SAN DIEGO (AP) — A neighbor of a 7-year-old girl who vanished from her home earlier this month has pleaded not guilty to charges that he kidnapped and murdered her.
David Westerfield, who was arraigned Tuesday in the death of Danielle van Dam, is being held without bond. It hasn't been decided yet if prosecutors will seek the death penalty if he is convicted, District Attorney Paul Pfingst said.
The three-page complaint against Westerfield, who also was charged with possession of child pornography, did not provide specific dates for the alleged kidnapping and murder.
Westerfield, a self-employed engineer who lives two doors from the van Dam home, has been held in an isolation cell at the San Diego County Jail since he was arrested on Friday.
"Please respect the Constitution," Westerfield's attorney, Steven Feldman, told reporters outside the courthouse after Judge Peter C. Deddeh denied the attorney's request for a gag order.
"Stop guessing about what the facts are," Feldman continued. "Let the case be tried in the courtroom, not on the streets of San Diego."