Reply #27: Fitz appointed end of Dec '03, grand jury heard testimony in Jan '04.

[Garbo 2004]

Grand jury is part of the investigation process in this matter. With the assistance of the prosecutor, they take testimony, ask questions of the witnesses before them and review evidence developed by the prosecutor and investigators. (Cooper said about 1/3 of his testimony was spent answering the grand jury's questions. http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,1083899,00.html )

In this matter, the grand jury clearly is an investigative tool. Fitz isn't just presenting them an already developed case and asking for an indictment as may typically be done in something considerably more simple such as a murder case (the "ham sandwich" sort of case).

Timeline for the case at Kos: http://www.dkosopedia.com/index.php/Plame_Leak_timeline