21.   That includes a family member, whose death the children witness.

22.   That year, the court threw out a conviction where special seating was used for a child witness because it prevented a face-to-face confrontation.

23.   The same child witnesses who Borenstein said were tainted also testified against him.

24.   The SJC majority ruled that the trials of the Amiraults were constitutionally flawed by special seating used for child witnesses that prevented the defendants from confronting their acccusers.

25.   They said an earlier lawyer failed to object to the seating arrangements for the child witnesses against them.

26.   Under state law, a child witness may choose not to testify in court if it is detrimental to his overall well-being.

27.   The program, named after B.J. and his mother, also allows the state to take custody of child witnesses if their parents fail to protect them.

28.   The UK procedurer also faces problems involving the time lapse before the child witness is taken to court, which is about six months.

29.   Yet bringing offenders to justice remains tricky because of difficulties in compiling a court case using child witnesses, who are often either poor or homeless, Beddoe said.

30.   Buchanan continued cross examining the boy after Somes said he had limited powers to deal with contempt, particularly with a child witness.