The following is an excerpt from my pending book about Dominique Dunne called "A Requiem and a Rose: The Dominique Dunne Story" by Michael J. Eastman. Copyright 2009 by Michael J. Eastman.
- Russell Snyder, a former writer for the now-defunct Santa Monica, California newspaper, the Evening Outlook, wrote an article on August 23rd, 1983 concerning the testimony of David Packer. Snyder reported that David Packer testified in court that he played music from the Poltergeist album to drown out the argument noise coming from Sweeney and Dunne. Snyder wrote that Dunne and Sweeney were in another room of her familys West Hollywood home (when Packer played the music to drown out the arugument he was hearing between Sweeney and Dunne). But, this was misinformation on Snyders part. First of all, the house was not owned by either of Dominiques parents her parents not only were not living in West Hollywood, but they werent even living together in the same state. Her mother resided in Beverly Hills, and her father in New York. Dominique was renting the house, and had been co-renting it with Sweeney, prior to his moving out. Second, David Packer never told the investigating police officers that John Sweeney had ever been in the house that night. In fact, Packer said Dominique refused to open the door and let him in. Instead, she went out onto the porch to speak with him. Why mention this misinformation? Because I have read many contradictory things on the internet from various sites that do not have all the facts straight. Unlike most of their webmasters, I have taken the time to research the facts mentioned about that night. Now that we have established whose house it was, and where Dominique and Sweeney were arguing, lets look at why Packer was playing that Poltergeist music in the first place. Was he trying to be a smart-alec, or was he just careless and did not fear for Dominiques safety? Probably a combination of both. Without question, Packer was careless. He knew of Sweeneys tendencies to become violent, based on what Dominique had previously told him. He also knew that Dominique had a fear of him. David Packer chose to be a coward that night instead of looking out for Dominiques safety. Theres really no point in debating that fact, because his actions spoke louder than any words ever will. I did not interview him, nor try to, because what acceptable excuse could he ever offer for his cowardly actions that night?
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