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

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 1
DAY SIX - April 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West is about to resume with Latoya Sanders on the witness stand. She was the foster mother of Orrin and Orson before the Wests adopted them. #WestsTrial

Alekxia Torres Stallings, Jacqueline West's attorney, has resumed cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Sanders said she and Ryan Dean, Orrin and Orson's biological mother, became close during supervised visits. #WestsTrial

There were also "comfort calls" between the mother and children. #WestsTrial

Sanders said Dean reached out to her after the boys were reported missing. They got information from the news. #WestsTrial

When Orrin and Orson were taken from her home she wasn't allowed to see them anymore, Sanders said. She said CPS worker Fernando Rocha made that decision. #WestsTrial

Dean, the biological mother, could still visit the boys, but she could not, Sanders said. #WestsTrial

There is a process where a foster parent can tell the agency a foster child needs to be removed. Sanders said she has had to do that in the past. #WestsTrial

When her daughter had a scrape, Rocha interviewed both the daughter, 6, and her 14-year-old at the time, Sanders said. She said she didn't find out what she was accused of until she filed a complaint. #WestsTrial

Sanders testified she was never interviewed by law enforcement regarding the boys' disappearance. The first time she testified was about a year ago, that's the first time she spoke officially about the case. #WestsTrial

It appears that testimony would have been for the grand jury, which indicted the Wests about a year ago. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings finished her questioning. Sanders has been excused. #WestsTrial

John Ryan, a Bakersfield police officer, has taken the stand. He's a liaison officer with the FBI, working hand-in-hand with both agencies. #WestsTrial

Ryan has been a detective for almost 3 years. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 22, 2020, Ryan went to California City regarding Orrin and Orson going missing. #WestsTrial

Ryan testified he went to the Aspen Avenue, where the boys' home is located, and was there for about an hour. He canvassed the area, knocked on doors to try to turn up leads. #WestsTrial

He said he eventually worked with Officer Brian Hansen from Cal City PD. He was present when the Wests were interviewed at the police department. #WestsTrial

Ryan said he asked questions during the interview. He said he tried to build rapport with Trezell West by asking basic questions about his childhood, schooling, where he worked, etc. He wanted to get a baseline as to how Trezell communicated with him. #WestsTrial

With Jacqueline West, Ryan said he took over the interview, asking questions to get her side of the story and details from when the boys were reported missing. #WestsTrial

Shown video of his interview with Jacqueline West, Ryan has identified the other officers in the room, including an FBI agent. #WestsTrial

The video will be played. Transcripts are being provided to the jury. #WestsTrial

The transcript appears to be about an inch thick. #WestsTrial

Smith has begun playing the video. Jacqueline West and an FBI agent enter an interview room. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West sits in the interview room with her head in her hands. #WestsTrial

An officer enters the room and the FBI agent begins asking questions. Jacqueline gives the ages and names of her children. #WestsTrial

The interview appears to be an hour and seven minutes long. #WestsTrial

The agent asks her to walk him through the night the boys were reported missing. She says Trezell was gathering wood and came inside then they couldn't find the boys. She says she was wrapping gifts at the time. #WestsTrial

It was around 5 p.m. when the kids were playing outside. She said they were playing about 15 minutes before Trezell came inside. #WestsTrial

Trezell had been gathering wood for a fire in the fireplace, Jacqueline West says. #WestsTrial

She says they first started looking for the boys in the bedrooms, then cabinets and the garage and back and front yards. #WestsTrial

John Ryan enters the interview room, asks to speak with a Cal City police officer, and the two of them then leave the room. The FBI agent continues to question Jacqueline West. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says the kids are "stubborn" and give a little chuckle. The FBI agent asks about favorite toys, TV shows. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West speaks very quietly in the interview. It's hard to make out some of her responses. #WestsTrial

The boys are never let out in the front yard because there's no fence, Jacqueline says. The backyard is completely fenced in. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says the side gate in the backyard had been open because her husband was gathering wood. #WestsTrial

The other officer and Ryan come back into the room. The officer says she's not under arrest and is free to leave any time she wants. Ryan then begins asking questions. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says the boys were adopted April 2019. She says she and her husband have fostered and adopted children before. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says all 4 of her adopted children were adopted on the same day. #WestsTrial

She tells Detective Ryan she also has two biological children. They're the oldest of her six. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says her mom got her into foster care. Her mother got her into it. Jacqueline says she has moved around a lot but is from LA. #WestsTrial

"We wanted to get away from everybody," she says of moving to Cal City. She heard an ad about Cal City being a good place to live to start your own business. They also didn't want contact with the boys' biological family. #WestsTrial

Life was "great" when they moved to Cal City in September 2020, Jacqueline says. Her husband was working on is music. She says they get $1,000 a month for each of their 4 adopted children. #WestsTrial

The children are home-schooled then she cooks and cleans, is always busy, Jacqueline says. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says the other 4 children were dropped off at their grandmother's on Saturday. All the kids were with them when the 4 were dropped off, according to her interview. #WestsTrial

