Westerfield
Westerfield v. Superior Court
Opinion
Opinion
Harold W. Fuson, La Jolla, Scott A. Wahrenbrock, Judith L. Fanshan, Gray, Cary, Ware & Freidenrich and Guylyn R. Cummins, San Diego, for Real Party in Interest Copley Press, Inc.
Paul J. Pfingst, District Attorney, Gregory Thompson, Assistant District Attorney, Charles E. Nickel, Anthony Lovett, Jeff B. Dusek, Josephine A. Kiernan, and Richard S. Armstrong, Deputy District Attorneys for Real Party in Interest the People.
McINTYRE, J.
On February 22, 2002, David Alan Westerfield was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of seven-year-old Danielle Van Dam. Four days later, the People filed a complaint charging Westerfield with murder with special circumstances in the death of Danielle, kidnapping and misdemeanor possession of child pornography. Before arresting Westerfield, police obtained seven search warrants
(The People indicate police also obtained an eighth warrant (No. 27800), which was not addressed by the court or the parties because of inadvertence.) At the request of police, the court sealed the warrants and all related documents including the affidavits supporting the warrants and the returns.
The Copley Press, Inc. (Copley) filed a motion for access to the…