denial) IS a way of life for many. Look at WJC and his ???One lie begets others and others etc etc.

[185JHP]

Violent death leading to an autopsy? Autopsy disclosing sexual child abuse?

[pyx]

Then defense shows three witness: that testified to the court that --yes she certainly did dance with DW.
Didn't those three witnesses impeach/invalidate Brenda's entire credibility to the court--- To the point of perjury---- Isn't perjury a felony ?

Brenda Van Dam's testimony for that portion of evidence given was impeached. Judge Mudd will have to instruct the jury on that (perhaps to disregard), at the appropriate time, I suspect. IIRC, perjury requires "intent" to be shown. I'm not sure that would be easy to show without mitigating cause. In short, I really can't see the SD DA persuing Brenda Van Dam for her lies. It may also open the door, should the defense fail to win an aquittal, for an appeal.

It would political suicide to go after a "mother who had *just* lost her child".

[hoosiermama]

AGREE! Maybe it a FRumor that has taken off with its legs???

[Rheo]

If you are still going thru transcripts, can you keep your eye out for something for me?

On the back of my notes for Sean Soriano's PH testimony, I wrote someone elses testimony...cannot figure out which forensic person it was.

They were discussing the bean bag blood and the blood on the multi colored blanket in her room.

Then it is never mentioned, by anyone, again..it becomes the pocket blanket.

I believe the exhibit # is 10-7A

Thank you!

[Richard Kimball]

Possibly really stupid question. Please be gentle if it is. I haven't seen any reference to DW DNA etc on body or in Van Dams home, only thing really bringing stuff together is her blood, fingerprints, hair, etc in motor home, and some evidence of motor home furnishings on her. Assuming she was assaulted in motor home, would that put Westerfield definitely there doing it? Any reason she couldn't have been in the motor home with one of the VD party guests?

It would seem to me that someone wanting to molest her would want to take her to a place where they would be less likely to be interrupted. If the motor home was unlocked, etc, it would be the perfect place to carry out the act. This brings up questions as to guests comings and goings during the night. Anybody there that evening that wasn't there in the morning?

Other questions as to body placement, seems to me, most likely she was kept alive until later, killed and disposed of. I've been around dead bodies in various stages of decay, and after a few days they really start to stink. Freezers, etc, should leave some signs on the body, as the freezing of water in the cells should make cell walls burst, at least on living people. Don't know enough about forensics to be sure what effect on dead would be. Plastic bag would not stop decay, dittos for paper bags. It doesn't make any sense to me that someone would dump her in a bag, then come back later and remove bag.

I'm not saying it's impossible that various things were done to hide decay and she was dumped later, but it just seems more likely that someone would have kept her locked up (this also makes sense in that it would allow continued abuse or making of movies) and then killed her when they were done with her and dumped her. Since several of the people at the VD's were known to have pretty unusual sexual lifestyles, the possibility of her being kidnapped for use in child porn doesn't seem too far out of bounds to me.

I haven't gotten to watch too much of the trial, and I was hoping they had caught the right person, but what I've seen doesn't really indicate to me a case that I would have taken to a jury.

[dread78645]

IIRC, if lividity has already occurred and then the body is moved..you may not be able to tell.

Some of the blood may reposition or move but the original pooling would be evident...??

Correct. But if the necrosis is advanced, the blood pool is melded into the putrification (remember burnt body ?).

[Politicalmom]

So a little girl is dead and you want to convict the nearest scapegoat. How nice.

[RnMomof7]

She is not fat fres...just inflated

[hoosiermama]

Bug-man testified that body had not been moved. Think he also testified not been frozen--no crytalization.
I had also wonder if someone else hadn't taken her into the MH or if she had hidden in there. ie DvD had mistreated dog. She takes dog and runs away and hide in MH. All speculative, but lots of possibilities....Sure wipes out Beyond a Shadow of doubt.
Too many unidentified fingerprints all over the place for me. Let's get some of them IDed.

[RnMomof7]

Bingo!