BREAKING: BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH WESTERFIELD: (Modern Day Westside Story?)7-9-02 Trial Watch

KFMB ^ | July 9, 2002 | KFMB

[FresnoDA]

WITNESSES SAY BRENDA VAN DAM DANCED WITH DAVID WESTERFIELD

(07-08-2002) - Three defense witnesses testified Monday that Brenda van Dam and David Westerfield, the man accused of murdering 7-year-old Danielle van Dam, danced together the night before the girl was discovered missing.

"Mr. Westerfield and Mrs. van Dam were dancing," said Patricia LePage, describing the scene at Dad's Cafe and Steakhouse the night of Feb. 1.

Since the prosecution introduced hair and fibers found at the defendant's house and motorhome, the defense has tried to show the evidence could have been transferred in some other way, such as dancing.

The 50-year-old defendant would face the death penalty if convicted of kidnapping and killing Danielle van Dam, who lived two houses away in Sabre Springs. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

In testimony near the beginning of the trial, Brenda van Dam told the court she did not dance with Westerfield.

But LePage said van Dam rubbed her hips and chest against Westerfield during several dances together, recalling the movie "Dirty Dancing." That was just part of what LePage described as "frisky" behavior exhibited by van Dam that night.

LePage said she was in a smoking lounge at Dad's with her daughter, Cherokee Youngs, when van Dam came in and struck up a conversation with the younger woman.

"Well, she did ask my daughter if she liked girls," LePage said when asked to describe the conversation. Van Dam, she said, asked Youngs if she wanted to come to her house for a party later that night.

Youngs testified about the encounter last week.

Duane Blake, a fisherman who said he goes to Dad's a couple times a week, said he caught a glimpse of the defendant dancing with van Dam.

Blake confirmed an interview with the District Attorney's Office, in which he described their dancing as, "huggy, huggy." He testified he even thought Westerfield might be trying to pick up on van Dam.

Earlier Monday, another woman testified she saw Westerfield dance with Danielle's mother.

Glennie Nasland, who began her testimony last week, said she was on the dance floor and saw the pair turn toward each other while dancing with other people.

Nasland, who described herself as a friend of Westerfield, said she watched them for 20 seconds before they turned away again.

In other testimony Monday, Dave Laspisa said that going to the desert to look for friends, and without bringing an all-terrain vehicle, was not an unusual activity for Westerfield.

The witness, a self-employed Poway man, said he's known the defendant for 15 years and has camped with him near the Imperial County community of Glamis for 10 years.

The witness was one of several people who testified as the defense began to move away from what happened at a Poway night spot the night before Danielle was discovered missing Feb. 2 to Westerfield's weekend wanderings.

Westerfield's attorney, Steven Feldman asked Laspisa to explain why someone would avoid Interstate 8 while taking a motorhome to the desert. Laspisa said high winds and black ice were common on that route, which traverses altitudes over 4,000 feet.

Heather Mack, a security guard at Coronado Cays, testified that she saw Westerfield drive his motorhome into the exclusive neighborhood in the afternoon or evening hours of Feb. 3.

Mack said Westerfield smiled and waved at her as he drove past her security kiosk, but she never saw him again.

The witness told Dusek that she originally told a police officer that she "vaguely remembered" seeing the defendant's recreational vehicle.

Glen Seebruch, an engineering manager at Nokia, testified earlier that Westerfield called him the morning of Feb. 1 and told him he planned to go to the desert that weekend.

Feldman, told Judge William Mudd that his case may be completed by the end of the week.

Insect expert David Faulkner is expected to testify about how long the victim's body may have been in the East County before volunteer searchers found it on Feb. 27.

Feldman has said Westerfield would have had no opportunity to dispose of the body because he was under constant police surveillance from Feb. 4 until his arrest Feb. 22.

[Yeti]

So it was a blanket indictment of the 'need more evidence' crowd? Like me?

They indicted the multicolored blanket??? That should be all the evidence they need!

[Valpal1]

I am perfectly familiar with the SCOTUS ruling and their decision affects only wholey digital creations (morphing of photographs is still illegal) and adults simulating/made up to look like children.

Child porn is still illegal and you don't know what you are talking about. You have no information/evidence that no investigation was done, no one does, because that investigative information is not public, protected under CA privacy laws.

[Beach_Babe]

The colors of Damon's alma mater, the University of Florida, are blue and orange...

[UCANSEE2]

There are lots of posters who pin this on Damon with far less evidence than the DA has against the defendent. IMO

You are absolutely correct. Gee, seems ALL OF US ARE JUST AS HARD HEADED as EVERYONE ELSE, we just think it is only the other guy.

