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

Union Tribune ^ | July 10, 2002 | Kristen Green

[John Jamieson]

They didn't know where the body was at that time!

[dread78645]

he might be found innocent but that does not mean he is not guilty unless it is proven otherwise.

Ah ... Code Napoleoni.

Welcome to America. please try to keep up.

[Rheo]

I re-read hers...it wasn't her...I think it was a guy.

Shoddy note taking while trying to transcribe too!

The note I have above it says..bottom area of beanbag-by zipper and brand name tag....thought for sure it was a guy but didn't see it in Sean or Melvyn's.

Thanks for helping!

[John Jamieson]

$100,000 in insurance is not enough to buy an $850,000 house, but it would cover a nice downpayment and closing costs.

Bunch more could have come from the "Find Danielle" fund handled by Bill Libby. Ole Bill said they only raised about $15,000. Sounds a little low.

Besides, he still has two kids and a wife left.

[the-gooroo]

I don't know Fussybutt, if something bad happened to Danielle in their home that night that they were resposible for or were aware of, they would have to be frantic getting rid of evidence and getting their story straight. I guess what I was trying to say about BVD taking a shower is maybe she had to to wash off evidence or maybe she knew how it was going to play out and she had to be up and dressed when the police came.

[John Jamieson]

Could it have been a blue blanket?

[Richard Kimball]

Thanks for response. I figured there was something ruling it out, as others have been following trial much closer than I. I couldn't for sure say Westerfield didn't do it, but I'm pretty certain the prosecution hasn't proven he did it.

[fussybutt]

It sounds to me like they were frantic and DID NOT get their story straight. It also makes sense that she would be getting primped for the limelight.

[nycgal]

Thanks sbnsd. I thought I remembered reading or hearing somewhere that Damon had purchased the BMW with money from the Danielle fund, but hadn't been able to find the source.

[sbnsd]

$100,000 in insurance is not enough to buy an $850,000 house, but it would cover a nice downpayment and closing costs.

I find this purchase astonishing. If the VDs have split, where is she supposed to get the money to pay for the mortgage (and the real expense--property taxes) on this house, especially since she doesn't work? I can't imagine it'd be completely paid off. Now, I KNOW for a fact that DvD couldn't possibly pull in that kind of money at QCOM.

[sbnsd]

You're welcome, but I don't know if I consider RR a reliable source. Not from what he's been saying lately.

[John Jamieson]

Yes, I don't understand it either. Makes no sense. I wonder if more exculpatory evidence has been withheld.

[nycgal]

I'll take another look for you.

[the-gooroo]

Bingo! Oh.another thing that makes me believe they were cleaning is there were no finger prints found in Danielle's own bedroom.

[fussybutt]

It is my understanding there were adult fingerprints, (not ided) in her bedroom, but not her own. There was no doghair, no dna or hair or fibers on the bedding. (I could be mistaken) It was said they claimed to have cleaned and vacumned because of dog. The dog or any mess it caused would be the least of my worries if my daughter was missing.

[pyx]

Your observations seem astute and well stated.
My position is I truly hope the Van Dams had nothing (more than irresponsibility) to do with Danielle's death. I truly want to believe its someone else entirely and the Van Dams are simply displaying the machinations of white trash liberals constantly tailspinning into the ground.

It may very well end up that I am the wishful thinker in this and be completely wrong about Damon. I just can't conceptualize a father hurting his child like that. There's something about it that refuses to click and allow such a thing to even be considered. I know that incest must exist somewhere, but the sheer horror of even thinking about it, makes it unacceptable for me to even want to contemplate. And so, as naive as it may seem, I reject it for now.

There appear to be many convinced Damon is the one. And while I completely agree with others that Damon's behavior is deplorable ... scratch that ... he is a completely despicable person, I recognize that we all grieve in different ways and wonder if this might mitigate his actions. Its just that I need tangible evidence to jump off the fence about Damon. In short, I'll presume Damon is innocent in this regard until there is reasonable doubt to convince me otherwise.

Now if all y'all can present this pharmboy with some tangible evidence, I'm more than willing to reconsider.

[nycgal]

It was Sean Soriano on 6/20/02, before morning break. He talks of both the multi-colored blanket and the pocket. Also talks about the bean bag and it zipper. Was there someone else that you had in mind?

[Rheo]

The supposed cleaning of the carpet in her room was day/s prior due to peeing Layla (truth?)..Dorie Savage said it did not appear to have been vacuumed.(sequins and stuff on floor)

No fibers found on her bedding.

Unidentified prints were on the desk next to her bed and the door frame area.

[fussybutt]

Another thing, they claimed they did not check on the kids until morning. I don't know if you have kids or not, but I do. When my daughter was that age I checked on her as a routine, even if I woke up to go to the bathroom durring the night. It's not just fear, but making sure your child is resting well, breathing well, her room is comfortable temp, everything goes through a parents mind, but more so if other people, or animals have been in the house.

[John Jamieson]

I think at this point if LE had investigated Damon as completely as they did Westerfield, we'd have more than enough evidence to convict the right person. The family was cleared real fast.