SAN DIEGO -- A police specialist testified Wednesday that he is "absolutely certain" that latent fingerprints lifted from David Westerfield's motor home were from Danielle van Dam.

WESTERFIELD TRIAL Judge William Mudd Issues Death Penalty Sentence Hear Jury's Death Penalty Recommendation Watch The Jury's Verdict Being Read Share Your Thoughts DANIELLE VAN DAM 1994-2002 Watch Danielle Video Montage E-mail: daniellevandam @yahoo.com Send mail to: P.O. Box 501515 San Diego, 92150

Jeffrey Graham said the prints were taken from the lower right corner of a cabinet in the back bedroom of the motor home, about 11 inches from the bed.

Graham, a latent print examiner for the San Diego Police Department for nearly six years, said he determined the prints were from a left ring finger and knuckle area of a middle finger.

He said he compared the fingerprints with those taken from the 7-year-old's body.

"These two prints of this hand print were made by Danielle van Dam?" Deputy District Attorney Jeff Dusek asked.

"Yes," Graham responded.

"How certain are you?" Dusek inquired.

"Absolutely certain," the examiner said.

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Summary Of Day 10 Of Trial

Graham (pictured, right) also described how Danielle's hands had to be removed from her nude, desiccated body and rehydrated to make fingerprints that could be used for comparison.

He said he worked with the various prints he was given all the way up to May 10, nearly two months after Westerfield's preliminary hearing.

Westerfield, 50, faces murder, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography charges. He could receive the death penalty if convicted.

The child was discovered missing from her Sabre Springs home the morning of Feb. 2. The defendant was arrested Feb. 22. Volunteers found Danielle's body east of El Cajon five days later.

Graham said he examined 125 usable prints found in the van Dam home. None matched the people shown to be with Danielle's mother the night before the second-grader was discovered missing. None matched Westerfield, either, Graham said.

Graham told defense attorney Steven Feldman a usable palm print of a right hand was found on the hand rail at the top of the stairs of the home, but he was unable to make an identification. He even compared the print to police officers who had been in the house.

Graham also testified he could not find a fingerprint matching Westerfield in the motor home.

Earlier Wednesday, Karen LeAlcala (pictured, left), a forensic specialist with the Police Department, testified she searched Westerfield's Sabre Springs home with other detectives beginning early on the morning of Feb. 5.

LeAlcala said she took laundry from a washing machine and a dryer, including a pair of medium-sized gray and black boxer shorts, which were introduced as a court exhibit.

Deputy District Attorney George "Woody" Clarke had the witness open the evidence envelope and display the shorts, but their significance was not immediately explained.

LeAlcala said white sheets were found in the washing machine, and shirts and towels were stacked atop the dryer.

"I believe they were damp," she testified.

LeAlcala also said she seized three compact discs and three zip disks from an office in Westerfield's house, videotapes from the master bedroom and a bottle of ID Juicy Lube -- a lubricant for use in sexual activity -- from the headboard of his bed.

In Westerfield's garage, she testified she found trash cans containing an empty bottle of bleach and a ball of lint.

In previous court proceedings, the prosecution has said Danielle van Dam's hair was found in lint in the garage.

The fact that Westerfield is in custody has nothing to do with his guilt or innocence, Judge William Mudd reminded the jury hearing his Superior Court trial.

Some jurors expressed concern that they had been "stuck" in the third-floor hallway when sheriff's deputies stopped all pedestrian traffic to get Westerfield to and from the courtroom.

"It is very apparent Mr. Westerfield is in custody," the judge said.

Mudd said the process in the 40-year-old county courthouse is the only way to get prisoners from holding cells to the courtroom and back.

"Please do not give it any thought," Mudd told the jury. "It has nothing to do with the decisions you have to make."