FIRST, the trial is about the GUILT or NON-GUILT of DW and that is what we should be concentrating on. I get carried away with imaginary scenarios that might fit the evidence, (which is usually how investigation into a case begins in the first place), as well as many others.

The overall problem in this case is that unintentional bumbling of the police / or / intentional railroading of DW by the police that seems so obvious in this case.

If all of this is as true as it seems, it gets very hard to value what little true evidence there is/might be.

When it looks like DW might not be guilty, then our attention wanders to WHO IN THE HECK WAS IT THEN?

SOMEONE is responsible for the girl's death, even if it was only death via neglect.

SO, what do we do?

[John Jamieson]

I mean it that way. Of all the problems that poor children in this world suffer, it has to be one of the least important. If you want to help children, there are causes that will help many more live happy lives.

About a 100 children a year are killed by jelly fish but 100,000 in cars around the world (about 15,000 in the US). Should we spent our time, money and emotion on the 100 or the 100,000 or on the millions that are starving?

If you could play god and strike down everyone about to abuse a child to make a porno film, you would not change the life of the average misserable child one bit.

There are too many one-noters out there missing the forest for the trees.

[bvw]

As ugly as a swinger whose need for greater and greater stimulation (because as he swings he becomes less and less sensitive) to the point where his young daughter becomes a novel sexual outlet? Just wanta know what you think, if that is the case?

BTW what porno do the swing set use? We already know about the schoolgirl pretend thing at the local swing club ... is that bad, or good?

[Freedom2specul8]

Interesting that they then turn and claim the porn on DW's computers (a minute fraction of which is rumored (but unsubstantiated) to be 'child' porn) is a clear indicator of motive and guilt; all the while claiming out the other side of their mouth that the porn from the VD's is unimportant.

I'm not saying this necessarily applies to you, just the real whacko hot-heads

The hot heads are on both sides...I've seen it. I'm sure you have too.

The child porn numbers to 80+ but less than 90. The rumored descriptions and what we heard made it sound really raunchy. Granted, it's all considered raunchy..but the videos for example when far beyond simple pics. It seems that what the jury heard and saw and we heard were TRUE screams of kids under 11yrs. Since it is so rare to have child porn..in the big picture..I can see why dw's motive was declared. NOW...think about this..what are the chances of the cops just pinpointing the wrong guy or house as the case may be..which just 'happens' to have child porn.. (put all conspiracy theories aside--ya have to assume there were no conspiracy theories. )

[juzcuz]

Do you think he has the coordinating (Orange)sweater?????

[vacrn]

Raising my hand for the ping list, please. Thank you.

[RnMomof7]

Hannity and Combs on FOX is going to have a report on VD 's behavior shortly

[spectre]

FOX NEWS...coming up on Hannity and Colmes.."shocking new revelations about the Van Dams"...should be on in a couple of minutes...don't know what they know that WE don't know, LOL!

sw

[spectre]

I guess we know who watches FOX and FReeps at the same time...LOL!

sw

[RnMomof7]

Beat ya:>)

[John Jamieson]

No, you did not read and understand it. The prosecution must prove that it was a real child and legally establish the he/she was under the age on consent in the country were it was made. Birth certificate required.

[Valpal1]

So where are DW's boots? What's that all about?

[Freedom2specul8]

I forgot to address your comment about porn.. I mentioned to gorepgo, I'm am wondering more about the son, the adult porn, the child porn ...and the son's activities and the explosive as a confession deal from feldman. Be back in a few..gotta give up the comptuer for a few.

[BunnySlippers]

As ugly as a swinger whose need for greater and greater stimulation (because as he swings he becomes less and less sensitive) to the point where his young daughter becomes a novel sexual outlet? Just wanta know what you think, if that is the case?

As a hypothetical? Anyone who kills or hurts a child in this way is a monster.

BTW what porno do the swing set use? We already know about the schoolgirl pretend thing at the local swing club ... is that bad, or good?

What schoolgirl at the local swing club? Did the VD's do that??? How many swing events did the VDs have in the last 24 months?

[Jaded]

There's always NAMBLA, but lets' please save that for another thread.

[BunnySlippers]

No, you did not read and understand it. The prosecution must prove that it was a real child and legally establish the he/she was under the age on consent in the country were it was made. Birth certificate required.

The European case, whose URL I posted, was quite clear they were infants.

[hoosiermama]

Please tell us what H & C have on the VD. Take good notes!