CA - Orson & Orrin West (3&4), MEDIA, MAPS & TIMELINE - NO DISCUSSION

[PommyMommy]

MAR 25, 2023

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West: What to expect​

[...]

Defense attorney Victor Nasser is co-counsel for Trezell West, and Jacqueline West is represented by Alekxia Torres Stallings and Fatima Rodriguez.

[...]

While much of what will be presented at trial over the next couple months remains unknown, there are some things that will certainly happen.

There will be multiple child witnesses. In addition to Orrin and Orson, the Wests were caring for two other adopted children and two biological children. At least some will be called to the stand to testify. Included in the indictment is an allegation the Wests induced a minor to commit a crime.

The jury is going to hear from Department of Human Services officials and how the foster and adoption process works. Prosecutor Eric Smith said during jury selection multiple officials will testify.

Smith also told jurors to expect “hours upon hours” of surveillance footage. This will likely include footage both in California City and Bakersfield, where the Wests and the children previously lived.

Law enforcement dug at locations in both cities, and the jury will visit locations in both. Judge Charles R. Brehmer informed them they’ll spend about half a day at one or more locations in Bakersfield, and a full day at locations in California City.

Of course, many members of law enforcement will testify. There will be witnesses from California City and Bakersfield police departments, and likely others that took part in the investigation.

While most witnesses will testify in person, Brehmer said some will give testimony through Zoom.

[...]

Opening statements will be heard at 9 a.m. Tuesday. 17 News will be providing regular updates each day of the trial, which is expected to finish sometime in June.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 27, 2023

Trial underway For missing boys​

Opening statements were to be made on Tuesday of this week as the long awaited trail for two boys reported missing in California City more than two years ago and presumed to be dead got underway.

[...]

Judge Charles Brehmer called over 300 potential jurors to the court room before attorneys settled on a panel of 12 jurors and a handful of alternates. The trial is expected to last into May.

The jurors are expected to visit the California City home where they we reported missing as well as other sites in Bakersfield where the Wests had previously lived.

 

[PommyMommy]

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1640726385567367169

 

[PommyMommy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1640726714539204613

https://twitter.com/x/status/1640727185018470402

https://twitter.com/x/status/1640733519336050689

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 28, 2023

Opening statements begin in murder trial of Cal City boys' adoptive parents​

[...]

AW, the eldest biological child, was 10 at the time the boys were reported missing.

AW said he woke one night while the family still lived in Bakersfield to noises coming from Orrin, Smith said during his opening. AW said Orrin struggled to breathe, and died, according to the interview he gave Dec. 28, 2020.

His parents never called for medical aid, AW said. Instead, they decided to keep the death a secret, the child said according to Smith.

Orrin never made it to California City, and Orson was only there four days, according to AW’s interview.

Smith said the child told an interviewer he heard a “loud thud” one night. Orson had been at the home day before the thud was heard, the child said according to Smith. The next day Orson was gone, AW said.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/VMorley1996

The trial for the adoptive parents of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, West is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Trezell and Jacqueline West are charged with 2nd-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, child cruelty, falsely reporting an emergency and conspiracy.

The boys were reported missing back in December of 2020. Originally their adoptive parents claimed the boys disappeared from their backyard in California City. However, prosecutors allege the boys died three months prior.

The bodies of Orrin and Orson have not been found. During the trial, we hope to learn what evidence the prosecution has to believe the boys are dead.

We are now being let into Department 4 for the trial. Judge Charles R. Brehmer is the presiding judge.

The trial is now in session. Judge Brehmer is explaining the delay was due to a juror (juror 6) no longer being a part of this trial.

There is a large TV in the center of the courtroom. Judge Brehmer explained this will only be here as needed for opening statements. It will display the same images that will be displayed on the monitor.

Judge Brehmer is now reading the entirety of the charges against Trezell and Jacqueline West.

Eric Smith is the prosecutor on this trial. Timothy Hennessy and Victor Nasser are representing Trezell, and Jacqueline West is represented by Alekxia Torres Stallings and Fatima Rodriguez.

