VAN DAM MURDER VERDICT [VERDICT IN: GUILTY!]

ABC radio

[wallcrawlr]

I just heard this at noon.

[crystalk]

And for that, you will sentence him to death?

For he certainly had nothing to do with the fate of Danielle van Dam, how can you prove he ever even NOTICED her? She and her brothers played in his living room while he talked with Brenda, Danielle's mother!

Wait until the full details of THAT relationship come out on appeal.

[newgeezer]

Saw his face all during the trial, that of an innocent man done wrong just by living near these trash neighbors...

You may be right.

However, your description brought to mind ol' B.J. Clinton. Except for that one video where he was caught yukking it up with his cronies at Ron Brown's funeral, ...

I'm sure any defender would kill to have you on the jury. :-)

[Travis McGee]

And we have Westerfield's word that he was drunk. Please.

[HamiltonJay]

What the hell are you talking about? This is a sick sadistic bastard who deserves far worse punishment than our constitution allows.... there is no doubt at all this man is the murderer... much less a reasonable doubt.

[Freakazoid]

Based on...?

[twigs]

That's interesting! I definitely believe that Damon disposed of her body, but I still can't figure out how she died. I'm not even certain that she was murdered; and I don't believe that DW carried her out of that house! But I do believe that the Van Dams certainly wanted everyone to think that DW did it. I hope that the real perp is found. In my estimation, everyone involved is still a suspect and no one has been ruled out.

[wimpycat]

You know, there is only ONE good thing that will come out of a not guilty verdict--we don't have to see these damned Westerfield threads any more. Just a week or so of "victory laps" and that will be the end of it.

I wonder what the "regulars" will do with their free time if that happens?

[Freedom2specul8]

Don't know if you've seen this yet or not!

UPDATED: 10:06 a.m. PDT August 21, 2002
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/1602043/detail.html
SAN DIEGO -- Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of the man charged with killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. After deliberating for more than nine days, the panel sent a note to Judge William Mudd saying it had reached agreement. The lawyers and defendant David Westerfield are being called back to the courtroom, where the verdict will be read starting at 11 a.m. Westerfield is charged with murder, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography. If convicted of the special circumstance murder allegation, he could be sentenced to death. Danielle was last seen alive on Feb. 1, when her father put her to bed in their two-story home in suburban northern San Diego. After a massive search, the girl's nude body was found on Feb. 27 along a rural road east of San Diego. Westerfield became the prime suspect within days of her disappearance and was arrested two days before the body was discovered after tests showed that blood spots on his clothes came from the girl.

[Travis McGee]

Hitler was framed too.

And OJ is totally innocent.

Ted Bundy was a misunderstood victim of a series of coincidences.

[FreeTheHostages]

Question to all - Do juries that have been out for 2+ weeks EVER come back guilty? What is the breakdown of not guilty/guilty after long deliberations?

Hi ZGuy, this is a good question. The answer is it depends on the case. If a jury comes back *very* fast usually everyone, in a case big or small, knows what it means: not guilty in a weak case or guilty in a strong one.

If a jury comes back in normal time, say 2-3 days in a capital case, it's really anyone's guess. The time doesn't mean anything. Most juries on most criminal cases do vote guilty: prosecutors aren't bringing cases that they don't think they can make beyond a reasonable doubt.

Now on to your question. What about a really long time? In a shoplifting or simple drug possession case, this is *not good* for the government *at all.* But in a capital case like this, it's slightly good for the government. It almost always connotes overcoming a deadlock and holdout jurors. And holdouts are more likely to hold out for longer in larger cases. Again, not only to most juries vote guilty in most cases, but they think very hard about returning not guilty in murder cases. So I think the timing here, given the nature of the case, slightly favors the prosecution.

For reasons that have nothing to do with the timing, I'm quite certain it's a guilty verdict. This case was well-tried and had a reasonable judge. It involves a little girl. I don't think the jury wants a "not guilty" on its conscience. Idle indulgences in flights of fancies -- such as the polemical pleas for innocence I've seen in this post -- fall by the wayside and intellectual discipline is reimposed in a case of this brutality with a girl of this age. I'd be very surprised by any other verdict. There might, as an outside chance, be a compromise verdict whether not all charges go through guilty. But I would be shocked, shocked by any other result. And I worked as a prosecutor for 8 long years.

Hope this is helpful

[dougherty]

I predict a guilty verdict.

[Freedom2specul8]

Don't leave..there are plenty of folks on both sides on the fence..and many believe it or not are still ON the fence.

[Defiant]

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. See you at sentencing.

Justice for Danielle.

[HamiltonJay]

Uh, Hello... do you just arbitrarily pick and choose your facts? I suppose her blood on his jacket, the jacket by the way he hid telling the police about being taken to the cleaners.... and in his motorhome and the prints in the home and the fibers on the girls body are all just figments of someones imagination... this sicko is without question guilty... the needle franky is far too good for him.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Compare the integrity of that man's face...

Interesting way to arrive at a verdict. Ted Bundy would have loved you on his jury.

[alisasny]

To all freepers that have been following this case on the other threads from the beginning.

I am going to ask you all very nicely to not treat the State vs. Westerfield newbies who will post today on the verdict with any garbage.

Take it to the smokey back room or I believe this thread will be removed.

Respectfully, Alisa

[Freakazoid]

It's already a very big hat. I would need to grill it with some lemon pepper sauce.

[marajade]

I agree... Although, I do disagree that because it took them this long that it either had to be hung or guilty... Just like Judge Napolitano just stated you can't predict.

[Freedom2specul8]

Why do you think so? I really thought they would be hung.. the suspense is AWFUL

[Veggie Todd]

The prosecution must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Sorry, but it's beyond a "reasonable" doubt. Two different things.