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.

[fussybutt]

please add me to the ping list too

[bvw]

Wish I could -- just ended. All maudlin for the Van Dams, ended on how courageous they are in seeking justice for their daughter. Not particularly fair -- but the subtheme, unstated, has to be that the case against Westerfield is fumbling so all of the media libertines are out to do what they can to salvage it.

Rotten stuff -- especially since the jury ain't sequestered. They are going to try very hard to sway that jury -- just watch the next two weeks.

[the Deejay]

Speaking of PORN, why do I keep getting these porn/semi-porn popups on this site, along with many other annoying popups? I don't recall them on this site from months past.

[UCANSEE2]

Please welcome "fussybutt"

This is the latest PING LIST.UCANSEE2, FresnoDA, Mrs. Liberty, demsux, MizSterious, Jaded, skipjackcity, RnMomof7, spectre, Poohbah, BARLF, Valpal1, FriarTom, DoughtyOne, Amore, Travis McGee, BunnySlippers, Hillary’s Lovely Legs, fivecatsandadog, mommya, Doc Savage, ~kim4vrwc's~, goldenstategirl, Politicalmom, southflanknorthpawsis, Lauratealeaf, mini_teacup, Snow Bunny, Alamo-Girl, Republican Wildcat, Howlin, Fred Mertz, onyx, SusanUSA, MdmKoochie , Uni-Poster, fnord, Uni-Poster, Registered, TXDeb, tutstar, theirjustdue, notpoliticallycor ewrecked, lady reaper, Beach_Babe, brneyedgirl, wonders, HoHoeHeaux, vacrn, Karson, sbnsd, Rheo, John Jamieson, jacquej, let freedom sing, nycgal, hergus, Hildy, tutstar, ThinkingMan, Amore, Howlin, Mrs.Liberty, rolling_stone, wirestripper, Jhoffa_, GummyIII, Luis Gonzalez, Lanza, sneakypete, Tennessee_Bob, Greg Weston, Shezza, Dudley, Winstar1k, is_is, Wednesday’s Child, Donzerly lights, Mrs.O’Strategery, pinz-n-needlez, Angelique, Jdontom, Nancie, Tiger28, sunshine state, fatima, Henrietta, Blue Screen of Death, pubmom, Spunky, it’s me, TexKat, gigi, Yeti, alexandria, luv2lurkhere, JudyB1938, pyx, SheLion, Dread78645, juzcuz, helpisontheway, Lorraine, Kayti, Krodg, afraidfortherepublic, jokar, itsahoot, Rightfield, hoosiermama, greenishness, zip ,bolthead,fussybutt

[hoosiermama]

I don't get them here!

[NatureGirl]

May I recommend to everyone having popup problems, this little gem?

Pop Up Stopper

[BunnySlippers]

I have had some experience with swingers. Fortunately I did not swing, but I was pretty libertine for some time. Live and learn. I definitely highly reccommend against allowing young people to "sow some wild oats."

Okay. The following is just my opinion now.

But as remember the early, early, early reports was that the Van Dam marriage was failing. And Damon suggested wife swapping (which I think they did twice) This is such a male thing and REALLY not a female thing at all. I think Brenda did it to "save the marriage" (we know that this is not the solution). But I think she hated Barb since Barb REALLY was a threat.

I suspect that Brenda could kill Damon at this point for forcing the stupid swinging issue. And I predict that this couple will separate immediately after this trial is over.

[the Deejay]

Is Amore still posting these days? She sent me an email some weeks ago & said she couldn't be bothered with the "flame wars" anymore. Therefore, she wasn't going to be posting.

I was disappointed because I'm the one that referred her to this web site after 9/11.

[Freedom2specul8]

I'm going to go back and find what spec and I were discussing about it..brb

[Valpal1]

This is my opinion only of course, but I think there several relevant factors.

1)A STEPFATHER is far more dangerous than a father. The dirty little secret of the male-bashing feminazi's is that they like to lump stepdads and mommy's stud o'the week in with real fathers to nastify their statistics re: domestic violence/child molesting/physical abuse. The difference between married two parent families of origin vs stepfamilies vs shack ups is large.

2)Regardless of the lies and dissembling on the part of the VD's, they must have in some way gained credibility in the way they finally "spilled the beans". It's pretty obvious that the way Feldman chomped at the bit to get at their sexual history, that they provided an extensive list of names, places and times. Feldy, of course, got that list, but can't go there.

3)There were a 5 and a 9 yr. old witness in the home that evening and morning. They were interviewed seperately and on videotape. It is very likely that their interviews effected LE attitudes regarding Damon's veracity and potential likeliness as a suspect. Do not discount those witnesses, even though we may not be made privy to their statements.

4)Without the ability to go over LE notes and reports of the respective cases, it is impossible to know exactly why they went so differently, why they unfolded in the precise manner they did. We have no idea what the neighbors may have said about the observed behavior of the stepdad in Jahi's case, or what was said by the neighbors, teachers and coworkers of the Van Dam's. But those background interviews can play a heavy role in LE perspectives.

5)Given that SDPD has excellent affirmative action, while promoting based on merit, allegations of possible racism is just the usual tiresome liberal media race baiting.

[the-gooroo]

Please add me to the Ping List--thanks.

[Freedom2specul8]

I was going to make a comment about a comment you responded to, but instead I will reply FREEPMAIL. :)

[the Deejay]

Thanks, I've tried about 5 of them and they're only good for "X" amount of days.

[Freedom2specul8]

fussybutt? LOL Everyone is so creative..

[BARLF]

I'm late to the show again tonight but wanted to say ,"Good Thinking".

Lookie here Jaded!

Good to see you back on here,missed you and your thoughtful imput on these threads.

[hoosiermama]

Concur about the DIVORCE!

I have been wondering if Damon isn't/wasn't having an affair at the time????...Was not actually at home with the children???.Did not really have a business trip????

[UCANSEE2]

But as remember the early, early, early reports was that the Van Dam marriage was failing. And Damon suggested wife swapping (which I think they did twice) This is such a male thing and REALLY not a female thing at all. I think Brenda did it to "save the marriage" (we know that this is not the solution). But I think she hated Barb since Barb REALLY was a threat.

I suspect that Brenda could kill Damon at this point for forcing the stupid swinging issue. And I predict that this couple will separate immediately after this trial is over.

Hmmmmmm..... In MY OPINION, you are probably right. The question now would be, did this 'unhappiness', wife-swapping, jealously, conflict going on, between Barb, Damon, Brenda , HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH DANEILLE's DEATH ?

[the Deejay]

LOL!! Affair? Damon? Didn't he have "affairs" with Brenda's knowledge?? (As did she?)

[BunnySlippers]

Is Amore still posting these days? She sent me an email some weeks ago & said she couldn't be bothered with the "flame wars" anymore. Therefore, she wasn't going to be posting.

Amore was really an asset to this discussion especially since she has professional experience which lent itself to this discussion.

It is sad that people who hold an opinion that does not mesh with the majority are villified.

[UCANSEE2]

Is Amore still posting these days?

Yes and NO.

Yes, I believe, on FR in general. No, not on the DW/VD threads.