One of the overt acts Judge Brehmer has just read alleges that Trezell arranged for the boys to be at their residence in Cal City on the week of Sept. 18, 2020

Another overt act alleges that they arranged for an unknown co-conspirator to kill the boys after the Wests planned their deaths.

Judge Brehmer is reading the jury instructions now.

Judge Brehmer is explaining to the jury that there are three sides to this trial: the prosecution, Trezell West, and Jacqueline West. Prosecutor Smith is now beginning his opening statements.

Prosecutor Smith begins by introducing the investigating officer Thomas Hernandez of the Bakersfield Police Department

"Their bodies have never been found," Smith said. He's now showing photos of the adoption ceremony of the boys.

"Their primary source of income when they were living Cal City were the $4,000 they were receiving from [caring for their adoptive children]," said Smith.

Smith said this case will begin from the date when the boys were reported missing, Dec. 21, 2020. He said the case will then move backwards. Smith is playing a recording of the 9-1-1 call of Trezell West asking if anyone has seen two black children.

Smith is showing an arial map of the Wests home at 10717 Aspen Avenue. Smith is pointing out a fence that he says Trezell West alleged the boys left the backyard through.

Smith is describing the overwhelming amount of assistance put into looking for the boys. Smith played body camera footage from Anthony Cabriales shows Trezell explaining his alleged efforts to look for the boys

Smith said Trezell claimed he closed their gate but when officers arrived the gate was open. Smith is showing footage officers attempting to open and close that gate.

Smith said the gate was difficult to open and it's inconsistent with two small children being able to open it.

Smith said we will hear from a neighbor Jesse Dobbins who had his home security camera activated multiple times the night the boys were reported missing. Smith said he will testify there was no activation showing the boys leaving the yard.

"Again it's the inconsistencies that lead the officers to keep investigating," Smith said. "Based on some statements from Jacqueline, a cadaver dog was taken out there." Smith said the dog became alert in the backyard, but nothing was ever found

Smith is showing two of the Wests children. He said the Adrian West told officers that Orrin and Orson had gone to their grandmother's home soon after they moved to Cal City.

Smith said that the Wests children told them that Orrin and Orson did not move with them because "they cry a lot." Smith said the children told investigators the last time they saw Orrin and Orson was either before or right when they moved to Cal City.

Smith showed a Facebook post from Jacqueline that seems to accuse investigators of "twisting" what the other children have told them.

On Dec. 28, Adrian, one of the Wests kids, said he saw Orrin became very sick at one point, was throwing up, and his parents did not call for medical attention. He said Orson was in Cal City for 4 days before Adrian heard a thud and he was gone.

Smith said all 4 of the Wests other children will testify in this trial.

Smith is sharing the timeline of the Wests move to Cal City. He said Dec. 18, 2020 was the day Wanda West went to Cal City to watch the boys, which did not include Orrin and Orson, Smith said.

Smith is showing the last known photo of Orrin and Orson, taken July 25, 2020. Smith said Jacqueline to her kids to pretend the boys are not there and that they were kept separate from the other children.

Smith concluded his opening statements by stating that ultimately the boys are dead and asking to jury to find the Wests guilty. The trial is taking a short break.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/VMorley1996

The trial for Trezell and Jacqueline West is back in session. Defense Attorney Timothy Hennessy is beginning his opening statements

Hennessy said we are here because it’s easier to claim the boys are dead than to keep looking for them.

Hennessy says the Wests were very open with detectives. "Trezell explains the reason he got Orrin and Orson and the reason he was so proud of them was because they were two little Black boys and he was going to father to them."

"Now he's here because they [investigators] couldn't find them," Hennessy said.

Prosecutors have asked for a sidebar. The judge and attorneys have left the courtroom.

Hennessy is now discussing the number of registered sex offenders in Cal City. He's saying it's not until 11 days after the boys are reported missing that police even begin talking to any of them.