"We don't ever really leave them," Jacqueline says of Orrin and Orson. She says the grandmother hasn't seen the two youngest for a while. #WestsTrial

The grandmother in question is Trezell West's mother. As to her mother, Jacqueline West says she's not really involved. Jacqueline says she doesn't really talk to her brother, and her sister lives in Oregon. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says she didn't call her mother the night the boys went missing because she wouldn't be able to do anything and she didn't wan to stress her out. #WestsTrial

Her mother sometimes video chats with the children but not often, Jacqueline says. #WestsTrial

After dropping the 4 children off, they stopped at a gas station and went back to Cal City, Jacqueline says. #WestsTrial

She's attempting to explain which gas station they went to but says she's not exactly sure where it is. She says Trezell knows streets better than her. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline provides more information about the gas station and says they went to McDonald's, too. They paid in cash. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says on Sunday they did the same thing they do almost every day. For her it appears to be a lot of cooking and cleaning and hanging out. She says she talked to her sister that day. #WestsTrial

On Monday, she got up and started making coffee, fed the pets, started washing, made breakfast. She says her other children had called from grandma's house but didn't talk with Orrin and Orson. She says those two don't like talking on the phone. #WestsTrial

At mid-day she sketched, Jacqueline says. The kids were playing in the play room, according to her interview. She says they don't take naps. #WestsTrial

Do you want to see them? Do you want your kids back?" Detective Ryan asks as he prods Jacqueline to provide more details about what happened the night they were reported missing. She replies in the affirmative, is speaking calmly. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline talks about searching for the boys, the areas she and Trezell went. "I don't know," she says when asked where she thinks they went. "They don't go anywhere." #WestsTrial

The boys can't get through the fence when it's locked but she says Trezell had left it open. Jacqueline says they believed the boys went out the gate. #WestsTrial

Ryan is pressing her on how long she searched, where she went, if she spoke with neighbors. Jacqueline says she looked everywhere in the house the children could be. #WestsTrial

She says after police arrived she and Trezell were told to stay in the house. She says she thinks someone has the boys in a house. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has paused the video and court is in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 2
DAY SIX - April 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

The trial has resumed with Detective John Ryan back on the stand and an interview he conducted with Jacqueline West being played for the jury. #WestsTrial

Trezell and Jacqueline West are reading a transcript of the interview held by defense lawyer Victor Nasser. #WestsTrial

Ryan asks Jacqueline what she'll say to her other kids. She says she'll tell them Orrin and Orson are missing. #WestsTrial

Ryan asks her to explain why her four other children say they haven't seen Orrin and Orson for months. #WestsTrial

Ryan says even her 10 year old son says they haven't seen the boys in months. Jacqueline says she doesn't know why they would say months, maybe something was misinterpreted. She says they see each other every day. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline West says she she has spanked her kids in the past for misbehaving but she doesn't like to do that. Usually discipline involves withholding a sweet snack or Trezell giving them a "tongue-lashing," she says. #WestsTrial

Ryan says the kids are telling authorities differently. He says he's not going to tell her what the kids said. #WestsTrial

"You're showing no emotion. You haven't even shed a tear," Ryan says. He raises his voice and says he wants answers because it's freezing cold outside and the boys are probably starving. He says he thinks there's more to this incident. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says her kids would lie, but she doesn't know why. "I don't know why they would say that," she says of them saying they haven't seen Orrin and Orson for months. She says they don't get along. #WestsTrial

"It sounds bad," Jacqueline says. "It sounds really bad," Ryan responds. #WestsTrial

"Are you trying to hide something for your husband?" Ryan asks. "No," she says. He asks if an accident happened and they panicked and did something to the babies. He says it sounds like they made up an alibi because Christmas was coming and people would find out. #WestsTrial

Ryan presses her for the true story, saying they will find out eventually. Jacqueline says she's not lying and gives them permission to search the house and van. Ryan says 4 children aren't going to lie and separately give the same story. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline blames the pandemic for people not seeing the two youngest. Ryan doesn't buy it, says he has kids too, and you can't keep 6 kids locked up in a home to the point where no one sees them. #WestsTrial

"Doesn't it look weird to you?" Ryan asks. He tells her what she's saying doesn't make sense. #WestsTrial

An officer says other family members have been crying, but neither she nor Trezell have shed a tear. Ryan tells her not to fake cry in front of them. "You should feel guilty because something happened to these babies." He accuses her of withholding info. #WestsTrial

Ryan says each of her other 4 children gave them the same story: they haven't seen the boys in months. Jacqueline says she's feeling regret for calling the authorities because now she and Trezell are being blamed. #WestsTrial

Ryan leaves the interview room. Another officer keeps questioning her. Jacqueline maintains she's telling the truth. #WestsTrial

The officer tells her they've checked everything. "They weren't at the house," he says. He tells her she and Trezell had a good plan but there are always holes authorities will find. She says she knows how it looks but it's not what happened. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says her other children are little kids who will say anything. #WestsTrial

