Van Dam Friends Take Stand; Westerfield 'Creepy'
Second Week Of David Westerfield Trial Resumes
POSTED: 7:55 am PDT June 10,
2002
UPDATED: 6:44 am PDT June 11,
2002
SAN DIEGO -- Friends of Brenda and Damon van Dam who were at their home in the hours before their daughter Danielle was reported missing, took the stand Monday in the David Westerfield trial.
Denise Kemal (pictured, right) started the day in court and testified that Westerfield bought drinks for her, Brenda, and another friend, Barbara Easton on Feb. 1 at Dad's Cafe, but then stood off to the side and did not speak to them.
"He was very quiet and weird. He was creepy. He didn't say anything at all," Kemal said.Westerfield, 50, is charged with murder, kidnapping and possession of child pornography. The divorced engineer has pleaded not guilty. He could face the death penalty if he's convicted.His attorney, Steven Feldman, objected to Kemal's characterization of his client and a judge ordered the remarks stricken from the record.Feldman has sought to portray the van Dams' lifestyle as "risque" and has suggested that other potential suspects were in the home the night of Danielle's disappearance.Under cross-examination, Kemal, a divorced flight attendant, admitted that she, the van Dams, and Easton smoked marijuana in the van Dam's garage hours before Danielle vanished from her bedroom.Kemal also said that in October 2000 she had sex with Damon, while Brenda had sex with Kemal's husband.But she admitted that, initially, she did not disclose that fact to police when questioned about Danielle's disappearance."Our encounter was nearly three years ago," Kemal said. "I didn't think that had anything to do with it." Kemal also testified that she was called by Damon van Dam the next day and told Danielle was missing. On her way to the house, she ran into Westerfield, who lived two doors down and across the street, as she pulled up to the van Dam home. "He said, 'I can't believe what happened,"' Kemal testified. "I said, 'I know."' "He said, 'Well, I left at 9 o'clock."'
Next to take the stand was Rich Brady (pictured, right). He allegedly provided marijuana to the van Dams.Brady conceded that he gave Brenda an envelope containing a small amount of marijuana. The drug was smoked by the Brenda, Kemal and Easton, on two occasions the night of Feb. 1.Keith Stone -- one of five people at Dad's Cafe in Poway that night -- was also called as a prosecution witness Monday.Stone denied ever asking Brenda to "make something happen" with Easton.Last week, Brenda said "yes" when asked by Feldman if Stone had indicated he was "hyped up and excited" and really wanted to be with Easton. "I had an interest," Stone confirmed. "There was some bantering going back and forth between us." He added that, when the women went outside the restaurant to smoke marijuana and listen to music, he kissed Easton once or twice. He denied having taken Viagra, saying the subject came up during "barroom banter." "You don't recall telling Brenda you were sexually excited because you took the little pill," co-defense counsel Robert Boyce asked. "I did not tell Brenda I took a little pill," Stone replied. "Did you tell Brenda she had to make it happen with you and Barbara that night?" "I don't recall." "You don't recall that Brenda invited you back to her house and you, maybe, could hook up with Barbara?" "That did not occur," Stone insisted. "That conversation did not take place." Both the prosecution and defense have concentrated on the outing to Dad's Cafe in an attempt to either build or destroy the credibility of Brenda and those who were with her.Westerfield's friend Garry Harvey, and Harvey's friend, Yvette Wetli, also testified about the Feb. 1 "girls' night out." The day ended with testimony from Wetli, who said Easton acted in a sexually "aggressive" manner toward her.The prosecution said it expects to wrap up its case by the end of the month. Testimony is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
![]() 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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Next to take the stand was Rich Brady (pictured, right). He allegedly provided marijuana to the van Dams.Brady conceded that he gave Brenda an envelope containing a small amount of marijuana. The drug was smoked by the Brenda, Kemal and Easton, on two occasions the night of Feb. 1.Keith Stone -- one of five people at Dad's Cafe in Poway that night -- was also called as a prosecution witness Monday.Stone denied ever asking Brenda to "make something happen" with Easton.Last week, Brenda said "yes" when asked by Feldman if Stone had indicated he was "hyped up and excited" and really wanted to be with Easton. "I had an interest," Stone confirmed. "There was some bantering going back and forth between us." He added that, when the women went outside the restaurant to smoke marijuana and listen to music, he kissed Easton once or twice. He denied having taken Viagra, saying the subject came up during "barroom banter." "You don't recall telling Brenda you were sexually excited because you took the little pill," co-defense counsel Robert Boyce asked. "I did not tell Brenda I took a little pill," Stone replied. "Did you tell Brenda she had to make it happen with you and Barbara that night?" "I don't recall." "You don't recall that Brenda invited you back to her house and you, maybe, could hook up with Barbara?" "That did not occur," Stone insisted. "That conversation did not take place." Both the prosecution and defense have concentrated on the outing to Dad's Cafe in an attempt to either build or destroy the credibility of Brenda and those who were with her.Westerfield's friend Garry Harvey, and Harvey's friend, Yvette Wetli, also testified about the Feb. 1 "girls' night out." The day ended with testimony from Wetli, who said Easton acted in a sexually "aggressive" manner toward her.The prosecution said it expects to wrap up its case by the end of the month. Testimony is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. Previous Stories:
- June 8, 2002: Westerfield Trial Focuses On Van Dam Lifestyle
- June 6, 2002: Day 3: Brenda Van Dam, Dad's Bar
- June 6, 2002: Brenda Van Dam Testifies In Westerfield Trial
- June 6, 2002: Day 2: Damon Van Dam, Autopsy Photos
- June 5, 2002: Damon Van Dam Takes Witness Stand
- June 5, 2002: Cases Outlined In Westerfield Trial
- June 4, 2002: Westerfield Trial Starts; Witnesses Take Stand
- June 3, 2002: Westerfield Trial Set To Get Under Way
- May 31, 2002: Westerfield Trial Jury Selection Complete
- 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: 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: Investigation Operations Base Leaves North County
- February 8, 2002: Search For Danielle Goes Nationwide
- February 5, 2002: Police Question Neighbor In Missing Girl Case
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