evidence in 9/11 damages cases is restricted

from nytimes: The federal judge hearing damages cases filed by families of Sept. 11 victims has tightly restricted evidence that one family may present at the first trial.

The judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein of Federal District Court in Manhattan, ruled Tuesday that he would exclude some of the plaintiffs’ more sensational and speculative evidence in the trial, which is to begin next month...

Judge Hellerstein ruled that the jury would not be allowed to see photographs of at least one of the hijackers and Dr. Ambrose separately passing through a security checkpoint at Dulles International Airport, where the flight originated.

Judge Hellerstein also said he found a wide array of other evidence inadmissible, including the testimony of people who received phone calls from loved ones aboard Flight 77 before it crashed; the testimony of a burn victim inside the Pentagon; testimony from a victim’s daughter about a note from the victim to her husband that was found at the crash site; and photographs of body parts.