VAN DAM MURDER VERDICT [VERDICT IN: GUILTY!]

ABC radio

[wallcrawlr]

I just heard this at noon.

[Coop]

I wonder if he was as shaky when he was committing the crime?

I bet he didn't shake nearly as much as poor little Danielle while he was killing her. God bless her family.

[Freedom2specul8]

How are you my friend?

Indeed..for now until the appellate process..

all--Judge told the jurors to NOT talk to anyone until it's over. THey have to come back wednesday

[southern rock]

Wait, I thought he was obviously innocent because the poor girl's parents were swingers

Doesn't make him innocent. It creates reasonable doubt, however, IMO.

[cynicalman]

I predict DW will take the stand on appeal.

He will only take the stand if he :

a) if he is guilty and admits its or

b) not guilty and so states from the witness stand to let the jury know they made a big mistake and therefore spare him his life.

If he is guilty and does not admit it the prosection will rip him a new one on the stand.

[hispanarepublicana]

any clue why they deliberated for so long? I haven't been following the story, but have just heard brief accounts of undisputed child porn on his computer, blood, hair, etc. Ostensibly seemed open and shut...

[wimpycat]

I predict DW will take the stand on appeal.

He won't testify during an appeal. An appeal doesn't try new evidence. An appeal only tests whether proper procedures were followed during this trial and stuff like that. Westerfield might testify if there's a successful appeal and if a new trial is ordered.

[P-Marlowe]

Pray with me that this basically good man will be found not guilty of anything serious.

This basically good man is a child murderer. Get over it. He was a sicko. He is a sicko. If you think he's basically a good guy, then I think I would have to include you in that assessment.

BTW this will not be overturned on appeal. This is an airtight conviction. I'm just amazed it took so long. My guess is that they were hung up on the "special circumstances" allegation. Nevertheless the evidence allowed for the inference that he kidnapped her rather than that she walked over to his house in her sleep.

You are going to have to find a new basically good child murderer to fawn over. Perhaps this Avilla guy in Orange County is a good target for your affections.

[Freakazoid]

Yes! I don't have to eat my new hat and can wear it this weekend as I put in new sprinklers. The trial had plenty of unreasonable doubt spread around. I can find nothing reasonable about any of it.

[Freedom2specul8]

I hope justice was served...
All the speculations about corruption, and LE deceit etc., should have been brought out by feldman..it would at least have eased the minds of those who are and were worried about it.

[marajade]

There was three months' worth of evidence... It takes time to go through it... I'm not upset it took them this long... He's been sitting in jail the whole time...

[Delbert]

Well...what a long strange trip this has been, I wasnt completely sure of his guilt or innocense. Something about the whole trial just didnt seem quite right,but I havent followed as closely as some of you on the details of the case....but ..there was enough evidence for the jury...Next in line is Avila..for the murder of Samantha Runion. Maybe Westerfeld and Avila can get a gas chamber built for two? Justice for Danielle at last.

[Henrietta]

I know the child's blood, hair and fingerprints were all over the place.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. You've been watching too much CourtTV. Don't expect to come in the middle and be brought up to date; go back and read the threads if you're so damned curious.

[winodog]

He is broke. He will not have money to hire a good lieyer for the appeal.

[marajade]

Her parents weren't on trial in this case, Westerfield was.

[dougherty]

GUILTY VERDICT. Guilty as sin. I hope this animal receives the needle.

[Peach]

You told it like it is - good for you. I've never seen such ignorance in FR before.

[marajade]

"Possibly we're more familiar with the evidence than you are."

Obviously you weren't as much as this jury was...

[justshe]

You are on a roll with me today! Best post on this thread.

[marajade]

"He is broke."

He's gotta house in San Diego County that's worth nearly 400,000 dollars...

[Slip18]

I haven't been closely watching either. I heard on the radio this morning that the verdict was coming in, so I wanted to post the verdicts for everyone.

My personal opinion on the reason the deliberations took so long is there were one or more jurors holding out on the guilty verdicts. Those jurors know there will be a penalty phase, and, possibly in about 100 years, he may get the death penalty.