Prosecution spent $270,000 on Westerfield case

San Diego Union Tribune ^ | 2/6/03 | San Diego Union Tribune

[Jaded]

SAN DIEGO – The District Attorney's Office spent nearly $270,000 prosecuting David Westerfield, including thousands for DNA analysis and expert witnesses, it was announced today.

Westerfield was sentenced to die for the February 2002 killing of 7-year- old Danielle van Dam.

The former Sabre Springs resident and neighbor of the victim is now on death row at San Quentin.

According to figures the District Attorney's Office released, more than $35,000 was spent on experts for Westerfield's trial, and more than $146,000 on DNA analysis.

More than $62,000 was spent on a telephone survey and a jury questionnaire review.

[alexandria]

It's like giving the police permission to search your car or house when you do not have to

You know there is a saying...if the police ask you to search your car you should not let them because they do not have probable cause.
How do you know they don't? Because they are asking for your consent. If they had probable cause they would not be asking your consent.

[demsux]

15 Q. Sir, having read that document, did that now 16 refresh your recollection as to a portion of your interview 17 with officer Redden?

18 A. Yes.

19 Q. It's correct, is it not then, that officer Redden 20 was asking you questions concerning your activities on the 21 night of February 1st, correct?

22 A. Yes.

23 Q. And he specifically asked you whether you were 24 drinking anything that night; isn't that true?

25 A. Yes.

26 Q. And you told him you had two beers with dinner 27 and you thought you had one more playing video games; isn't 28 that right?

Page 704

1 A. Yes.

2 Q. Then he asked you whether or not you had any 3 drugs that night, didn't he?

4 A. Yes.

5 Q. And you said no, didn't you?

6 A. Yes.

7 Q. That wasn't true, was it?

8 A. No.

Redden is the "lie detector" interviewer. This exchange would appear to indicate one of two things:

Damon Van Dam failed his polygraph, or

Damon Van Dam passed his polygraph through coaching by the interviewer.

[CAPPSMADNESS]

Great Article!!! But I need to mention that certain other posters REALLY believe that polygraphs are ALWAYS ACCURATE...

:^)

[demsux]

"We hope she comes back ... but regardless of that, we have still have two wonderful boys to bring up."

Qoute: Damon Peter Van Dam on 2/13/02

[Walnut]

It was worth it to put the B behind bars. He should never see the light of day again

[demsux]

BTW, here are some UNDISPUTED FACTS: (hourly post time)

The parents lied to and misled police for the first 17 + hours after their daughter was reported missing....(Parents admitted on the stand to lying...TESTIMONY

A 60+ pound dog AND alarm system in the home...Fact..TESTIMONY

TESTIMONY revealed that the Van Dams were involved in wife swapping, with at least one occassion taking place in the master bedroom, just down the hall from Danielle's bedroom.

Damon Van Dam admitted having sex with Barbara Easton at Easton's apartment...Damon also admitted that Barbara Easton came up to the master bedroom, got on the bed and "cuddled" with Damon at about 2:00 am ON THE NIGHT DANIELLE DISAPPEARED....TESTIMONY

Two people at the bar, Cherokee Youngs (female) and Ryan Tyrol (male), complete strangers to the Van Dams, testified, under oath, that Brenda Van Dam invited them back to the Van Dam home ON THE NIGHT DANIELLE DISAPPEARED...they felt that it was for sex...btw, either Barbara or Brenda asked Cherokee "if she liked girls?"...TESTIMONY

The Van Dam's drug dealer and his ex-brother in law came over to the Van Dam home at about 2:00 am, after the bar closed...TESTIMONY

The bug evidence indicated that the body was placed at Dehesa Rd. closer to Feb. 15-16, than Feb. 2-4. Westerfield was under constant surveillance BEFORE the 4th...TESTIMONY by the man the prosecution originally had.

The lead detective was "not aware" that blood was discovered in the Van Dam stairwell and garage, until the preliminary hearing...TESTIMONY

A spent bullet shell casing was found on the floor of the girls room one day after the room was thoroughly searched...TESTIMONY

NO evidence of Westerfield in or around the Van Dam home...TESTIMONY

Unmatched DNA mixed with Danielles DNA on the cuff of her pajama's. Westerfield excluded...TESTIMONY

Unidentified fingerprint on bannister in the Van Dam home. Westerfield excluded...TESTIMONY

Unidentified hairs on Danielle's body. Westerfield excluded...TESTIMONY

Pot use and drinking by the parents on the night Danielle disappeared...TESTIMONY

Location of body: somebody wanted this body found...not buried or hidden...an illegal dumpsite...more like a serial killer...Westerfield was all over the county and desert and could have buried her in the desert...CONCLUSION with merit.

