Forensic Expert Counters Defense Bug Evidence
Rebuttal Testimony Focuses On Body Decomposition, Pornography
POSTED: 8:18 am PDT July 25, 2002
UPDATED: 3:52 pm PDT July 25, 2002
SAN DIEGO -- A forensic expert for the U.S. military took the stand for the prosecution Thursday in the David Westerfield trial.
Doctor William Rodriguez, serving as a private consultant, is testifying about the process of body decomposition and how it relates to determining the time of death in an investigation.Prosecutors in the trial of David Westerfield called Rodriguez to counter a defense expert on insects who testified that Danielle's body couldn't have been dumped along a rural road before Feb. 12.That date is significant because Westerfield had been under police surveillance since Feb 5., just days after Danielle was reported missing.The defense expert based his conclusion on an analysis of blow flies and larva collected during the autopsy.
Rodriguez (pictured, right) is countering that testimony. He said the climate in February along Dehesa road in El Cajon and the positioning of Danielle's body would have allowed partial mummification to set in, preventing or delaying the flies from from laying eggs and "colonizing" the body.Rodriguez is the chief deputy for special investigations with the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner and has studied times and causes in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and various locations in the United States.His testimony comes as part of the prosecution rebuttal, which is expected to last through the day. The defense will then have its chance to offer counter-rebuttal.Westerfield is charged with kidnapping, murder and possession of child pornography. He could get the death penalty if convicted.Today's testimony was delayed by a closed door hearing with attorneys for both sides and Superior Court Judge William Mudd.Deputy District Attorney Paul Cooper went inside the courtroom to discuss "newly discovered material," as it was termed by Mudd earlier this week.Also, a juror and two alternates were brought into the courtroom individually before the entire jury was called in as a group. The subject of those discussions is unknown at this time.A police computer expert who examined the computers in Westerfield's home resumed his testimony Thursday after the delay about pornographic sites accessed from the residence. James Watkins testified Wednesday that card files found on Westerfield's two office computers had a list of links to about 200 pornographic Web sites. Watkins, who has already testified twice in the trial, said most of the cards in what was termed a computerized "Rolodex" were for vendors for Westerfield's business. But 29 cards listed 200 pornographic Web sites with names like "tooyoung2," "youngvirgins.nu" and "lolita.com," Watkins testified. The prosecution's theory is that child pornography provided the motive in the murder of Danielle, who lived down the street from the defendant.
Watkins (pictured, right) was presented with an Internet Explorer history file by Deputy District Attorney George Clarke to see if pornography was viewed over the Internet on Feb. 4 -- at a time when the defendant was at a police station -- in an attempt to see if his teenage son was responsible for the content. Watkins said no pornographic sites were visited during that time, but he conceded later that an X-rated e-mail was received. Westerfield's son, Neal, testified Wednesday that he never downloaded pornography onto his father's computer and disputed previous testimony concerning trips to the desert. Neal Westerfield, 19, a San Diego State University student, said that he viewed pornography once or twice each month on a computer in the office of his father's Sabre Springs house in recent years. He was called as a prosecution rebuttal witness after the defense rested its case, having called up one witness in the morning. Superior Court Judge William Mudd ordered that the young man's face not be photographed. Following the lunch break, Mudd lashed out at the media after Neal Westerfield's photograph was taken. Click here for full story. The younger Westerfield said he generally viewed Japanese-drawn, cartoon-like drawings and photographs of big-breasted women on the World Wide Web. "Would you ever download such material?" prosecutor Jeff Dusek asked. "No," he answered. "Do you know if your father had pornography in the house?" Dusek asked. "I found some on his computer and I found it on disks in his office," he replied. The defense had argued there was no proof of who actually downloaded the material and had displayed screen shots that pornography was viewed Feb. 4, when the defendant was at a police station.
![]() 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:
- July 24, 2002: Westerfield's Son Takes Stand
- July 24, 2002: Judge Mudd Gives Media Tongue-Lashing
- July 24, 2002: Final Arguments Expected Next Week
- July 23, 2002: Westerfield Trial Takes Another Day Off
- July 22, 2002: Another Bug Expert Testifies In Westerfield Trial
- July 22, 2002: Westerfield Trial Resumes After 11-Day Break
- July 19, 2002: Runnion Murder Could Impact Westerfield Jury
- July 12, 2002: Motion To Unseal More Affidavits Denied
- July 12, 2002: Woman Loses Job Over Westerfield Trial
- July 11, 2002: Westerfield: Desert A 'Great Place To Dump A Body'
- July 10, 2002: Bug Expert Raises Questions About When Danielle Died
- July 10, 2002: Westerfield's Former Girlfriend Takes Stand
- July 10, 2002: Prosecution Presents New Fiber Evidence
- July 9, 2002: Questions Raised About Who Saw What, And When
- July 8, 2002: Witnesses: Westerfield, Van Dam Danced Together
- July 8, 2002: Witness: Brenda 'Dirty Danced' With Westerfield
- July 3, 2002: Westerfield Trial Focuses On Porn, Again
- July 3, 2002: Computer Porn Associated With Westerfield's Son
- July 3, 2002: Prosecution Wraps Up, For Now
- July 2, 2002: Dog Handler 'Bursting With Pride' After Westerfield Arrest
- July 1, 2002: Prosecution Asks For One More Witness
- June 28, 2002: Westerfield Defense Concerned Over Being 'Ambushed'
- June 27, 2002: Closed-Door Hearing Held In Westerfield Trial
- June 26, 2002: Porn, Motor Home Focus Of Westerfield Trial
- June 26, 2002: Jurors Tour Westerfield Motor Home
- June 26, 2002: Westerfield Computer Had 85 Questionable Images
- June 26, 2002: Porn Evidence Introduced In Westerfield Trial
- June 25, 2002: Criminalist: Fibers Connect Westerfield, Danielle
- June 25, 2002: Damon Van Dam Kicked Out Of Courtroom
- June 25, 2002: Day 12: Danielle-Like Hairs Found
- June 24, 2002: Criminalist: Blond Hairs On Westerfield Bed Sheets
- June 24, 2002: Hair Like Danielle's Found In Westerfield Bed Sheets
- June 21, 2002: DNA Expert: Danielle's Blood Found In RV
- June 20, 2002: DNA Expert: Danielle's Blood In Westerfield RV, Jacket
- June 20, 2002: Specialist: Danielle's Prints In Westerfield Motor Home
- June 19, 2002: Laundry, Videotapes, Lubricant Seized From Westerfield Home
- June 19, 2002: Trial Focuses On Evidence Collected By Police
- June 18, 2002: Forensics Specialist Collected Hairs, Necklace
- June 18, 2002: Dry Cleaners: Westerfield Distant, Rushed
- June 14, 2002: Judge Tries To Inject Levity Into Westerfield Trial
- June 14, 2002: Park Rangers: Westerfield Overpaid, Shows Wallet
- June 12, 2002: Westerfield Interview Heard; Neighbor Says Blinds Shut
- June 12, 2002: Westerfield Trial: KGTV Reporter Takes Stand
- June 11, 2002: Van Dam Friends Take Stand; Westerfield 'Creepy'
- June 7, 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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