Judge Excoriates U. S. Prosecutors For Coaching Witnesses, Calls Conduct "Egregious Violation"

The Times On Line reported today that:

Al-Qaeda death trial halted
From Tom Baldwin in Washington

THE death penalty trial of a confessed al-Qaeda conspirator was unexpectedly halted yesterday by a judge who criticised government lawyers for violating Zacarias Moussaoui’s constitutional rights by “coaching” witnesses.

Leonie Brinkema, the federal judge hearing the case, said: “In all the years I’ve been on the bench, I have never seen such an egregious violation of a rule on witnesses.” Her intervention represents a humiliating setback for the Administration, which has spent more than four years trying to bring someone to justice for the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Moussaoui, a 37-year-old French Moroccan, is the only person tried for direct involvement in the attacks, even though he was already under arrest for immigration violations.

the complete story may be found here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2084238,00.html