Reply #24: Lawyers question TSA atty's contacts in 9/11 suit (ties to airlines?)

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Lawyers question TSA attorney's contacts in 9/11 suit
Counsel for victims' families alleges Martin had ties to airlines
By Phil Hirschkorn
CNN
Friday, March 17, 2006


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The government lawyer blamed for damaging prosecutors' case against Zacarias Moussaoui might be a factor in another September 11 case, attorneys for victims' families say.

E-mails used to show that Carla Martin had coached government witnesses in the Moussaoui trial also expose an "incestuous and inappropriate relationship" between the Transportation Security Administration and airlines, say attorneys for families of some victims.

Martin, a TSA lawyer, is among dozens of government attorneys who helped prosecutors prepare government employees to testify and assembled documents to be introduced as evidence in the Moussaoui case.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema found that Martin violated a court order instructing witnesses to avoid following court proceedings or discussing them with each other until they had testified....

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In the civil case, the plaintiffs' attorneys contend the e-mail chain released this week in the Moussaoui trial shows Martin had a chummy relationship with attorneys from American and United airlines and suggests witnesses in the civil case may also have been subjected to improper coaching....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/03/17/moussaoui.trial/index.html