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"If these parents had had several friends over for a night of gin rummy, nobody would be even questioning them.

Quila, If this were a charge of cheating at cards, I would likely agree with your statement, but this is about a likely sex related crime, involving the murder of a 7 Y.O. girl.

The people that were in the VD household that night may have not technically been breaking any sex related laws. But, their (now admitted) lifestyle is clearly outside the norms and values of most American citizens, just as DW's collection, would fall outside those parameters. Therefore, it does not seem unreasonable to me, to question why they have not been given closer scrutiny than they have recieved, especially given the admitted withholding of information and conflicting testimony surroubnding them.

I don't care to know what individuals do in their bedroom, but, IMO, a vial and tragic murder has trumped the VD and comany's right to enjoy this privacy.

And consider: in yesterday's testimony, Feldman started getting into the subject of the van Dams' own collection of porn involving very young girls. The question got and objection and a sustained, but once the prosecution puts their own porn expert on the stand, I wonder if the same question will be allowed. If they have kiddie porn, too, can we reach the same jump in logic that obviously that makes them pedophiles too? Seemed to be ok in Westerfield's case.

Therefore, it does not seem unreasonable to me, to question why they have not been given closer scrutiny than they have recieved, especially given the admitted withholding of information and conflicting testimony surroubnding them.

It's kind of a closed loop. They knew they'd get raked over the coals for their lifestyle, so they lied about it. This caused more suspicion when their lies about lifestyle were uncovered. But this should have all been stuff for prosecution to work out, not defense. Right now it's just looking like a desperate defense tactic to distract the jury, but we'll see.

This is, of course, separate from their non lifestyle-related lies.