Hennessy said police received a call to talk to a Hector Rodriguez who has been out of compliant for some time. He said police never talked to him.

"You'll see in the interviews they think the 3-minute estimate he gives them is too small," Hennessy said while playing video footage of a car driving by the home.

Attorneys and the judge have returned and opening statements have resumed. Before the sidebar, Hennessy had just mentioned a woman had called police from Texas.

"Texas, a woman calls," Hennessy says. Hennessy says the woman claimed she met two little boys who said their names were Orrin and Orson before a man says "No, your name is Garrett."

Hennessy says it's not Trezell and Jaqueline who are inconsistent, but instead it's their children with inconsistencies.

Hennessy claims that from the beginning, Cal City Police never believed that anyone would take these boys. Hennessy has concluded his opening statements.

Jaqueline West's attorney Alekxia Torres-Stallings will not provide opening statements at this time. Prosecutor Eric Smith is now calling his first witness, a dispatcher in Cal City.

The dispatcher is recalling when she received the 911 call from Trezell West. A receipt of the call is being shown. The call is being played.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Seattle1

https://twitter.com/KGETnews/status/

During jury selection last week, Hennessy said the Wests -- whatever the prosecution is alleging -- didn't do it. He also said Orrin and Orson may still be alive. #WestsTrial
7:45 AM · Mar 28, 2023

We haven't been called in to the courtroom yet. A couple jurors have been called in individually then took a seat outside again. We're not sure why. #WestsTrial
9:17 AM · Mar 28, 2023

Media has been let inside the courtroom. The trial is about to begin. #WestsTrial
9:26 AM · Mar 28, 2023

A number of attorneys and some members of the public not connected with the case have also entered the courtroom. #WestsTrial
9:26 AM · Mar 28, 2023

The jury has entered. #WestsTrial
9:27 AM · Mar 28, 2023

Judge Charles R. Brehmer said one prior juror is no longer a juror in this case and has been replaced with an alternate juror. #WestsTrial
9:29 AM · Mar 28, 2023

Brehmer is giving a synopsis of the charges. #WestsTrial
9:30 AM · Mar 28, 2023

Each of the Wests are charged with murder with malice aforethought of Orrin and Orson West. This occurred or about Sept. 1, 2020 through Sept. 11, 2020, the charge says. #WestsTrial
9:31 AM · Mar 28, 2023

They're charged with willfully harming the boys and conspiracy to commit murder. They're also charged with failing to provide a legal duty in a criminally negligent manner regarding involuntary manslaughter. #WestsTrial
9:32 AM · Mar 28, 2023

·
They're charged with a number of overt acts. Trezell West arranged for the boys to stay in Cal City on the week of Sept. 18, 2020. #WestsTrial
9:33 AM · Mar 28, 2023

An unknown co-conspirator kiled the boys after the Wests planned their deaths, the charges allege. #WestsTrial
9:34 AM · Mar 28, 2023

On or about Sept. 1 through Sept. 20, 2020 the Wests represented that the boys went back to the biological parents. #WestsTrial
9:35 AM · Mar 28, 2023

The judge is now reading preliminary jury instructions. #WestsTrial
9:36 AM · Mar 28, 2023

·
Prosecutor Eric Smith has begun his opening statement. #WestsTrial
9:44 AM · Mar 28, 2023

He introduced Detective Thomas Hernandez from BPD, the investigating officer. A TV is in the courtroom to show specific surveillance footage from a house near where the Wests lived. #WestsTrial
9:45 AM · Mar 28, 2023

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/VMorley1996

The next witness called is Joshua Flores, a police officer with Cal City PD

Flores said he's been with the department about 5 months when he was dispatched to the Wests residence.

Smith is asking Flores if he recalled what he heard on dispatch that night. He said it was missing children. Flores said when he arrived to the area he met Trezell West.

Flores said they began searching the area and talking to neighbors if they'd seen the children. Flores said everyone they spoke to said they hadn't seen the children walking around.

