A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that the government does not have to turn over evidence from the trial of Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui to family members of those killed in the terrorist attacks.The three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a Virginia judge lacked authority to order the government to provide the evidence for use in lawsuits against the airline industry and others.
Last April, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria said the families were entitled to non-sensitive information that prosecutors shared with Moussaoui's attorneys but never introduced at his trial.
On Wednesday, the appeals court ruled unanimously that Brinkema had exceeded her authority, saying a federal court in New York has exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions arising from the Sept. 11 attacks.
"We, like the district court, have great sympathy for the victims of September 11 and their families," Judge Karen Williams wrote. "But regardless of how much respect and compassion this court has, we must ensure that the federal courts in our jurisdiction — no matter how well intentioned — do not exceed their legal power."
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