The FBI agent tells her this is her chance to tell the truth. He says what she's told them is not adding up. "I don't think you care about those 2 kids," he tells her. #WestsTrial

He asks why she won't show emotion. Jacqueline says she can't, not in front of them. Ryan has re-entered and asked if she adopted the children for the money. #WestsTrial

Ryan says he believes she's sticking up for her husband because of something he did. Jacqueline says she's not hiding anything. #WestsTrial

"You know something bad happened," he says. He keeps telling her to come clean and tell them what happened or go to jail. Jacqueline says the boys were in the backyard. #WestsTrial

"It is slim," Ryan says of the odds of a random person taking the children. None of the evidence supports what she's telling them, he says. #WestsTrial

"So everybody in your family is lying except for you and your husband?" an officer asks. Jacqueline says she doesn't know what they're saying. Ryan asks if her two oldest children are lying to a police officer. She says they have lied before. #WestsTrial

"It looks bad, it does," Jacqueline says. Ryan says she's the key to finding the children. "I don't believe you're telling me everything," he says. #WestsTrial

Ryan says two babies are missing and they have no clues, and what she has said is not making sense. "But you know what we truly believe? That you have answers to questions we have." #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has paused the video. The rest will be heard beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 12, 2023

West Trial Day 6: Former foster mother testifies​

[...]

During her testimony on the sixth day of trial, Sanders said her biological children accepted Orrin and Orson. She fostered Orrin from the age of 4 months, and Orson at 11 days.

Orrin, who arrived at her house Dec. 12, 2017, needed extra care because of an injury to his leg, Sanders said. Orrin was removed from his biological mother after suffering a broken leg, and when the mother gave birth to Orson he was removed too, according to reports.

Despite his injured leg, the other children immediately took to the “happy little baby,” Sanders said.

“They were family,” she said. “My children were accepting of him.”

And Sanders bonded with him. When Orson arrived she bonded with him, too.

“I was his mom,” she said.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 12, 2023

‘Do you want your kids back?’: Authorities press Jacqueline West for information in 2020 interview​

[...]

... Jacqueline West said she didn’t have any answers. She didn’t know why her other children would lie. The other kids had seen Orrin and Orson just days earlier, she said.

She told Ryan and the other law enforcement present she believed the boys were being held in someone’s house.

“It is slim,” Ryan said of the odds of a random person taking the children.

The detective pointed out her lack of emotion. “You haven’t even shed a tear,” he said. Jacqueline West told them she has cried but can’t cry in front of them.

Asked about how she and Trezell West discipline the children, she said she has spanked the children in the past but doesn’t like it. Instead she chooses to punish them by withholding a sweet snack or toy, or Trezell West will scold them, she said.

At one point an FBI agent who had stayed quiet for most of the interview questioned her attachment to the boys.

“I don’t think you care about those two kids,” he said. Ryan shortly afterward asked her if she adopted the boys because of the money she received from the state. She denied that.

But she told them she did have a regret: She wished she hadn’t called law enforcement because now she and her husband were being blamed.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

West Trial Day 6: Former foster mother of Orrin and Orson testifies​

On day six of the West trial, three people took the witness stand.

Maria Martinez, Jacqueline's mother, Latoya Spry Sanders, Orrin and Orson's foster mother before the Wests, and Bakersfield Police officer John Ryan.

The day started, how it ended yesterday, Maria Martinez at the stand. The prosecution was trying to show Martinez hadn't seen Orrin and Orson for months.

Two mothers take the stand in sixth day of West trial​

Smith focusing on Martinez's visits, asking if she saw the children inside the home. Martinez said she saw children in the living room but did not focus on any of them. She said she went immediately to the dining room to see Jacqueline and left shortly after.

Smith asked about Jacqueline coming to visit Martinez after they moved. Martinez asked where the kids were and Jacqueline stated they were with Trezell's mother.

Foster mother of 2 California City children testifies in murder trial​

The CPS worker came to her house at 2:30 p.m. to investigate her daughter’s injury, and by 5:15 p.m., a worker said all three foster kids were going to be taken away, Sanders added.

She testified the CPS worker felt Sanders was “overwhelmed” with six kids, and that taking away the three children would help her manage the stress.

“The entire investigation … lasted less than three hours?” asked defense attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings, who represents Jacqueline West.

“Yes,” Sanders responded.

“For two children you had in your home for over a year?” Torres Stallings asked.

“Yes,” Sanders said.

