New Jersey Deputy Attorney General Daniel Bornstein told the state’s highest court that there are many instances of witnesses unwilling to testify in domestic violence, gang violence, and organized crime due to being threatened and intimidated. Witness intimidation is being blamed as the biggest obstacle to successful prosecution in such cases.
The state is urging the court to allow statements of out-of-court witnesses who have been victims of intimidation to be used at trial without presenting the witnesses themselves. Defense lawyers claim that allowing the statements to be used without presenting the witness would violate the defendants’ constitutional right to confront accusers.
Source: http://www.breakinglegalnews.com/entry/NJ-high-court-hearing-case-on-witness-intimidation
