Dawson defense continues grilling police

By Emily Zangaro

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) -- The lead detective and the captain of the investigative division took the stand in the Tim Dawson murder trial Friday.

Lead detective Randy Kieft faced another tough day of cross-examination by Dawson's defense attorney Chuck Rominger about evidence collected in the case.

Rominger grilled him on a number of issues, from the manner in which Julia Dawson died to how the evidence was gathered. Rominger's main argument is there is no direct evidence and no DNA evidence linking Tim Dawson to his wife's murder.

Friday, Rominger asked Kieft about the car port at the Dawson's house. When he was asked, Keift said the police did not do a forensic exam on the car port or around the door of the Dawson's home.

"You're telling this jury that it didn't matter to go in there and see whether there could have been, might have been, was the presence of some evidence to suggest that that van was or was not pulled up to that slider," Rominger said to Kieft.

"I'm saying," he answered, "the significance of that would be explainable."

Kieft also said they were unable to identify a hair found at the scene where Julia's body was found. He said it would be impossible to gather a hair from everybody Julia came into contact with the day she went missing. That day, she'd gone out shopping and went many different places.

He was followed to the stand by Captain Mark Fletcher. He testified about some of the testing that took place on the Dawson's Chrysler van.

Shortly before the lunch recess, Judge James Redford denied the defense's objection of Tim Dawson being bound over by embattled Judge Steven Servaas. The defense contended since Servaas is under scrutiny by the Judicial Tenure Commission, the fact he bound over Dawson for trial should be tossed. Redford denied the objection.

In afternoon testimony, Dr. George Freeland, who has a chiropractic office on Maple Street in Sparta between the Dawson home and where Julia's van was found, said he saw Tim walking past his office around 6:30 p.m. the night she disappeared. Freeland said he saw Dawson carrying a small child.

The trial resumes Monday morning. A half-day of testimony is scheduled. 24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this trial.