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 1
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West is about to resume. This is the seventh day of trial. They're charged with murder and other crimes in the deaths of their adopted sons Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3. Their bodies have not been found. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has resumed playing an interview authorities conducted with Jacqueline West on Dec. 22, 2020, the day after the Wests reported the boys missing. Prosecutors say the boys died 3 months before reported missing. #WestsTrial

Bakersfield Police Detective John Ryan has been in charge of the interview, more than an hour of which was played yesterday. He tells Jacqueline she's withholding information. She says she loves the boys but it's not the same emotion as with her biological children. #WestsTrial

She said that in response to Ryan telling her that if his kids were missing he'd be going crazy. She has shown little emotion during the interview and has been called on it. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her he can see it in her face that she wants to tell them something. He says she's trying to save her husband from something he did. The children should be all she cares about. #WestsTrial

"This is the time to tell us, right now," he says. "If you're going to lie for some lowlife who did something crazy to a kid, you're not going to take care of your own kids," Ryan says. He tells her her other children are in protective custody. #WestsTrial

"Are you serious?" Jacqueline says. #WestsTrial

Ryan keeps working on her. He says she needs to tell the truth. He says he doesn't know 100 percent if she had any involvement in this but he thinks she's a good person. "He's not worth you lying for," Ryan says of Trezell. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline denies lying, saying she's told them everything. "You're telling us what you want us to know," Ryan said. "You're not telling us everything." #WestsTrial

Ryan asks who she's protecting. Trezell? An uncle? A cousin? "Somebody has these two babies," he says. Another officer notes she told them they cried a lot and were a lot to handle. She's asked if she gave them away. #WestsTrial

"People sell babies," Ryan says. "People put babies in the sex trade." He said there are all sorts of things people do. He says there are hundreds of people searching California City to find the boys. He asks if they're looking pointlessly. #WestsTrial

Ryan asks if the boys are buried in her yard or somewhere else. "Nothing like that happened," Jacqueline says. She says they were alive when she saw them at the house. Officers tell her the boys weren't at the house. #WestsTrial

"I can live with myself," Jacqueline says. She says she's fine, she's OK with them looking through her phones and investigating her. #WestsTrial

Ryan again tells her surveillance footage picks up her husband leaving, police showing up but no children. He asks if she thinks that's odd. She says yes but she doesn't have answers. #WestsTrial

Ryan points out she said if her two biological kids went missing she'd be freaking out. Jacqueline says she didn't mean that she doesn't care about the other children. #WestsTrial

"Everything I said is getting twisted," Jacqueline says. #WestsTrial

The video has frozen. Prosecutor Eric Smith is working to fix it. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 2
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Smith said he has other witnesses in the hallway he can call while the computer is being fixed. #WestsTrial

Charles Pettus has been called to the stand. #WestsTrial

Change of plans, Eric Smith said. He called Josiah West instead. #WestsTrial

Josiah West is 27. His father is Phillip West, mother Wanda West. #WestsTrial

He has two brothers -- one of them is Trezell West. Josiah said he's the youngest brother. #WestsTrial

In January 2020 Josiah was living with his parents at a home on Potomac Avenue. He said Trezell was living in an apartment. He visited Trezell once or twice every 5 months. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he would watch the Wests' kids. He mentioned watching just two of the boys. He said he was there just to babysit. #WestsTrial

Trezell would also bring children to his parents' home, Josiah said. All the kids would come, including Orrin and Orson. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he had a normal relationship with his brother. #WestsTrial

Smith is asking about the children, what they were like. #WestsTrial

Josiah is describing each of the children, their personalities. #WestsTrial

Orrin played with all of the boys. Orson was similar to his brother. They didn't speak a lot, were concerned with playing or being around the adults. They interacted with the other boys a lot. #WestsTrial

In 2020 he learned Trezell planned to move to Cal City, Josiah said. He said he wasn't aware when the move took place but said his mother helped them move. #WestsTrial

Josiah says he believes his mother was only gone one day helping with the move. #WestsTrial

He never visited them in Cal City. He said he was busy with other things. #WestsTrial

Moving to the weekend of Dec. 19, 2020, Josiah says CPS showed up and spoke with his parents and let them know there was a situation and it was best to remove the children from the house until it was figured out. #WestsTrial

The children had been at the home on Potomac for a couple hours, maybe less, Josiah says. All the boys except Orrin and Orson were there. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he wasn't informed where the other 4 children were taken. He said he eventually was able to see the children again for brief interactions. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he remembers a visit by Trezell and Jacqueline West around the first week of December 2020. He said the four older kids would have been there. He babysat them. They made a gingerbread house. #WestsTrial

Trezell was gone about 2 hours, Josiah said. He said he didnt' tell him where he was going. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he didn't see Orrin or Orson that day. Later in the month when the other boys arrived he also didn't see Orrin or Orson. #WestsTrial

At not point in December did he see Orrin or Orson, Josiah said. He never saw them after Trezell and Jacqueline moved to Cal City. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 3
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Smith has finished questioning Josiah. Timothy Hennessy, lead attorney for Trezell West, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Under questions from Hennessy, Josiah said his relationship with Trezell was "lackluster" and they didn't see eye to eye. #WestsTrial

They argued over a lot of things, including what type of dog food to buy. #WestsTrial

Josiah said he was involved with work and school once all the boys had been adopted by the Wests. When he spoke to FBI he wasn't certain about ages of the boys. #WestsTrial

Josiah had told the FBI he had seen videos on his mother's phone of all the children. Hennessy finished questioning, now Alekxia Torres Stallings, Jacqueline West's lead attorney, is conducting cross-examination. #WestsTrial

