2nd Bug Expert Bolsters Westerfield Defense: (Dusek Melting Down Before Juries Eyes!!)

SAN DIEGO -- The trial of David Westerfield resumed Monday with more testimony about insects, as defense lawyers tried to show that their client was not the person who dumped Danielle van Dam's body along a two-lane road in East County.

Before testimony began, Judge William Mudd warned jurors to ignore last week's murder of a young girl in nearby Orange County. Mudd said that the abduction, sexual assault and murder of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion "bears no relation" to the trial of David Westerfield.

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.

Neal Haskell, forensic entomologist 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.

However, the glove did not fit...reasonable doubt ...

and tainted evidence, and the defense convinced the jury that the evidence was planted.....

it's not a perfect system, but it's better than alot of other countries have. I believe that Westerfield will be found guilty by a jury that is ruled by it's emotions, not by evidence or fact. He should be considered innocent until proven guilty, but in this touchy-feely society we live in, he was convicted the minute someone pointed at "the creepy neighbor" and the media got wind of it. And those are the things that scare me to death.

What determines certified ?

Here is a site that tells what determines certification and a snippit from the site.

http://www.entsoc.org/bce/

What Are the Requirements to Become a Board Certified Entomologist?
The requirements to become a BCE are as follows: an academic degree in entomology or a related science, experience as a practicing entomologist, a passing mark on a general qualifying examination, and a passing mark on at least one specialty examination. Click here for a list of topics to study. The degree and experience requirements can be met in any of the following ways: An earned degree in entomology or related field, with the required certifiable entomological work experience: Doctoral degree and one year experience, or Master’s degree and two years experience, or Bachelor’s degree and three years experience or..........................

I believe this guy is guiltier then hell and if I were on the jury, that's how I would vote. good thing you aren't on the jury.

Jurors are instructed to listen to all evidence, all testimony, and not TO MAKE UP THEIR MINDS until the trial ends and the JUDGE GIVES THEM FINAL INSTRUCTIONS.

You have, by your statement, indicated that you already decided, and it doesn't matter what the rest of the case produces.

If you ever get called for jury duty, make sure you make the above statement to them during selection.

Indeed, blood and hair evidence is very important, especially if the blood is proven to be blood and more than one hair (easily transferrable from dancing with Brenda).

One hair transfered from Brenda makes it to the guys sink trap ? That is on par with the same probaility I have of winning a McDonalds lottery.

DNA evidence is very important also, but one very small spot ( however did they find it?) does not convince me of Westerfield's guilt.

Why does the size matter?

I want the Prosecution to expalin to me how he was able to get into the home, snatch Dannielle, drag her and carry her to wherever (the MH was not parked at the house) and leave no trace of him at her house or her in his or in his car.

Apparently someone did it.

But yet - one drop of DNA is in his motor home?

Hair, blood or blood like subtance = DNA, plus fingerprints ?

why did she not cry out?

She may have

if he murdered her in her bedroom - why no fibers from his clothes?I doubt she was murdered there, is that the case being made ?

no DNA or hair from him in her room or in her entire house?

I doubt that is true. What may be true is the police didn't gather any.

but yet one single hair was in the MH?

It was my understanding that a hair was found in trap ?

Don't you people have lives? Is this all you have to worry about? Maybe you should start a DW fan club. Hold some candlelight vigils. Get together at Dads and have re enactments.

Don't you have a life? Is that all you have to do is jump into the middle of a thread, tell everyone they are wrong (even though they have spent weeks absorbing and evaluating the information, and you have spent very little or none), and try to make fun of them?

Did you have something to contribute or are you just here to make smart-aleck remarks to others?

If you have opinions about the case, state them. If you have information we don't have, say so, Show it.

Well,.....

She has been in the front row watching the jusdge, lawyers, DW, the jurors etc at close range from day one.

She said that Dusek has dimantled the 2nd bug man just as he wrecked the first bug man as determined by JUROR REACTION, rolling their eyes, lack of note taking, smirking at the bug man's testimony etc.

I'm not there, I am only passing on what she, a JUROR EYE WITNESS, has been saying. It wasn't just the expert witness fees, she is saying that AS SEEN IN JUROR REACTION, Dusek has shredded the certainty of the bug life time lines, and put in so much doubt that the jurors are basically laughing at the bug men.

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2nd Bug Expert Bolsters Westerfield Defense

Expert Says Fly Infestations Show When Danielle's Body Was Dumped