Midrash for Sanhedrin 79:6
זה אומר בשלשה ואחד אומר בחמשה עדותן בטילה
— IN HAKIROTH, IF ONE [OF THE WITNESSES] ANSWERS: 'I DO NOT KNOW,' THEIR<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that of both witnesses. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> EVIDENCE IS VOID. WITH RESPECT TO BEDIKOTH, HOWEVER, IF ONE ANSWERS: I DO NOT KNOW,' OR EVEN IF BOTH SAY: 'WE DO NOT KNOW, THEIR EVIDENCE IS VALID. BUT IF THEY [THE WITNESSES] CONTRADICT EACH OTHER, WHETHER IN THE HAKIROTH OR THE BEDIKOTH, THEIR EVIDENCE IS VOID.
Sifrei Devarim
"And you shall inquire": of the Torah. "and you shall search out": from the witnesses. "and you shall ask": of the Talmud. Here (in respect to a man's serving idolatry) it is written (Ibid. 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you inquire well," and elsewhere (in respect to scheming witnesses) (19:18) "And the judges inquire well" — "well" - "well" for an identity (gezeirah shavah.) (We are hereby taught) that he (the witness) undergoes seven cross-examinations (chakiroth).
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