She asked if two of the other children would be described as "slow." Josiah said that's a loaded term and he wouldn't use it but they weren't as fast at picking things up as the oldest children. #WestsTrial

Josiah said his family spent a lot of time helping them communicate. With one of the children there was a learning process, teaching him not to get physical or violent when he didn't get what he wanted. #WestsTrial

Moving to Orrin, Josiah said he was the type to make noises, stutter, mumble or cry to communicate what he wanted. He doesn't know if that was because of his age, something he would grow out of. Orson was the same way, he said. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 22, 2020, when CPS visited, Josiah was home when an officer came to interview the four other children. #WestsTrial

The officer made sure the adults were in other rooms when the kids were interviewed, Josiah said. The children would have been sleeping when the officer arrived. #WestsTrial

Josiah said the officer later said the Cal City home resembled a "military garrison." #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is asking if the children ate anything before interviewed by the officer. Josiah said CPS arrived afterward with snacks. #WestsTrial

Josiah said after the children were taken they made attempts to reach out to the children after taking classes to become foster parents but it was "to no avail." #WestsTrial

Josiah said it appeared CPS did not want his side of the family to "speak openly" with the children, their interactions were limited. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 19, 2020, when the other children were dropped off Josiah said he gave Trezell a hug and told him he loved him, hoped things would go well in their new home. #WestsTrial

Asked if the van was running, Josiah said it was and he didn't look inside it. Josiah has been excused. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for 15 minutes. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 4
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Court is back in session with a witness joining through Zoom. Sgt. Daniel McClive is testifying. He is with the Bakersfield Police Department. #WestsTrial

McClive has previously analyzed digital devices for the department including cellphones and computers. #WestsTrial

McClive is going over his qualifications and training. #WestsTrial

McClive testified he would receive an item from an officer or get it from the property room to extract information from it. #WestsTrial

It's possible to get call logs, text messages, chats from different locations, location data, web history from a phone, McClive said. Sometimes it's not possible to download info. Then they'll manually review info. #WestsTrial

With a DVR system, they'll remove the device's internal storage and try to get info from it. They'll copy a hard drive's contents or connect it to an item to examine it. #WestsTrial

Certain software can look for video files on the DVR. #WestsTrial

Regarding this case, McClive examined a Samsung Galaxy phone on Dec. 20, 2020. He retrieved info and gave it to a detective. #WestsTrial

Correction: Dec. 30 #WestsTrial

McClive said he also received a hard disk drive from an FBI investigator. It contained forensic copies of certain data from multiple devices. #WestsTrial

McClive is going over items received from the FBI agent and what he did with them. #WestsTrial

McClive is telling prosecutor Eric Smith the devices examined and whether information was obtained but is not going into specifics about the information. #WestsTrial

Smith showed McClive two pages through the Zoom camera. They're related to a Swann DVR. #WestsTrial

Other pages have been shown to McClive. They're a portion of a report from Night Owl DVR data. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning. Victor Nasser, one of Trezell West's attorneys, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 5
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Nasser is asking about the reports Smith just showed McClive. Regarding the Swann DVR report, Nasser said it shows a total number of clips. He asked if McClive was aware of the location where video was captured. McClive said he wasn't. #WestsTrial

McClive said he believes he was advised the video was from Cal City, but not specifically where. Regarding the Night Owl (both DVRs have many thousands of clips), the earliest clips is listed as Sept. 10, 2020, the latest Sept. 14, 2020. #WestsTrial

Going back to the Swann DVR, the earliest clip was Dec. 8, 2020, and the latest Dec. 27, 2020. #WestsTrial

Nasser asked if anyone prior to McClive's analysis had analyzed the DVRs. McClive said he doesn't know if anyone outside his office analyzed them. #WestsTrial

It's his understanding the DVRs were later returned to their owners, McClive said. #WestsTrial

Nasser ended his questioning. #WestsTrial

McClive has been excused. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Morning Testimony, Part 6
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Charles Pettus has been called to the stand. He's the biological father of Orson West. The child's birth name was Classic Pettus. #WestsTrial

Pettus said he became aware he was Orson's father after going to court. He had taken a paternity test. #WestsTrial

He found out Orrin and Orson were reported missing when he got a call while playing a video game with at a family member's house. #WestsTrial

"I was real upset and, like, scared," Pettus said. He said he called his mom, didn't really know what to do. #WestsTrial

He eventually went to Cal City with family to try to find out what happened. Pettus said he was out there for 30 minutes to an hour when Trezell and Jacqueline West were questioned by media. #WestsTrial

Pettus testified that was his first time in Cal City. Smith asked if he went to Cal City and kidnapped the boys. Pettus said no and he stays in Bakersfield. #WestsTrial

A lot of his family came to support him after the boys disappeared. Smith asked if anyone in his family has the name or nickname of "Tee Tee." Pettus said no. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning. Torres Stallings has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

