Jerusalem Talmud Makkot 1.4

משנה: אֵין הָעֵדִים זוֹמְמִים נֶהֱרָגִין עַד שֶׁיִּגָּמֵר הַדִּין שֶׁהֲרֵי הַצְּדוּקִין אוֹמְרִים עַד שֶׁיֵיהָרֵג שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן חֲכָמִים וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לֹו כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו וַהֲרֵי אָחִיו קַיָים. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ. יָכוֹל מִשֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ עֵדוּתָן יֵיהָרֵגוּ תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ הָא אֵינָן נֶהֱרָגִין עַד שֶׁיִיגָּמֵר הַדִּין:

MISHNAH: Plotting witnesses cannot be executed unless judgment was rendered, for the Sadducees say, unless he was executed, for it says, a life for a life. The Sages told them, was it not already said, do to him as he plotted to do to his brother, does this not imply that his brother is alive? Then why does it say, a life for a life? I could think that they would be executed once they had testified, but the verse says, a life for a life; i. e., they cannot be executed unless judgment was passed.

הלכה: אֵין הָעֵדִים הַזּוֹמְמִין. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָה. הָדָא אָמְרָה. עֵד זוֹמֵם אֵינוֹ נִפְסָל בְּבֵית דִּין אֶלָּא מֵעַצְמוֹ הוּא נִפְסָל. פָּתַר לָהּ בְּהַתְרָיָיה. וְתַנֵּי כֵן. אָמַר רִבִּי יֹוסֵי. בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים. בִּשְׁתֵּי כִיתֵּי עֵידִיּוֹת וּבִשְׁתֵּי הַתְרָיוֹת. אֲבָל בְּעֵדוּת אַחַת וּבְהַתְרָיָיה אַחַת כָּל עֵדוּת שֶׁבָּטְלָה מִקְצָתָהּ בָּטְלָה כוּלָּהּ. מָהוּ כָּל עֵדוּת שֶׁבָּטְלָה מִקְצָתָהּ בָּטְלָה כוּלָּהּ. הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין וּמְעִידִין עָלָיו בָּעֲשָׂרָה בְנִיסָן שֶׁגָּנַב אֶת הַשּׁוֹר בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן וְטָבַח וּמָכַר בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בְנִיסָן וְהוּזְּמוּ בְּאַחַד עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן. כָּל עֵדוּת שֶׁהֵעִידוּ מִב׳ בְּנִיסָן עַד חֲמִשָּׁה בְנִיסָן לְמַפְרֵעַ הֲרֵי אֵילּוּ פְסוּלִין. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא בַּר מָמָל. תִּיפְתָּר בִּמְעִידִין עָלָיו בְּכֶרֶךְ אֶחָד וְלֵית שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ כְּלוּם. וְתַנֵּי כֵן. הָיוּ הֵן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהֵן הָאַחֲרוֹנִים. הוּזְּמוּ בָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם. בַּשְּׁנִיָיה הֲרֵי הִיא לוֹ עֵדוּת אַחַת. בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית הֲרֵי הִיא לֹו כִּשְׁתֵּי עֵדִיּוֹת. וְהֵיכֵי. אִמ בִּמְעִידִין עָלָיו בְּכֶרֶךְ אֶחָד לֵית שְׁמַע מִינָּהּ כְּלוּם. לֹא אַתְיָיא אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי עֵדִיּוֹת סַגִּין. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא. הָדָא אָמְרָה. עֵד זוֹמֵם אֵינוֹ נִפְסָל בְּבֵית דִּין אֶלָּא מֵעַצְמוֹ הוּא נִפְסָל.

HALAKHAH: “Plotting witnesses cannot be”. Rebbi Zeˋira said, this implies that a plotting witness is not disqualified by the court but is disqualified by himself. Explain it by warning, as it was stated: “Rebbi Yose said, when has this been said? For two testimonies with two warnings. But for one testimony and one warning any testimony which is partially disqualified is totally disqualified.” What does it mean, “if it is partially disqualified it is totally disqualified”? If they were standing and testifying against him on the tenth of Nisan that he had stolen an ox on the first of Nisan, and slaughtered or sold it on the fifth of Nisan. They were shown to be plotting on the eleventh of Nisan. Any testimony which they delivered between the second and the fifth of Nisan is retroactively disqualified. Rebbi Abba bar Mamal said, explain it if they deliver their testimony in one group and you cannot infer anything, as we have stated: “They were the first and they were the later [witnesses]. If they were shown to be plotting at first, there is nothing. At the second time, there is one testimony. At the third time, there are two testimonies. How? If they testify on one occasion, you could not infer anything. It only comes based on multiple testimonies. Rebbi Zeˋira said, this implies that a plotting witness is not disqualified by the court but is disqualified by himself.