We think the Van Dam murder trial, coming to an end in San Diego, may have prompted this San Francisco Chronicle article on the increasing number of swingers, clubs, conventions and resorts devoted to them.

Danielle Van Dam was the 7 year old San Diego girl kidnapped from her bedroom and found dead days later. Westerfield, a neighbor with a motor home, was charged and is on trial. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Court TV has been covering the trial live.

A hot debate topic in the case is whether the defense is engaging in "victim-bashing" in highlighting the parents' swinging lifestyle which included bringing strangers to their home for pot and sex parties. The case is circumstantial in that no one saw Westerfield with the girl that day and nothing links Westerfield to the Van Dam home. Witnesses yesterday testified that the mother was "dirty dancing" with Westerfield at a bar called Dad's the night of the murder, giving him a possible explanation for any hair and fibers that may have been found in his motor home. They transfer easily. Plus the mother denied on the stand that she danced with Westerfield that night. She did admit to all the swinger stuff though.

We believe it would be grossly negligent not to bring up the parents' lifestyle. The fact that they brought strangers into their home to have sex makes it possible that one of them committed the crime. While DNA of Danielle's was found in Westerfield's home, as were pornographic images on his computer, evidence was also brought out that Danielle had been in Westerfield's motor home the week before she disappeared selling girl scout cookies and his son shared his computer and the downloaded images may have been his.

We feel sympathy for the Van Dams, who lost their daughter. But a man is on trial for his life, and the evidence of who was in their home and when is relevant to make that trial fair.