Pettus said he believed he was the biological father of both Orrin and Orson but it was determined he was only Orson's father. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is trying to pin down when law enforcement first contacted Pettus. He said it might have been a couple weeks. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings has asked Pettus to read something on a laptop. #WestsTrial

Pettus said he remembers what she showed him, and he said he had to call officers about the case. Neither his phone nor computer were seized, he said. #WestsTrial

"Has anyone prepared you for your testimony?" Torres Stallings asked. He said he has stayed to himself because the case bothers him a lot. He said he hasn't listened to the case or discussed it with family members who have heard testimony. #WestsTrial

Pettus said a relative Torres Stallings identified has not given him information about others who have testified. Torres Stallings ended her questioning. Pettus has been excused. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess until 1:30 p.m. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 1
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Judge Charles Brehmer began this afternoon's session of the Trezell and Jacqueline West trial by reminding everyone that it is illegal to rebroadcast the court's live stream of the proceedings. #WestsTrial

The jury is back in the courtroom. Prosecutor Eric Smith has called Eashell Hill to the stand. She's an employee of Child Protective Services in Kern County. #WestsTrial

Hill supervises social workers who are focused on abuse or neglect. She was a social worker before her current supervisor status. #WestsTrial

Hill testified she worked in emergency response and investigated allegations of abuse or neglect. #WestsTrial

Members of the public, teachers, law enforcement would call in to report allegations, she said. #WestsTrial

Hill said she worked 4 years as an on-call social worker. She had to answer when the office was closed. #WestsTrial

She doesn't believe calls that come in are recorded. Info is entered into their child welfare system and generate a document for a referral. It lists previous investigations of the family, the current allegations. #WestsTrial

On Dec. 21, 2020, Hill was contacted by California City dispatch. The first phone call lasted about 5 minutes. She was told some names and was asked to verify if the adults were the adopted parents or not. #WestsTrial

Hill requested help from a backup social worker. Hill said she was not as proficient at looking up adopted children. "It takes a lot more digging," she said. #WestsTrial

She received multiple other calls from Cal City that night, Hill said. She was in her car when she received initial calls. She wrote info on a yellow legal pad after pulling over. #WestsTrial

Hill said she wrote a report. Hill has identified the referral page. Attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings requested a brief sidebar. #WestsTrial

The sidebar lasted less than a minute. Everyone is back and the referral has been admitted into evidence. #WestsTrial

Hill is explaining the referral. I gives the date and time of the incident, a summary of allegations. This allegation was classified by Hill on Dec. 21, 2020 as general neglect. #WestsTrial

The referral names the family members and gives their ages. One line says there is video footage of Orrin and Orson walking down the street. Hill said she believes she got that info from law enforcement. #WestsTrial

For context, Hill said she believes law enforcement was trying to get video, not that there actually was video of the boys walking down the street. #WestsTrial

This referral went to a different social worker, Hill said. She had no involvement in the case other than taking the initial calls. #WestsTrial

Smith ended his questioning. Alekxia Torres Stallings, lead counsel for Jacqueline West, is about to begin cross-examination. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 2
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Hill has testified 3 times on this case. Asked the first time she was contacted by law enforcement about it, Hill said she doesn't recall. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings gave her a report to review. #WestsTrial

According to the report, the first time Hill was contacted by law enforcement was 3 days before she was due to testify the first time. #WestsTrial

Hill said there was a meeting with county counsel and other county employees before she testified the first time. A number of people were present. Hill said she was directed on how to prepare herself. #WestsTrial

"Did you talk about what it was you could or could not say in your testimony?" Torres Stallings asked. Hill said she was not told to say certain things or to change things during her testimony. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is going over the referral. Hill confirmed she received the info from the referral from dispatch and law enforcement. #WestsTrial

CPS history entails any time they get a phone call about the family, Hill said. It would list all the referrals they've received. That info would have been included in the 5-page report, she said. #WestsTrial

Officer Anthony was listed as the reporting party, Hill confirmed. He's with Cal City police. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is asking about when info held at CPS becomes permanent, if there is an ability to change details. #WestsTrial

Looking through another document, Hill said she was first contacted by someone from Cal City PD at 7:01 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2020. This is from a call log. She notated the amount of time each call took. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked for if she kept her notes from that night. Hill said no, they shred them. There is no requirement to keep them or provide them to a supervisor. She believes she kept them about 6 months. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is asking about the calls from each officer and how long they lasted. #WestsTrial

The referral form didn't include any allegations of abuse or neglect for the other 4 children, only general neglect for Orrin and Orson since they had gone missing, Hill said. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings is honing in on the line saying the boys were seen on video walking down the street. She asks Hill if it's true she never said the first time she testified that it was her belief officers were looking for video, not that there was video. #WestsTrial

Hill is reviewing a transcript from her testimony on Jan. 7, 2022. #WestsTrial

She says all she was asked is where she got the information. Torres Stallings asked if she talked about the case with other social workers when it came on the news. Maybe once or twice, Hill said. #WestsTrial