Flores said he entered the residence. He said he only spoke with Trezell. Smith is playing audio from Flores's body-worn camera.

Flores asks Trezell about the gate, Trezell is heard saying he was going in and out. Trezell said he closed the gate because he didn't want the dogs to get out.

He then said when he saw it open he thought he'd made a mistake and it didn't "dawn" on him that anything happened.

Trezell is heard saying after a while he had a bad feeling and noticed he hadn't heard the boys. Video of the body-worn camera is now showing Flores and other officers in the home.

In the video, Flores and other officers are speaking to Jaqueline now. You can hear Jaqueline say she heard footsteps and she told the boys to go back outside.

In the video, Flores asks Jaqueline where Trezell was when she told the boys to go back outside. She said he was outside. Now an officer is telling Jaqueline that he only found dog prints in the dirt in their backyard.

The officer in the video is telling Jaqueline that there's no way the boys left through the backyard. "So then how did they leave the house?" "There's no other way," Jaqueline responds.

The officers are saying there's no way the boys left through the backyard so they either left another way or were taken somewhere. Jaqueline says no one took the boys anywhere and they couldn't have left the house any other way.

A neighbor comes and asks about the boys. The neighbor asks the name of the boys and officers respond Orrin and Orson. Jacqueline asks if that was a cop and officers say it's a concerned neighbor.

Judge Brehmer has asked Smith to pause the video. The trial is being paused for lunch. It will resume at 1:30.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 28, 2023

Opening statements begin in West boys' murder trial​

[...]

The prosecution took the stand first and talked about multiple discrepancies in Trezell and Jacqueline Wests' stories, including who closed the gate when the boys got out.

But the ultimate bombshell from court Tuesday morning was when prosecutor Eric smith explained that there was an interview with the other three brothers in the home who claimed Orrin and Orson were never in the home in California City and the fourth brother said they were only there for one day.

[...]

In opening statements, it was said the oldest son, AW, explained in an interview that while they were still in the apartment before moving to Cal City, he heard something in the middle of the night and saw Orrin sick, and said he died.

He said no medical attention was ever called and he heard his parents talking about if they should keep it a secret or not.

Then days later, a “thud” was heard during the middle of the night and Orson was never seen again, according to the prosecution. Some of the boys thought Orrin and Orson were living with their grandparents after their disappearance but according to the prosecution, both grandmothers said they were not.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/23ABCNews

California City Police Department Officer Joshua Flores is back on the stand. He is resuming his testimony from where he left off before the court was released for lunch.

The police body camera footage of the visit to the West home after Orrin and Orson were reported missing is being played for the court.

During the video, Jacqueline tells the police that the boys have never run away before.

The end of the video shows Jacqueline and Trezell with documents to give officers. The paperwork was for proof of the boys' adoption, according to Flores.

Torres-Stallings is now questioning the witness, asking Flores about his job training.

Torres-Stallings asks Flores if he made any reports during the course of the investigation after asking if he made any reports that night. He claims that he made no reports that night and that the only report he made was relative to phone retrieval.

Torres-Stallings is asking Flores about body camera footage and if he was aware of other officers turning on their cameras that night.

Flores is unaware if Officer Hanson, the field officer with him that night, had his body camera on.

Flores testifies that Trezell had met officers at the car when they arrived at his house, meaning the body camera footage did not caught the initial contact between Flores and the Wests.

Flores says that his primary task was to keep the Wests in his sight.

According to Flores, he spoke to two neighbors standing outside of the West house. He does not have any information on these neighbors, however.

When asked if he went into the backyard, Flores replies that he does not recall. He then was asked if he saw chalk, to which he replied "on the cement slab." According to Torres-Stallings, the cement slab was in the backyard. Flores agrees.

Flores is asked how he got to the east lot. He says that he went around from the front.

When asked if the fence in the east lot was "not put together correctly" and "wiggly," Flores answers "yes."

Officer Flores had been informed that Jacqueline West was supposedly wrapping presents before the boys were reported missing. Flores had seen wrapping paper and related items around the house on his visit.

