Mr. Ricker is also likely to be a central witness in a series of lawsuits by cities against the gun industry.

In the past, former federal prosecutors say, questions about the credibility of a central witness have often been considered reasons against seeking execution.

Bezaleli was the prosecution's central witness on the Trawniki document.

The defendants, their alleged victims and the central witnesses all are black.

The questioning of Colonel North, perhaps the committee's central witness, will continue for the rest of this week and possibly longer.

"I'm almost the last central witness to the drama," he noted.

As the central witness in the case, Sean Miller was an enigma.

The central witness, the person who knows the facts in the case the best, is Mr. Steinbrenner.

But they have been hamstrung because many of the central witnesses are not cooperating.

He has been been a central witness against Mr. Milken.