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CNN Live Today

Westerfield's Son Testifies

Aired July 25, 2002 - 12:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to California where the testimony is nearing an end in the trial of the man accused of killing Danielle van Dam. The rebuttal phase, and one of those taking the stand for the prosecutors, the defendant's own son.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez joins us from outside the courthouse in San Diego -- hi, Thelma.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. Well, the trial was supposed to begin about 20 minutes ago, but apparently things are running a little bit late. Now, the prosecution will continue this morning with their rebuttal witnesses, and expected on the stand is a computer expert who examined David Westerfield's computers. Investigators say they found hundreds and hundreds of pornographic images on his computer, including some child pornography. Now, the defense had said earlier, and they had suggested that perhaps it was the defendant's son who actually downloaded some of that material, but the defendant's son took the stand yesterday and said they definitely are not his.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NEAL WESTERFIELD, SON OF DAVID WESTERFIELD: For two weeks I would stay with my mother and then for the other two weeks I would stay with my father.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The voice of Neal Westerfield, the 18-year-old son of this man, 50-year-old David Westerfield, accused of kidnapping and killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you know the van Dam family?

WESTERFIELD: No.

GUTIERREZ: The college freshman called to the stand by the prosecution. The court ordered the cameras to turn away, hoping to protect Neal's privacy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have there been occasions when you've accessed pornography at his house?

WESTERFIELD: Yes.

GUTIERREZ: At issue, the hundreds of pornographic images found in David Westerfield's home and just who downloaded them.

WESTERFIELD: I found some on his computer and I found some on disks in his office.

GUTIERREZ: But Neal Westerfield claims he never downloaded any pornography at his father's home, only that he found it on his father's computer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the materials that you have accessed over time, were there any small children, elementary school aged children?

WESTERFIELD: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any young teens that you saw, or were they all adult women?

WESTERFIELD: They looked all to be adult women.

GUTIERREZ: The prosecution will continue its rebuttal. Closing arguments are expected to begin next week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUTIERREZ: Now, the defense did not choose to cross-examine Neal Westerfield yesterday, and when he left the courtroom, his father looked over at him. Neal Westerfield left with his mother, did not make any eye contact with his mother -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thelma Gutierrez, we will check in with you with more -- we saw someone behind you there, saw you were a little distracted. We apologize. We will get back to you, Thelma.

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