Moussaoui Case Update
A federal judge says the prosecution can still seek the death penalty in the Zacarias Moussaoui case. But thanks to a
TSA lawyer's incompetence, the likelihood of that sentence is
much slimmer:
The judge in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial dealt a serious blow to the government's death-penalty case Tuesday, barring roughly half of the prosecutors' key witnesses because a federal lawyer improperly coached several of them on their testimony.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected a Moussaoui defense request that she go further and dismiss the government's death-penalty bid for the al-Qaida conspirator outright. She put off resumption of the trial until Monday to give the government a chance to appeal.
Justice Department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos said the ruling was being reviewed. While not addressing the likelihood of overturning it, she added that "it is important to remember" Moussaoui has pleaded guilty and at a minimum will be imprisoned for life with no chance of release.
Testimony from the barred witnesses was to make up about half of the government's case, prosecutors have said.Just great.