West trial: Prosecutor paints adoptive parents as abusive liars whose failure caused toddlers' deaths

May 16—The adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West are abusive liars whose failure to protect their children led to the deaths of their two youngest kids, a prosecutor said in his closing arguments Tuesday in Kern County Superior Court.

Defense attorneys have yet to present their arguments rebutting Prosecutor Eric Smith's nearly two-hour closing arguments. Smith argued Trezell and Jacqueline West favored their biological children over their four adoptive kids and didn't act to prevent Orrin, 4, from dying because their biological children would be snatched away. Orson was killed by his adoptive parents because questions would arise because Orrin wasn't there, Smith added.

Trezell and Jacqueline have pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, an involuntary manslaughter charge, conspiracy, willful cruelty to a child and falsely reporting an emergency. They've been engaged in trial since the beginning of April.

Orrin got in trouble one day and was dead the next day after living with his parents, who choked and spanked him, Smith argued, while adding it's not clear how Orrin died or who killed him.

A West child was sworn to secrecy by his parents but still divulged to law enforcement what truly happened to their brothers, Smith said. A then 10-year-old child told a forensic interviewer Orrin died after choking and changing color while the Wests lived in their Bakersfield. The then 10-year-old boy said he heard a sound like a soap bottle falling in the bathroom at their California City home and never saw Orson again.

"Trezell and Jacqueline have no moral fiber," Smith said. "They killed two kids."

You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.