Hill testified she doesn't know when they talked about it. She said she wants to say "yes" to seeing or reading about a press conference the DA's office held about the case. #WestsTrial

She said she doesn't recall hearing the timeline of the DA's case. She didn't have the information for her initial testimony that the DA believed the boys had died 3 months before reported missing. #WestsTrial

But Torres Stallings said she knew that by the time she testified for the second time. And it was at that time she said it was a "miscommunication" to say there was video of the boys walking down the street, Torres Stallings said. #WestsTrial

Hill said she doesn't remember saying "miscommunication." She says she could have written the report so it was clearer police were looking for video. Torres Stallings is giving her the transcript from the second time she testified. #WestsTrial

Hill said she doesn't know which social worker investigated the referral afterward. She agreed referrals can become a part of a court proceeding. #WestsTrial

Under questioning by Torres Stallings, Hill agreed it's important the information contained in the allegation is as correct as it can be. It's what starts the investigation by CPS. #WestsTrial

"Did you receive information that there were no photographs in the home?" Torres Stallings asked. "Yes," Hill said. She got that info from law enforcement but didn't include it in her report. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings asked Hill if she logged phone calls or text messages she had with 2 other CPS workers the night the boys were reported missing. Hill said no. #WestsTrial

There is no record of those calls or text messages from that night or afterward, Hill said. #WestsTrial

Hill said she hasn't had contacts privately with other social workers about the West case. #WestsTrial

Torres Stallings ended her questioning. Victor Nasser, an attorney for Trezell West, has begun cross-examination. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 3
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Nasser is asking about training and qualifications for Hill's job. #WestsTrial

Up until the referral is submitted, it can be edited. Hill said she doesn't recall if she made any edits before the referral on Dec. 21, 2020 was submitted. #WestsTrial

Nasser is asking questions on the process of how a CPS investigation progresses. #WestsTrial

Nasser ended his questioning and Smith has begun redirect examination. #WestsTrial

Hill said the court hearings she talked about earlier had to do with parents should have access to their children, not criminal proceedings. #WestsTrial

Under questioning by Smith, Hill said she has to be given approval by a judge to testify because of the privacy rights of children. When she talked with county counsel it was about getting approval to testify in this case. #WestsTrial

Hill said she doesn't remember if she read anything about press conferences held in this case. #WestsTrial

Smith showed a document showing Hill told law enforcement well over a year ago that she didn't know whether law enforcement had video but the Wests thought neighbors might have video. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for 15 minutes and Hill has been excused. #WestsTrial
3:00 PM · Apr 13, 2023

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 4
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Back in session with prosecutor Eric Smith resuming video, a portion fo which was shown earlier today, of Jacqueline West being interviewed by authorities the day after the boys were reported missing. #WestsTrial

We appear to be near the end of the video. Jacqueline West and the officers have left the interview room. #WestsTrial

Bakersfield police Detective John Ryan, one of the officers who conducted the interview, is back on the witness stand. He said he took Jacqueline West's phone at the end of the interview. #WestsTrial

Ryan said they later interviewed Jacqueline a second time. Alekxia Torres Stallings has asked for a sidebar and the judge and attorneys have left the room. #WestsTrial

The judge and attorneys are back. Judge Charles R. Brehmer has allowed the video to be admitted and transcripts are being handed out to the jury. #WestsTrial

Smith is playing the video. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline Wet enters the room and takes a seat. An FBI agent has taken a seat. The interview is again being held at Cal City Police Department. #WestsTrial

John Ryan has entered the room twice and left. No questions have been asked. #WestsTrial

Ryan and another officer enter and the interview begins. He asks what she's thinking now that they have talked to her husband. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her her other children are in protective custody and she's not going to see them tonight. They need to make sure they're safe. Jacqueline says they are safe. #WestsTrial

"The stuff that they told us, they're not going to lie that much about that many things," Ryan says of what her 4 other children have told authorities. He said the other children say they haven't seen Orrin and Orson for months. #WestsTrial

As with the first interview, Ryan keeps telling her to tell him the truth. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells Jacqueline her mother also says she hasn't seen Orrin and Orson in a long time. #WestsTrial

"There are so many things that are not adding up," Ryan tells her. Jacqueline is telling him where the family went Saturday to get gas, pick up food, etc. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her they're going to check all the surveillance cameras from the locations she says they went to see if they were actually there. #WestsTrial

Ryan again tells her all 4 of her other children are telling authorities the exact same thing. He asks if she really believes all 4 children are going to make up a story and agree to tell it. #WestsTrial

"The only thing I can think of is they really don't like them," Jacqueline says of what the 4 other children have told authorities. #WestsTrial

The audio in this second clip is much softer than the first. Much of what is being said is difficult to hear. #WestsTrial

Prosecutor Eric Smith has turned up the audio. Ryan asks when's the last time she saw Orrin and Orson. "Yesterday," she responds. She says she physically saw them. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her there are two babies missing in the cold desert. He says she's not being honest. He says her other kids won't be with her this Christmas because she's not being honest about what happened. #WestsTrial

