§ 22-2903 Exclusion and separation of witnesses.

When a witness is testifying during a hearing, the judge can order other witnesses to leave the room so they don't hear what's being said. If either the defendant or the state asks for this, the judge must do it. This keeps witnesses from changing their stories based on what they hear other people say.

The judge can also keep witnesses apart from each other and stop them from talking to one another before they've all had a chance to testify. This applies during any part of the hearing, including when the defendant is speaking or giving testimony.

The point of this rule is to protect the honesty of witness testimony. If witnesses could listen to each other or talk before testifying, they might shape their answers to match what others said, whether on purpose or by accident. Keeping them separated helps make sure each person's testimony is their own honest account, not something influenced by others.