International child porn ring broken up at virtually the same time as this event, with one of the perps living within walking distance of the bar, in POWAY...FACT but not testimony

[Walnut]

do you think it was Damon?

[demsux]

Yes, or someone he invited over.

[Walnut]

you know whats interesting, I thought the father was in on it in the beginning , there was something I didn't like about him and it wasn't that he wife swapped (although it is repulsive to me that anyone could do that between themselves nevermind in the house with your young children. then when it seemed the evidence was directed to Westerfield . I kind of got lost in trying to get "a killer" off the street, so I stopped thinking of the father as a suspect. Maybe I should have stuck with my gut feeling. I don't know

[Jaded]

I see Dems filled you in with the details.

My feelings all along have been fry the B***. Just make sure you have the right B****. This man is by his own admission no saint. An adult womanizer, a drinking problem among others. I don't see the compelling evidence that he did this. Too many things don't add up. It would have helped lots if more of the witnesses had told the truth and all of the evidence had been properly processed and tested.

[Walnut]

Its not that anyone filled me in with the details. I.m all for frying the sob that commited the crime too. Its just interesting, all the different takes on it. Who knows, Not one of them had any morales that I picked up on.

[Walnut]

what about the blood on the headboard of Westerfields bed they said it was the little girls

[Jaded]

THe only blood found in the RV was a 1/4 inch spot on the floor near the bathroom No pictures were taken of the spot before it was tested. There should be pictures of the cutout.

THere was a 1 3/16 inch area. Again it was not photographed as per protocol. There are polaroid pictures of the cutouts on the jacket. There were 2 other spots on the jacket that tested postitive for blood. One had no DNA and the other was degraded to the point that only 3 markers registered. The blood that was identified as Danielle's matched all 13 markers after having been drycleaned. Drycleaning degrades DNA

The only thing found on the head board were some blue/gray fibers. No hair, no blood. Dusek said that Danielle was violently raped and her head banged against the headboard... Here is a link to a picture of the bed in the RV Link. She's 48 inches, he is 6' 2".

The single hair found in the RV was degraded.

Here's a site with other information. SND The Trial Evidence section has charts about what LE/Experts testified to. Also note that the hairs that had MitDNA do not list the lenght. Specific page references to transcripts are given.

All that said, there is speculation that there was more of a relationship between the convicted and Brenda than the public is aware of. One of my sources for that info, infact testified during the penalty phase. There's much more to this sordid story.

[Jaded]

Not one of them had any morales that I picked up on.

That is very much true. Who knows maybe this is their (any of them) road to Damascus.

[Walnut]

I imagine there is more to this story than we will ever know. I'm not even sure I would have the stomach for it. Just from what I heard at the trial on TV I could tell there is so much more to be known to get the entire picture.
What did the poor little girl endure before she was murdered. No one should ever go through what she did. I pray
for her

[demsux]

All that said, there is speculation that there was more of a relationship between the convicted and Brenda than the public is aware of.

Could your source verify Brenda's fingerprints in the SUV?

[Jaded]

Unfortunately, the sources I have tapped aren't privy to that particular piece of evidence. But I'll keep asking. I wonder if it's in the unsealed docs that UT won't publish?

[BARLF]

Jaded, correct me if I am wrong here.

Why? Where? When? How? No evidence presented by the prosecution answers these questions.

We know Danielle died and was thrown on a trash heap to be discovered nearly a month after her disappearance.

[I. Ben Hurt]

Hi BARLF!

I've been wondering about you. Hope you and hubby are o.k.

According to prosecution, we don't have to know those things you've questioned. It happened and DW did it.

Hope things are going on (that we just don't know about) to keep this case alive. Guess Judge Mudd won out in not having to release any more of the sealed documents. Bummer.

[BARLF]

Hello IBH......Looks that way.(Mudd)

Something else that bothers me. How did DW manage to park the RV on the Hwy, carry Danielle up that steep embankment without being observed or take a chance of being observed?

Consider also, he had to carry this child from her house,down the street to his house without being observed. Street lights, well lit area. No houses for him to slink between as he made his way back to his house. Possibly drunk, unless he sobered up while hiding in Danielle's room for a couple of hours waiting for the van Dam friends to leave and the Van Dams to sleep. Oh, and not leaving any scent or DNA in Danielle's bedroom.

Incredible.

We're doing ok, thanks.