Was the defense lawyer under the same obligation to ignore and avoid investigating ?
NOPE.
By the time DW was allowed to even contact a lawyer, everyone in the neighborhood(with 1 or 2 possible exceptions) was being overwhelmed with the BIG CROWD of onlookers,gawkers, and the PRESS. Particularly the John and Ken show. They had already convicted DW on the spot.
This is my guess as to the status of things.
(1)Parents spoke to the cops, children weren't asked about the MH.
Since everyone believed the MEDIA and the COPS that DW was guilty, and this is such a HIGH PROFILE, HIGH EMOTION case, any child that could have said he was in the MH or he saw Danielle in the MH wouldn't be let NEAR ANY DEFENSE INVESTIGATOR by the parents no matter what.
Are you aware that the DEFENSE wanted to go to the VAN DAM home to do their own SEARCH, their own TESTS?
As defense, DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT to do something like this, in the name of FAIR and EQUAL justice to defend their client? TO ensure a FAIR TRIAL?
ANSWER THAT ONE QUESTION, please.