Posted on 07/22/2002 3:02:31 PM PDT by FresnoDA
Westerfield's trial had been in recess since July 11 so the judge could take a previously scheduled vacation.
Westerfield, 50, lived two doors from Danielle, who vanished after her father put her to bed the night of Feb. 1. Searchers found the girl's nude body on Feb. 27 along a rural roadside east of San Diego.
A forensic entomologist, testifying Monday for the defense, said Danielle's body could not have been dumped at the roadside before Feb. 12, according to his analysis of flies and larvae collected during an autopsy. The blow flies that were found on the body typically descend on a cadaver shortly after death, but it can take longer in cooler temperatures, entomologist Neal Haskell said. Based on his analysis of the temperatures in the area at the time, Haskell (pictured, right) put "the time of colonization" likely at Feb. 14 and no earlier than Feb. 12.
Prosecutors challenged the defense's weather data.
Haskell's testimony puts the time the body may have been dumped several days earlier than suggested by a previous defense witness, entomologist David Faulkner. The defense has seized upon the time of death, which could not be precisely determined, to suggest that the body was dumped at a time when Westerfield was under constant police surveillance.
Westerfield was put under observation soon after Danielle disappeared, according to police testimony. He was arrested on Feb. 22.
During Haskell's testimony about insects devouring Danielle's body, the girl's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, stared at the floor as they sat in the back row of the courtroom. It is the first time that Damon van Dam has been in court since Judge William Mudd banned him from the proceedings almost a month ago as a security risk. Mudd restored his trial privileges just before going on vacation.
Lawyers for Westerfield have said they expect to offer two to three more days of testimony.
Why is there a need to explain it ? The only relevant hairs are Danielles ?
If, in fact, DW didn't dispose of the body, that would mean someone else did (unless you believe she wandered off into the desert and died). Now, one theory would be that the person who dumped the body was DW's confederate in crime. But, I think a simpler and more likely assumption would be that the someone is the real killer, and the physical evidence has other explanations (e.g., an attempted frameup).
By the way, I seem to recall one of the victim's parents' circle of decadent friends is a retired detective and thus wise in the ways of murder investigations (not to suggest anything, of course).
Can you justify that remark?
As far as I can tell, most people on these threads want DW to be convicted, if a JURY finds him GUILTY BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. IF not, they want the killer found , no matter who it is and that person TRIED. Then , the same thing for that person.
They also want the killer of Samantha to face trial and justice.
I guess the statement by you is your opinion, but I would remind you it came out of your head, not from anyone else.
My wife would tend to disagree. So in order to support your belief you must argue the evidence doesn't exist ? Can you do better ?
The presence of the hair in the trap. The likelihood that a hair would have shed, plus found its way in the drain, plus got caught and not washed down is slim to none in my opinion.
Someone elses hair was shed and caught and not washed down, why is it hard to believe hers wasn't?
Assuming that someone else did dispose of body would that make DW innocent or an accessory ?
She is saying that the JUROR REACTION to the bug witnesses was very skeptical.
Unless you are a blowfly on the courtroom wall, you have not seen even one JUROR REACTION, have you?
Quoting from myself:
"There was a reaction at the MH and defense has not denied that danielle was in the MH..so does it even matter? "After his testimony, the prosecution called Frazee's supervisor, Rosemary Redditt, a retired teacher and also a volunteer canine searcher. She said she was at the impound lot with Frazee and his dog Feb. 6. She said she witnessed the dog react to the storage compartment of the vehicle. She said the dog "turned around real fast," sat, looked at Frazee and barked. "
naturally, the defense attacked the credibility. "The defense has suggested that 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, who lived two doors away, might have sneaked into the motor home at some point while playing in the neighborhood, which might explain how the girl's blood, hair and fingerprints were found inside the vehicle. "
"Detective James Tomsovic, who testified earlier as a prosecution witness, said yesterday that he was at the police impound lot Feb. 6 and didn't see the dog react to the motor home. In a report, Tomsovic said the dog showed no reaction. Under cross-examination by prosecutor Jeff Dusek, Tomsovic acknowledged he arrived at the lot after Frazee and might have missed the dog's reaction. " "
I am new to this and willing to correct my info as I go along. It was mentioned to me that Danielle had fibers on her body that were consistant with those in the RV. I assume RV belonged to Westerfield. Thanks for any corrections.
That may be. I didn't hear any of his opinion so can't say. I was forced to find another means to follow the trial because I couldn't get the tv channel to work ont the internet. I saw MizS. said she did a reboot but I didn't try it.
There is no evidence there, and the dogs did not track his scent into their home.
One has to use their own judgment, ultimately, to decide whether this is proof.
I would state to you that there could be evidence of a person entering a house, and dogs tracking their scent, and they could have never been in it. Yet, you would accept those things as ABSOLUTE PROOF. Am I right?
I can show you have Danielle's HAIR and DNA got in the MH without her ever entering. But they are being used as PROOF.
At some point you have to accept a negative as proof. And we could argue this till hell freezes over.
The main point is whether there is ABSOLUTE PROOF that Danielle was in the MH on/after 02/01/02, and was taken from there and killed by the operator of the MH, which would be DW.
prosecution
Trav, Were you listening? Did she explain what they were doing to give her that impression? Did it get worse after dusek pointed out his fees? I am curious if dusek picked up on that too...and maybe that's why he rubbed in it with per hour charges testimony.
Where have I seen that tactic before ?
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