The issue is a pressing one in areas where intimidation by gang members, drug dealers and other defendants is making potential witnesses afraid they or their loved ones will be harmed or killed if they take the stand.

The state Supreme Court in Trenton heard nearly two hours of arguments Monday on a case that deals with what the state Attorney General's Office calls "the greatest threat" to prosecution in gang, organized crime and domestic violence cases.

The state wants to be allowed let jurors hear the out-of-court statements of witnesses who have been threatened without presenting the witnesses themselves.

But defense lawyers argue that would not be fair to defendants, who have the Constitutional right to confront their accusers in court.

Deputy Attorney General Daniel Bornstein told the court he has read numerous media accounts of witnesses being intimidated or threatened around the state.

Obama on Monday announced that Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan is his nominee for solicitor general. Kagan worked on the University of Chicago Law School faculty at the same time as Obama served on the faculty during the 1990s and at Harvard has won praise for building consensus and for record fundraising.

Obama announced three other leading Justice Department nominations. Washington lawyers David Ogden and Tom Perrelli were chosen as deputy attorney general and associate attorney general. And Indiana University School of Law professor Dawn Johnsen is his choice to be assistant attorney general for the office of legal counsel.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan issued the ruling Monday, reversing a lower court judge.

The appeals court found that the detainees and their families have a privacy interest in their identifying information. The government had argued that the detainees faced possible harm if their identities were revealed.

The appeals court said that The Associated Press, which sought the identities, had not shown how the public interest would be served by disclosing them.

A lawyer for the AP said he would comment after he studies the ruling.

Susan Markel, chief accountant in the agency's division of enforcement, is taking a job in the corporate investigations practice of AlixPartners LLP, a business advisory firm. Markel has been at the SEC since 1994, working on the agency's inquiries into Xerox Corp., Cendant, WorldCom and Cardinal Health Inc.

The SEC has come under fire for failing to heed warnings about Wall Street money manager Bernard L. Madoff, whose alleged fraud may end up costing investors $50 billion.

The Financial Services Committee will question the SEC's internal watchdog Monday, as lawmakers try to learn why the regulatory agency failed to detect an alleged $50 billion investment fraud by Madoff.

Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme will be a case study for a planned overhaul of laws regulating financial markets, said Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., who will chair the hearing.

Witnesses include H. David Kotz, the SEC inspector general. He's already is looking into the agency's failure to uncover the fraud despite several warnings.

Kotz previously said he will examine the relationship between a former SEC attorney and Madoff's niece, who are now married.

Bell was being treated for complications due to pancreatic cancer, and suffered from kidney disease for years.

A spokesman for Bell's law firm, Les Zucke, says Bell died at 9:40 a.m. Monday. Bell's firm, King & Spalding, is based in Atlanta.

Carter's choice of Bell, a longtime friend, as attorney general was considered the most controversial of his Cabinet picks after the 1976 election.

At the time, the NAACP and other civil rights groups complained Bell, as a federal judge, didn't force Southern schools to integrate quickly enough. But Carter called Bell's civil rights record superb, and many black Georgians came forward to support him.

Attorney Timothy Wright also tells the Chicago Tribune he plans to go to court if the Senate refuses to seat Roland Burris.

Blagojevich's action has draw criticism because he faces corruption charges that accuse him of trying to profit from the appointment. He denies that.

Wright's letter was dated Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has said that anyone picked by Blagojevich will be turned away.

Burris also has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to force Secretary of State Jesse White to certify the appointment.