Westerfield Trial Jury Selection Complete
Six Alternates Picked Friday
POSTED: 9:54 am PDT May 31,
2002
UPDATED: 4:42 pm PDT May 31,
2002
SAN DIEGO -- Jury selection was completed Friday in the trial of accused child killer David Westerfield, with the seating of five women and a man as alternate jurors.
Westerfield, 50, could face the death penalty if convicted of murder, kidnapping, misdemeanor possession of child pornography, and a special circumstance allegation that the killing of Danielle van Dam happened during a kidnapping.
Superior Court Judge William Mudd has scheduled opening statements for 10 a.m. Tuesday.
A six-man, six-woman jury was sworn in Thursday to hear the case against the self-employed design engineer who lived two doors from the victim's home in Sabre Springs. The jury includes a Hispanic grandfather, two African-American women -- including one from Panama -- three white men, three white women and three people from various ethnic backgrounds. They range in age from the early 20s to 83 years old. At least 10 jurors said that they favor the death penalty where appropriate. Several have served on juries before. The jury was selected in less than three days, despite speculation that it could take weeks. Mudd ruled Friday that the victim's parents, Brenda and Damon van Dam, must stay out of the courtroom until they are called to testify. "They are percipient witnesses," the judge told prosecutor Jeff Dusek. "You can let them know I apologize." Mudd said that he was adhering to a common rule to exclude witnesses from the courtroom until their testimony was complete. More pretrial motions are scheduled to be heard Monday morning, including one behind closed doors. The trial, which could take three months, will be carried live on NewsChannel 15 and TheSanDiegoChannel.com. Before jury selection began, Mudd ruled that jurors will hear only limited information on the "swinging" lifestyle of Brenda and Damon van Dam. The jury also will be allowed to view certain pornographic images -- including photographs of naked children -- that investigators say they found on Westerfield's computer. Jurors also will hear statements the defendant made to police the day he became a suspect, the judge ruled. Prosecutors contend the alleged pornographic computer images prove Westerfield's motive was to molest Danielle sexually when he allegedly took from her home the night of Feb. 1. The girl's blood, hair and fingerprints were found in Westerfield's motorhome, prosecutors said. Volunteer searchers found her decomposed body Feb. 27 off a road near Dehesa, in San Diego's East County.
![]() WESTERFIELD TRIAL DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 E-mail: daniellevandam @yahoo.com Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, 92150 |
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Previous Stories:
- May 31, 2002: Westerfield Trial Scheduled To Start Tuesday
- May 30, 2002: Jury Selection In Westerfield Trial Enters Third Day
- May 28, 2002: Jury Selection Continues In Westerfield Trial
- May 20, 2002: Experts Question Speed Of Westerfield Trial
- May 17, 2002: Court To Interview 262 Potential Jurors
- May 17, 2002: Westerfield Jury Selection Under Way
- May 16, 2002: Westerfield Jury Selection Set To Begin
- May 16, 2002: Westerfield Trial Jury Questionnaire
- May 15, 2002: Judge May Make Rulings In Westerfield Case
- May 13, 2002: Westerfield Pre-Trial Still Closed
- May 10, 2002: Westerfield Trial: Pretrial Motions Remain Closed
- May 8, 2002: Reporters Called In Westerfield Trial
- May 8, 2002: DA: Danielle Was Suffocated By Westerfield
- May 7, 2002: Pretrial Motions Start In Westerfield Case
- May 2, 2002: Westerfield Pretrial Motions To Remain Sealed
- May 1, 2002: Court: Westerfield Affidavits To Remain Sealed
- April 25, 2002: DA To Seek Death Penalty Against Westerfield
- April 19, 2002: Westerfield Given Limited Access To Police Records
- April 18, 2002: Press Kept Out Of Van Dam Murder Case
- April 18, 2002: Judge Reviews Cops' Files In Van Dam Murder Case
- April 17, 2002: Westerfield Fights To Keep Search Warrants Sealed
- April 15, 2002: DA: Deny Westerfield Access To Police Records
- April 12, 2002: Lie-Detector Specialist: Westerfield 'Deceptive'
- April 11, 2002: Documents: Dogs Alerted Police To Westerfield
- April 11, 2002: No Live Press For Westerfield Pretrial Hearings
- April 4, 2002: Westerfield Lawyer: Client Abused By Police
- March 28, 2002: Trial Date Set For Van Dam Murder Case
- March 28, 2002: Westerfield To Make Court Appearance
- March 15, 2002: Westerfield To Stand Trial In Van Dam Murder
- March 13, 2002: Westerfield Hearing Takes A Break
- March 12, 2002: Testimony: Police Find Porn On Westerfield's Computer
- March 11, 2002: Witness: Danielle's Body Found Nude, Decomposing
- March 8, 2002: Gag Order Issued In Van Dam Murder Case
- March 7, 2002: Police Acted Inappropriately Toward Westerfield
- March 4, 2002: Westerfield Affidavits To Remain Sealed
- February 27, 2002: Search Warrants Show Police Sought Child Porn
- February 27, 2002: Danielle's Parents Respond To Neighbor's Arraignment
- February 26, 2002: Brenda van Dam's Feb. 26 Statement
- February 26, 2002: Van Dam Neighbor To Be Arraigned
- February 26, 2002: Westerfield To Be Charged With Murder
- February 25, 2002: Danielle's Blood Found On Neighbor's Clothing
- February 14, 2002: Police Search Neighbor's House Again
- February 8, 2002: Police: Westerfield Had Child Porn
- February 8, 2002: Search For Danielle Goes Nationwide
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