When asked what item Officer Hanson gave Flores that night, Flores says that he does not recall. Torres-Stallings asks if it was a firearm, but Flores again says he does not recall.

Torres-Stallings points out that a firearm that is not his can be seen in his back pocket. She asks if Flores was handed Trezell's firearm by Officer Hanson now that his "memory has been refreshed."

Flores answers Torres-Stallings question on if Officer Hanson handed him Trezell West's gun. Flores: "Never handed it to me." Torres-Stallings: "Pardon?" Flores: "Yes."

Officer Joshua Flores has been released from the stand.

Witness Mike Balabekyan has been called to the stand. Balabekyan is a resident of California City and is one of the Wests' neighbors. He had cameras on his property

According to Balabekyan, he "spoke to a lot of officers" but does not recall "this situation."

According to Balabekyan, California City officers took his DVR equipment for his cameras to review.

Footage taken from Balabekyan's camera is now being shown. Balabekyan confirms that the videos are all from his camera. The footage has been admitted as evidence.

The police returned the DVR to Balabekyan.

Footage of Aspen Avenue is now being shown to the court. Balabekyan describes the area in relation to where his house is.

Torres-Stallings has begun questioning Balabekyan.

Torres-Stallings questions Balabekyan if there is an eight second delay on the camera. Balabekyan does not know. She follows by asking if he has ever looked back at his own footage. He says that he has not

Balabekyan has been excused from the stand.

Officer Anthony Cabriales has been called to the stand. Cabriales is currently a Baldwin Park police officer, but was a California City officer for two years and a Los Angeles police officer for nice years before that. Cabriales was a part of the investigation.

Cabriales was present for the search of the boys. He does not recall who else was with him. Cabriales was tasked with finding CCTV cameras that may have captured footage of the missing boys.

Cabriales had searched the east lot of the Wests' property, as well as the fence and surrounding areas, according to him.

Cabriales spoke to a resident who owned "a Ring-type doorbell." He was able to convince the owner to let him review the footage.

The West residence was across the street from the resident with the "Ring-type doorbell."

"There was no evidence that could assist us with looking for the children," according Cabriales regarding the video he reviewed from the neighbor.

Interviews of Jacqueline and Trezell West taken the night the West boys were reported missing are being played for the court. Cabriales was present during both interviews.

The interview of Jacqueline West is being played for the court. Trezell's interview will be played at a later time.

According to the interview, Jacqueline was wrapping presents in the living room of her home when the boys went missing. According to her, only Orrin and Orson were home, as her other four children were staying with a relative.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Knox

Photo's from the courtroom today.

[RSBM}

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 28, 2023

Murdered or missing? Opening statements presented in trial of Trezell, Jacqueline West​

[...]

AW said he woke one night to noises coming from Orrin while the family still lived in an apartment on Lotus Lane in Bakersfield, Smith said during his opening. AW said his parents got to Orrin first, and they watched as his color faded, he vomited and died, according to the interview he gave Dec. 28, 2020.

His parents never called for medical aid, AW said. Instead, they discussed keeping the death hidden, the child said according to Smith.

The Wests asked AW if they should tell somebody or keep it secret, Smith said.

“And what you’ll hear (through testimony), (AW) knew if they told somebody they would be taken away from their parents,” Smith said.

Orrin never made it to California City, and Orson was only there four days, according to AW’s interview.

Smith said the child told an interviewer he heard a “loud thud” one night. Orson had been at the home the day before the thud was heard, the child said according to Smith. The next day Orson was gone, AW said, and he hasn’t seen him since.

He believed Orson was taken back to his grandmother’s house, AW said according to Smith.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 28, 2023

Murder case in Cal City boys' adoptive parents to hinge on testimony from defendants’ other children​

[...]

Chief Trial Deputy Eric Smith said the prosecution’s case hinges on the Wests’ other children divulging information about their brothers dying. One child said Orrin died in Bakersfield — the adoptive parents lived in Bakersfield before moving away — after turning a pale color and vomiting, according to Smith. He added that another child said Orson died after living in California City for only four days.

