EXPERT LINKS PORN TO WESTERFIELD'S SON!: (Feldman's Message To "The Damon"; Don't Leave Town!)

KNSD NBC ^ | July 3, 2002 | KNBC

[FresnoDA]

Expert Links Porn Images To Westerfield's Son

Defense Hopes To Show Child Porn Wasn't Downloaded By Defendant

 

POSTED: 12:15 p.m. PDT July 3, 2002

UPDATED: 2:55 p.m. PDT July 3, 2002

 

SAN DIEGO -- A computer expert hired by David Westerfield's defense team said that at least some of the pornography seized from his home was downloaded by the defendant's son.

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Marcus Lawson (pictured, right), president of Global CompuSearch of Spokane, Wash., testified Wednesday that he found two photographs of naked women and Japanese "anime" computer animations on the hard drive of a Gateway computer in an upstairs bedroom used by Westerfield's 18-year-old son, David Neal Westerfield. The former Customs Service agent said that a detailed analysis of the files showed the pornography was downloaded at about the same time someone was accessing an email account belonging to the younger Westerfield.

David A. Westerfield, 50, is charged with kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography. Prosecutors have said the 80 or so images of child pornography taken from Westerfield's home indicate sexual interest in children.Defense attorneys are trying to show that the defendant is not responsible for the pornographic images -- including those of young children -- found on his computer equipment.

David A. Westerfield, a 50-year-old self-employed design engineer, is on trial for the kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.

Lawson told jurors that he examined copies of hard drives, zip disks and compact disks made by police and took numerous screen captures -- essentially photographs of what came up on the computer monitor at a given time.

Defense attorney Steven Feldman asked Lawson if there was a theme to the animations.

"A considerable number of the screen prints showed bondage -- where women were tied in ropes," Lawson said.

A screen print of an e-mail to a DNWesthotmail.com, as quoted by Lawson, said: "Thanks for joining anime.com."

Lawson also confirmed screen prints the defense entered into evidence last week, that a computer in the office of Westerfield's house was used to access pornography on Feb. 4 at 4:47 p.m., when the defendant was busy with detectives.

Feldman mentioned last week's suggestion that the clock on the computer may have been doctored.

"Did you see any evidence that that happened on any of the computers you examined?" Feldman asked.

"No, I did not," Lawson answered. He said there's usually signs when a clock has been tampered with, such as files being accessed before they were created. Nothing like that was apparent on Westerfield's computers, he said.

Tuesday, San Diego police Detective Johnny Keene testified that he collected Westerfield from his Sabre Springs home that Monday around 3:40 p.m. and took him to the Northeastern substation in Rancho Penasquitos. The defendant remained there until approximately 11:30 p.m.

[Rheo]

Are you making these numbers up??...these people probably voted for Clinton, twice.

[FresnoDA]

No probation...it is lifted...Miz just picks her post, very carefully, very carefully....LOL

[rolling_stone]

Kim, DW has not had any character witnesses testify for him and I doubt he will. The witnesses today were percipient witnesses who testified to what they saw and heard not about DW's character. And of course the computer expert witness...

[FresnoDA]

Sleuting = Sleuthing

[Karson]

I agree. The boo story wasn't mentioned in PH but was told by Brenda and Denise almost word for word in the trial. In fact, both smiled when they told their little "boo story". It means something!

[John Jamieson]

No, but I did make up the teeth falling out numbers. Go to CTV and vote, I did.

[pyx]

AH HA! gotcha!

Uh huh ... oookay.

[Freedom2specul8]

True....that was kind of like finding a needle in the haystack wasn't it.

[dread78645]

LOL I'm not even going to touch that!

Bhaaaaaa.

Know what you mean.
Seems like half the folks in Poway could touch that (BvD).

[Freedom2specul8]

"I preferred the old FreeRepublic. This newer one is a bit meaner and less friendly. I still like it though. Agree with that or not, its simply my own opinion. YMMV I have complete Faith in Christ Jesus and encourage all good men to seek His Light and Guidance.

I like your bio..

[NatureGirl]

I believe he used a different program name that had to be used for the CD/zip transfer to HD

I couldn't see anything about a different piece of software. Just that he transferred the data to his (the lab's) HD and viewed it with Encase. There was a piece of software or a CD burner mentioned today. It began with an A, but I don't think that was anything forensic. Just a regular "brand-name".

[dread78645]

family-sized pack of crab lice

Bad Fresno, Bad ! No HTML for you.

You shouldn't make fun of Brenda's crotch-critters.
It will destroy her self-esteem.

[Freedom2specul8]

"Seems like half the folks in Poway could touch that (BvD"

.....my lips are zippped!

[Freedom2specul8]

BLECH, I am GLAD I missed that post...

[John Jamieson]

Maybe the bug guy found something besides maggots.

[FresnoDA]

The Night at Dad's

Late in the day Wednesday, jurors heard two female acquaintances of Westerfield contradict the testimony of Danielle's mother, Brenda, concerning her behavior the night of the abduction.

The van Dams admitted earlier in the trial that they engaged in swinging with other couples, but said the practice had nothing to do with their daughter's murder. Brenda van Dam specifically denied that she was combing a local bar for sex partners and said she never danced with Westerfield that night.

But Cherokee Youngs, an acquaintance of Westerfield, and Glennie Nasland, who described herself as his "good friend," offered different portraits of Brenda van Dam's conduct.

 

Cherokee Youngs

Youngs said one of van Dam's friends, Barbara Easton, was hitting on her so aggressively that she grabbed a male stranger and announced that he was her "official boyfriend" for the evening just to ward off the woman's advances.

Brenda van Dam also showed interest, Youngs said, inviting her and the man back to her house and saying of them, "I wouldn't mind taking these two home."

Youngs said she declined, telling Brenda van Dam, "Sorry, I don't share."

Nasland, who has known Westerfield for four years and smiled broadly at him from the witness stand, said she also had sexually charged conversations with the women. She said she and Westerfield talked with Brenda and her friends for 10 minutes and, at one point "for a few seconds" the housewife and Westerfield danced with each other.

Brenda van Dam said she barely knew Westerfield and only briefly spoke with him at the bar. She never mentioned being introduced to Nasland.

Nasland's testimony may have hindered the defense in the end. On cross-examination, she acknowledged that Westerfield was very drunk that night and upset about the end of his year-and-a-half relationship with girlfriend Susan Lelec, to whom Nasland had introduced him.

"He was sad that it didn't work out," said Nasland.

She also said she was certain that Westerfield left the bar just before midnight, but he told police he left at 10:30 and other witnesses have given similar testimony. She also said he was dressed in black that night. Previous witnesses have not described his clothing, but the employee of a drycleaner testified that the day Westerfield was first questioned by police, he brought in an all-black outfit and asked for rush service.

Danielle van Dam's blood was found on another item of clothing he took to the same cleaner.

[FresnoDA]

I think CHEROKEE could kick Denise's skinny ole' butt Van Dammit!!!

[Freedom2specul8]

That's important to know fres!

[John Jamieson]

"Nasland's testimony may have hindered the defense in the end. On cross-examination, she acknowledged that Westerfield was very drunk that night...."

Reporter got it wrong. She insisted DW was very drunk, over the prosecutions claim that he wasn't. The defense needed him incapable of a child hiest. Defense won that round, not the prosecution.

[FresnoDA]

Oh, maybe I should have included that Cherokee also is into kitty porn....LOL