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.
With a blond dye job. Yeah, I can see it!
Sometimes we all get to involved, so heated, so wrapped up and tense about this case that a little humor helps break the tension.
Apparently its not uniform. That is my only point.
I understand that its at odd's with the ME's expectations of the condition of the body as posted earlier by someone.
basscleff, I got your freepmail, thank you..I will reply. I just wanted everyone to know that I don't think you are disruptor at all now. It's horrible how we can be so easily misunderstood sometimes... on forums, but it's a small price for a wonderful thing.
In closing, and respectfully to you all...I wish you all well.
I cannot but I have some questions about that. Mainly why if I were a fly would I go off into the desert if there is perfectly good food where I am.
These are my questions
Questions-Is there standing water or is it just absorbed by grass.
Did the golf course irrigate during that time ?
. Does the golf course use pesticides or other chemicals that would inhibit growth of flys.
Assuming that golf course provided oasis for flys would they travel 1/2 mile into barren desert ?
Danielle loved to wrestle with Layla (the dog)
Layla clawed/scratched Layla.
The MH was down at the PARK having some 'work' done on it by DW and girlfriend.
Layla could have scratched Danielle, then (in response to Danielle hitting her or Danielle crying) went and found her way into the MH to hide.
She leaves a drop of blood or even plasma (some scatches produce no blood but to leak plasma to the surface) by the bathroom.
A hair drops off and later is wiped off and rinsed from a rag into the sink.
Layla goes toward the front to the vehicle and in an attempt to look out the windshield, raises up on her hind legs, and rests her paws on the side of the seatback, which has DW's jacket wrapped around it. The dog leaves more DNA (plasma,blood) on the lapel, as well as some soil prints. (These are the 'other' spots the police found but which didn't have Danielle's DNA.
That is how her hair and DNA could get in the MH without being there. And how Layla's hair got in there.
Now, Danielle gets up, and runs around to find Layla. She finally figures out/sees her in the MH, and goes in and drags her out. She is only there for about sixty seconds or less, leaves no other evidence except, a LATENT FINGERPRINT while trying to grap Layla and turn to drag her out.
I said I would tell you today, so I have.
So you would violate your oath as a juror simply to allow the prosecutor another chance rather than obey it and find him not guilty based on the standard that the prosecutor must prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt? Would you like your life put into an indefinite limbo because a juror refused to admit the prosecutor failed to meet his burden?
Watch your 6 oclock.
Have a nice rest of your life.
sw
Brenda: that overweight lady, what's her name from the Drew Carey Show...
984 posted on 7/23/02 11:47 AM Pacific by basscleff
This is about the third post I have seen you address to yourself.People that talk to themselves are strange. Very strange indeed. ;-)
I disagree. If there is a certain science that says the stages of fly development takes a certain time and this has been verfied over and over again I wouldn't think experts will opine a different outcome.
My questions are not that the experts are wrong. My questions are did they base it on an unsupported assumption. An assumption that fly's are as active in the desert as they are elswhere.
I believe the reported testimony on the issue was there feeling is that because the flies actually got to the body there is no reason to believe that they took a vacation from flying around. That assumption presupposes that the fly's got to the body on their own accord. I am wondering that in the case of a desert do the fly's get there via their own or do they get there via birds and other animals.
It isn't completely unreasonable to assume that fly's avoid the desert unless they are carried there by animals. A much more efficient means of coverage.
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