But defense attorney Timothy Hennessy began his opening statements by ensuring jurors knew each defendant’s name and saying their children are missing. It was easier to charge the parents rather than admit police cannot find the boys, he said.

Tips weren’t followed up on — the boys were spotted in Texas, he said. There are 41 sex offenders in California City and police didn’t talk to them until 11 days after the boys were reported missing.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 28, 2023

‘They are dead’: Prosecutor says evidence will reveal adoptive parents are the ones resp​

[...]

In the case of Orrin and Orson West, Smith told the jury the boys are dead and they didn’t die at the same time. According to Smith, one of West’s children said he witnessed one of the boys die and said the other later disappeared.

“Orson was in California City for about four days, at some point, Adrian heard a loud thud in the night, the day prior to hearing the thud Orson was there the day after Orson was gone and he hasn’t seen him since,” Smith said.

[...]

“The bottom line is Cal City out the gate never thought anybody would take two little Black boys that’s why the investigation will look the way it did,” Hennessey said.

According to District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer, there have been only a few cases in Kern County where a guilty conviction has been achieved with “no body” found.

However, Smith told the jury the evidence would prove the Wests are, in fact, guilty.

[...]

 

[Seattle1]

Federal judge tosses $40M suit

A federal judge dismissed a $40 million lawsuit filed against the Kern County Department of Human Services and others by the California City brothers’ biological family because it lacks a

www.avpress.com

Feb 3, 2023

A federal judge dismissed a $40 million lawsuit filed against the Kern County Department of Human Services and others by the California City brothers’ biological family because it lacks a factual basis to prove their allegations against defendants, according to an order filed Monday.

Mother Ryan Dean and maternal grandmother Dana Moorer claimed county DHS negligently allowed Trezell and Jacquline West to adopt Orrin, 4, and Orson West, 3, which has led to the boys dying.

Both also alleged in their complaint filed in June that social workers violated their civil rights when removing the brothers from their care, despite fulfilling every requirement to regain their custody.

Dean’s lawyer, San Francisco-based civil rights attorney Waukeen McCoy, did not return multiple requests for comment, Monday.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 29, 2023
WEST TRIAL: Officer testifies to not finding children’s shoeprints
[...]

He checked the backyard — where the Wests said the children had been playing — and saw no prints made by a child’s shoe, Officer Brian Hansen testified. There was a shoeprint that appeared to made from a sandal, nothing else.

Hansen, after finding no evidence of children wandering away from the home on Aspen Avenue, again spoke to the Wests.

“This is not a normal situation,” Hansen says in a body-worn camera video that was played in court Tuesday. “These kids didn’t just walk away.”

He told the Wests to tell him the truth.

Trezell West stuck to what he initially told police ... He made reference to the boys being Black and how that was impacting the police response.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/23ABCNews

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West has started for the day. Currently on the stand is Officer Brian Hansen. Hansen is a patrol officer for the California City Police Department (CCPD). In 2020, he was also a field training officer.

Hansen was one of the two officers who had arrived at the West home when Orrin and Orson West were reported missing. According to Hansen, he was with his trainee (Officer Joshua Flores).

Hansen had contact with the Wests upon arrival, however, he does not remember if he was inside or outside.

While at the house, Hansen says he searched for suspicious things, such as blood or torn clothing, as well as the children

Hansen had searched the backyard for footprints, something he had received on-the-job training for. He discovered one footprint despite being told the children were playing there. He says it was within a couple of feet of the cement slab.

The footprint appeared to match with a pair of "slides" (sandals) that were found by the back door. Orrin and Orson were supposedly wearing Nike sneakers. When Hansen asked about the sandals, Jacqueline said the shoes were hers.

Police body camera footage is being played for the court. Hansen does not recognize if the footage is from his camera or Officer Cabriales' camera.