He tells her she knows the boys didn't go missing yesterday, they've been missing. He says somebody did something to the kids, they didn't walk away on their own. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her she had a conversation with Trezell about how the other kids couldn't handle Orrin and Orson, and the only way to make the family perfect again was to get rid of them. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

Afternoon Testimony, Part 5
DAY SEVEN - April 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/KGETnews

Jacqueline West keeps saying she's telling the truth. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her that her and her husband's stories don't match. And he says her other children, "smart kids," told them another story. #WestsTrial

Ryan tells her people make mistakes, horrible mistakes. He says she can't hide it forever. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says the police are acting "so mean." #WestsTrial

"You're a mom. You're supposed to love your children. You're supposed to do everything in your power to protect them," Ryan tells her. #WestsTrial

He keeps telling her her other children are saying that she and Trezell kept telling her Orrin and Orson would be coming back soon. They haven't seen them in a while. The're saying that because it's the truth, Ryan tells her. #WestsTrial

No one has seen Orrin and Orson, not her other kids or other family members, Ryan says. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says her mom saw the boys during a video chat a week ago. Her sister has seen them too, she says. #WestsTrial

"No one has seen these babies since November," Ryan tells her. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says she's frustrated. She says police aren't really listening. Ryan says they are listening, but what she's saying isn't backed up by the evidence. #WestsTrial

Jacqueline says she doesn't have photos of the boys on her phone. She says she just got it that month. #WestsTrial

Ryan says Trezell West told them he did not shut the side gate, she did. Jacqueline Wests has said he did shut it. #WestsTrial

Ryan says she's a terrible liar. He keeps reiterating two little innocent children are missing, "are no longer here, and you're ok with that." Jacqueline says she's not ok with it. #WestsTrial

Because of what she's done, Ryan says, he'll do everything in his power to make sure she doesn't see her other children. He says he and other investigators know something happened to Orrin and Orson that she's not telling them. #WestsTrial

"I'm telling you, I don't know," Jacqueline says when asked where the boys are. #WestsTrial

Ryan repeatedly tells her she's hiding something and she says she has nothing to hide. #WestsTrial

Ryan leaves the interview room. Jacqueline continues to speak with the FBI agent and another officer present. She says she doesn't even know where to begin to tell them where to look for the boys. #WestsTrial

Court is in recess for the day. The trial resumes 9 a.m. tomorrow. #WestsTrial

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 13, 2023

Brother of Trezell West takes the stand​

[...]

In 2019 through 2020, Josiah was living with his parents, Wanda and Phillip West, at their home on Potomac Avenue. He said while Trezell and Jacqueline lived in Bakersfield, he would occasionally watch the children at their home as well at his parents’ home on Potomac.

[...]

During his testimony, Josiah recalled the night police and Child Protective Services arrived to the home on Potomac to inform them that Orrin and Orson were missing. Josiah said he spoke to an officer who told him the Cal City home looked like a “military garrison.” He said CPS took the other children that night. He said he and his parents were under the impression this would only be temporary.

Josiah testified that during the month of December 2020, he didn’t recall seeing Orrin or Orson. He said the weekend of Dec. 19, 2020, when Trezell dropped off the other four children, Josiah gave him a hug and wished him luck in their new home.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 13, 2023

Kern County Superior Court working to remove illegal online audio postings of West trial​

The Kern County Superior Court is working to remove illegal postings of audio of the Trezell and Jacqueline West trial from online platforms.

[...]

“The unfortunate decision of a few individuals to violate the court order will not stop us for ensuring the public has access to the proceedings.”

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 13, 2023

West Trial Day 7: Jacqueline West interviews played for jury​

It’s not that she doesn’t care about her adopted children, Jacqueline West said. She loves them, but it’s a different emotion from what she feels for her biological children.

West said that in response to questioning from a Bakersfield police detective who told her if he was in her position and had two young children missing he’d be going out of his mind. He noted she showed little emotion during a lengthy interview.

[...]

The rest of Jacqueline West’s second interview will be played Friday morning, the eighth day of trial. ...

Adoptive mother of Cal City boys adamantly denies murder in video​

“They are missing, that’s all I know,” Jacqueline said. We didn’t take them anywhere, and we called the cops because that was the right thing to do, she added.

But Jacqueline suggested that wasn’t the smartest move: She said in the recorded interview that she felt regret for calling California City police.

We would have been better off without you, she said.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 13, 2023

West Trial Day 7: Trezell's brother and biological father of Orson testify​

Thursday at the West trial, it was a full day with five different witnesses at the stand, including one of the boys' biological fathers.

The witnesses at the stand being questioned Thursday were Bakersfield Police Officer John Ryan, Trezell's younger brother Josiah West, Sgt. Daniel McClive, who worked with digital forensics for the Bakersfield Police Department, Charles Pettus, the biological father of Orson, and Eashell Hill, the Kern County Child Protective Services Supervisor for social workers.

[...]