Yet Another Update on the Rape of Lady Justice

(UPDATE: A federal prosecutor has told the judge that he saw "no point" in going ahead with the proceedings under a ruling that barred key government witnesses from testifying. If the trial does not continue or if the jury ultimately decides in favor of the defense, Moussaoui would be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Details here.)

The sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui has resumed after time out for bad government behavior. Federal prosecutors have returned to the Alexandria, Va., courtroom of Judge Leonie Brinkema to try push a most unusual legal theory in pursuit of the death penalty, but without their key witnesses:

Moussaoui, the so-called 20th 9/11 hijacker, should be fried because he could have prevented 9/11.

Dahlia Lithwick and Robert Weisberg ponder this bit of pretzel logic in a Slate article.

Meanwhile, remember those families of 9/11 victims?

Yeah, them.

As expected, they're not feeling too chuff about the government's serial bumbling in the Moussaoui case, especially the news that the key witnesses will not be allowed to testify because they were coached.

"How are we supposed to get any new information now?" said Fiona Havlish, formerly of Buck County, Pa., whose husband was killed at the World Trade Center. "I think what all of us are looking for is the truth, and the truth has not been forthcoming out of Washington. I mean, I can only speak for myself, but I do not feel that the truth has come out no matter how hard we as family members have tried. And this was just one more avenue to find a particle of truth, and that is being thwarted."

For more on the families, go here.