The body camera shows Hasen telling the Wests that "those kids didn't just walk away" and that there is no evidence of any children even being in the yard in a heated discussion.

"You're being defensive because you're being caught up in the lie," Officer Hansen told West after an argument started after West claimed that he was searching for the children. "You don't even care about the welfare, you're caught up in the lie."

Hansen claims in the video that video footage taken from a surveillance camera across the street shows no boys leaving. He also claims that the video does not show any evidence of Trezell searching for the boys, aside from a quick drive around.

Video footage with no signs of the boys has been played for the court. Hansen confirms that the footage has no signs of the boys in it.

In a video of an interview of Trezell West at the CCPD station, Hansen asks when all six of his children were last home. Trezell claims that they were all together two or three days before he had reported them missing.


In the interview, Trezell describes the moments when he supposedly noticed the boys missing. He says that he was collecting wood while the boys played on the concrete slab in the backyard. When he came back, the gate in the yard was open, according to him.

Trezell describes he and his wife searching for the boys, including the directions he drove while in the van.

Hansen tells Trezell that search dogs were unable to find any trace of the children aside from at the house. He suggests that they may have been taken by a car. Trezell replies by asking if his children were kidnapped before saying "oh, Hell no" and apologizing.

Hansen asks about the boys' biological parents and explains that the possibility of kidnapping was why they asked questions about the biological parents earlier on. Trezell claims that the parents do know where the Wests live.

Trezell claims that his dogs wouldn't just leave the yard despite earlier claiming the gate was closed to stop the dogs from leaving the yard. He then takes back his statement and says that his dog Violet would leave the yard.

Hansen informs Trezell that no cars and no people, aside from a man walking his dog, were seen on the street at all around the time when the boys went missing

The court has entered a 15 minute break.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

https://twitter.com/23ABCNews

Court has resumed. Officer Hansen is still on the stand.

The court is being played another video of a police interview with Trezell West.

According to Hansen, he has interviewed the other four West children at a home on Potomac Avenue in Bakersfield. He had woken them up one by one for the interview because they were all sleeping.

The home on Potomac Avenue belongs to Phillip and Wanda West. While there, Wanda was also interviewed along with the children.

A body camera video is playing for the court. In the video, Hansen is visiting the Wests at their California City home after his interview of the four children and Wanda.

In the video, the Wests claim that the last time Wanda saw Orrin and Orson was before they had moved to California City.

During the visit, Hansen asks questions about finances, potential domestic issues, and Christmas presents and toys for the children.

Hansen asks Jacqueline if the boys were playing with chalk when in the backyard. She replies that they should have been.

Jacqueline West explains to Hansen that her mother does not visit often and is not really around.

Hansen tells Jacqueline that "the FBI has us doing all kinds of things" relating to the missing boys before explaining that they (the police department) don't really know what the FBI does, they just get them the things they need.

Jacqueline tells Hansen that Orrin and Orson "cry a lot." Hansen replies "Well yeah. They're what? 4 and 3?"

Jacqueline is asked what day she was married. She replies saying March 2010, but does not know the day. She says that Trezell remembers the day. Officer Hansen is a little shocked and says "I thought everyone would remember their special day."

Officer Hansen asks if the Wests would be willing to take their phones to go through them, however, the Wests say that they need their phones and decline the request.

The court has been released for lunch. The trial will resume at 1:30 p.m.

 

[PommyMommy]

Courtesy of @Tortoise

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Officer Brian Hansen of the Cal City PD has taken the stand in the second day of trial for Trezell and Jacqueline West. The Wests are charged with murder and other offenses in the deaths of their adopted sons Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3.

On Dec. 21, 2020, the day Orrin and Orson were reported missing, Hansen went to the Wests home. He had a police trainee, Joshua Flores, with him.

Prosecutor Eric Smith is questioning Hansen about what he saw when he first arrived. The officer said he contacted Jacqueline and Trezell West. They told him Trezell was in the backyard gathering firewood while the children were playing.

