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.
The same is true of the lack of DW evidence in the VD home. That is why I favor a theory that Danielle was outside the house, for some reason.
That doesn't clear DW, (who could have seen her wandering about and picked her up offering to search for her missing father) or an Avila-type happened by at the right moment.
Much better. I am trying to finish reading all the posts. My explanation will take some time, so I want to reserve it for tomorrow. If you really are interested in the DW trial and it's outcome (you seem genuine), I will explain it all tomorrow.
uh,,,uh,,,uh,,,, it was Nancy Grace.
I don't think he has anything he can testify to that will implicate the parents. It may be that they were irresponsible and their daughter was kidnapped by a stranger.
I don't believe DW knows anything about how Danielle disappeared. (JMO).
no, as I stated before, I would have found him guilty by the facts of the case,and the large amounts of forensic evidence. not my feelings towards the defendent, or the witnesses.
As far as DW goes, if he is PROVEN guilty, then he should fry - but I don't see a lot of proof here, just a small amount of circumstantial evidence and a very small amount of what is said to be DNA evidence. one hair and 2 "spots" is not alot to convince me. I want to see motive, I want to see proof of how the crime was committed and supporting evidence.
With a longer stay, a struggle and possible sleeping there is more hair and the probability that one ends up in trap goes up to a more reasonable level than if she just entered to play for 15 minutes
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UMMM, ya lost me there, she was 7 years old. No way she sat still while he was driving. He had to restrict her in some way. ,
A child can be restricted by threats. A mirror would provide him the ability to see behind him.
He went to the Beach, was she still alive, just sitting quietly not touching anything?
Why not. If he promised her she would be ok if she didn't move ? Didn't that sister stay in her room long after the abduction of her sister ?
He didn't kill her before he put her in the MH and he didn't kill her in the MH. When do you think he killed her and when did he dump her body?
My uneducated guess would be either there or close by.
Could be, but the dogs searched the MH 3-4 days after her disappearance, when did DW have time to air out the MH?
How long does it take ?
And you totally trust her interpretation of the LOOKS on their faces, that she can INTUIT what they are thinking
That she has absolutely no reason to be biased, or taint her description to what she thinks best will make the AUDIENCE watch her show? To keep her job?
Is this true ?
So we can ignore the presence of the hairs so long as the police didn't ID every hair within a 10 mile radius. Logical.
And yet you would have us believe that Dannielle would only lose 1 hair during her murder?
Thanks Travis. That is why I thought it interesting, if nothing else. I will look forward to what the jury has to say after it is over, if any of them care to speak publicly about the trial.
Give him credit for at least (finally) admitting it.
If he was carefull, why would he leave any evidence ?
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