Guy Elden Jr wrote:
if both planes respond to the
controller that they have the other in sight, and the controller tells
them to maintain visual separation (which it sounds like was done in
this case), does that eliminate the standard IFR separation rules?

Yes.


It
looks like the AA pilot was right in that the LJ came within 300 feet,
but since they were both "seeing and avoiding", is that technically an
FAR violation?

No. Although you can still have a near miss if one of the pilots felt
the other got too close.


i.e., was the controller still obligated to provide
separation?

None whatsoever.