The couple told him Trezell lost sight of the children, couldn't find them and looked for them then called police, Hansen said. The officer said he canvassed the area looking for the children.

Spotlights and floodlights on his Chevy Tahoe were used as they searched for the children, Hansen said. He found nothing.

He said they didn't initially search the empty lots but did later. They didn't find anything.

Missing persons cases are "a little more sensitive" than other calls, Hansen said. They have to look at people in the area to see if they took the children wandered off, etc.

Hansen testified for juveniles when searching a home they look under beds and piles of clothes to make sure the children aren't hiding. He said they searched the entire West home that evening.

The backyard was searched for children's footprints leading out to the gate or a different direction.

Hansen said he saw one shoeprint in the backyard.

Prosecutor Smith has displayed a photo of the shoeprint the officer found. It was near the cement slab in the backyard where the kids were supposed to be playing, Hansen said.

He compared slip-on sandals near the back door to the print and they were "almost identical." Orrin and Orson would have been wearing Nike shoes, Hansen said.

Hansen testified he saw no other shoeprints in the backyard. The only other prints were animal prints. There was no trial of prints leading to the back gate area.

There were no prints smaller than the one shoeprint he saw, Hansen testified.

Hansen says he has children and is aware of the shoe sizes they wore when they were around 3 or 4.

There were possible dog tracks throughout the whole area, the officer said.

Hansen said he thinks he asked Jacqueline West whose sandal made the print and she said they were hers. There were no other shoeprints.

Smith is about to play video of an interview Hansen conducted with the Wests that evening.

In the recording, Hansen says, "This is not a normal situation. These kids didn't just walk away."

Hansen tells the Wests they reviewed video footage and there is no evidence of the kids walking away from the house via the side lot.

In the recording, Trezell West sticks to his story. The officer tells him he's being defensive and says Trezell is afraid of being caught up in a lie.

"The vanishing part is the weird part," Trezell says of Orrin and Orson going missing. He says he was getting firewood, noticed the boys missing and searched for them.

Trezell West in the recording says he knows how "people do" when it comes to missing black children. The officer says he's taking it to the "racist route."

Surveillance footage has been played in court from the night of Dec. 21, 2020. Officer Hansen testified he saw no footage of Orrin and Orson walking in the street.

Prosecutor Eric Smith is now playing an interview Hansen conducted with Trezell West at the California City Police Department. Trezell is telling him when they adopted Orrin and Orson.

"When was the last time all six kids were together?" Hansen asks. Trezell says it was either 2 or 3 days earlier.

Trezell says he was only in the backyard about 20 minutes gathering wood. He says he went inside to check the fireplace. When he came back out the kids weren't there, he tells Hansen.

Trezell says in the recording the children were on the concrete slab by his home when he went inside. When he came out they were not on the slab.

Trezell says it dawned on him to back outside to see if the gate was open or closed. He says the gate was open.

He and his wife were anxious, Trezell says in the video, and he got in his van looking for Orrin and Orson. He describes the direction he took as he searched.

Hansen tells Trezell search dogs found no trace of the children anywhere in the immediate area except for the house. "What does that mean though?" Trezell asks. "Meaning maybe they left in a car," Hansen says.

Trezell asks if he's telling him his children were kidnapped, and the officer asks if there has ever been an issue with the boys' biological parents. Trezell says it's always an issue, they know where they live.

In the video, an officer tells Trezell the footage they've reviewed doesn't show any cars moving along his street at the time he says the children went missing.

Asked for his theory on how the children left the house, Trezell says he assumes they left through the side gate.

"The kids were never there," an officer says. Search dogs indicate they weren't outside the house, an officer says in the video.

The only thing caught on camera was a man walking a dog more than an hour before the boys were reporting missing, an officer tells Trezell. The footage showed him walk along the street and leave.

"Let's do what we have to do," Trezell says. An officer tells him about the resources they have showing up.

Trezell leaves the interview room. Prosecutor Eric Smith stopped the video.

Court is in recess for 15 minutes.