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Sep 6, 2008 11:52 am US/Eastern

Haleigh Poutre Will Not Testify In Abuse Trial

BOSTON (WBZ) ― A brain-injured girl whose case led to reforms of the state's child welfare system won't be forced to testify at the trial of the stepfather accused of abusing her.

A Springfield judge ruled Thursday that 14-year-old Haleigh Poutre, who's still in rehabilitation, won't have to appear at Jason Strickland's assault trial next month. She also won't have to testify at a pretrial hearing on her competency.

Prosecutors said in July that they hoped Haleigh would be able to testify against Strickland. However, state child welfare officials and lawyers representing Haleigh said testifying could harm the girl.

Strickland and his late wife Holly, Haleigh's adoptive mother, were accused of causing injuries that left Haleigh in a coma three years ago. Strickland has pleaded not guilty.

Haleigh's case drew attention in 2005 when her condition improved just after the state got court permission to withdraw her feeding tube.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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