Reference for Makkot 1:6

אֵין הָעֵדִים זוֹמְמִין נֶהֱרָגִין, עַד שֶׁיִּגָּמֵר הַדִּין, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַצְּדוֹקִין אוֹמְרִים, עַד שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ. אָמְרוּ לָהֶם חֲכָמִים, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים יט) וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו, וַהֲרֵי אָחִיו קַיָּם. וְאִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ, יָכוֹל מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֵדוּתָן יֵהָרֵגוּ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ, הָא אֵינָן נֶהֱרָגִין עַד שֶׁיִּגָּמֵר הַדִּין:

Scheming witnesses are not killed until judgment has been passed [upon the adjudged to be killed by their testimony, after which they are refuted]. For the Sadducees were wont to say: (Scheming witnesses are not killed) until he (the adjudged) is killed, it being written (Leviticus 24:18): "A life for a life" — whereupon the sages said to them: But is it not already written: "Then you shall do to him as he schemed to do to his brother" — "his brother" connoting his living brother! If so, how is "A life for a life" to be satisfied? I might think that they could be killed as soon as their testimony was accepted; we are, therefore, apprised: "A life for a life" — They are not killed until judgment has been passed (on the life of the adjudged).

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