Dispute Over Witness Disrupts Stevens Trial

WASHINGTON — A behind-the-scenes move by prosecutors — sending an ailing potential witness home to Alaska — has angered a federal judge and given Senator Ted Stevens an opening to renew allegations that the government isn't playing fair in his corruption case.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan rejected the defense's bid yesterday to pull the plug on Mr. Stevens's trial and throw out charges accusing the Alaska lawmaker of accepting more than $250,000 in unreported home renovations. But the judge scolded prosecutors for "unilaterally" deciding to put the project's manager, Robert Williams, on a return flight home instead of putting him on the witness stand.

"I find it very, very disturbing that this has happened," Judge Sullivan told attorneys while jurors were on a lunch break. "I'm concerned about the appearance of impropriety."

The judge ordered prosecutors to provide a fuller explanation for why they didn't tell anyone that Mr. Williams, who was subpoenaed by both sides, went home last week on the day the trial opened. He also warned that sanctions were possible, but didn't say what kind.

Mr. Stevens, 84, is charged with lying on Senate financial disclosure forms about work done on his hillside cabin and other gifts he received from VECO Corp., a powerful Alaska oil pipeline contractor.

The senator says that if anything was tacked onto the job, VECO founder Bill Allen did so without telling him. Because the senator's wife handles all his finances, Mr. Stevens says there's no way he could have known Mr. Allen was adding on work.