CIA Leak Case Turned Over to Jury

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/

Breaking News

TRIAL OF FORMER CHENEY CHIEF OF STAFF I. LEWIS "SCOOTER" LIBBY ON CHARGES OF PERJURY AND OBSTRUCTION HANDED TO JURY

update:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2891505

CIA Leak Case Turned Over to Jury
Jury Deliberations Begin in Perjury and Obstruction Trial of I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby

WASHINGTON Feb 21, 2007 (AP)— Jurors began deliberating Wednesday in the perjury and obstruction trial of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, is charged with lying and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.

Jurors heard about an hour of legal instructions from U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton on Wednesday morning before beginning deliberations shortly before 11:30 a.m. They heard a full day of closing arguments Tuesday after a monthlong trial.

The jury of eight women and four men must be unanimous before returning a verdict on the five charges against Libby. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted, though he'd likely get far less under federal sentencing guidelines.

[PhilipShore]

1. My guess it will be a hung jury -- Libby will walk

[SteppingRazor]

2. I disagree. I think Libby's toast, and a hung jury is the actually the least likely outcome

even if it's a hung jury, I imagine most jurors will go with guilty. Add to that the fact that the judge in this high-profile case is going to be extremely unlikely to accept a hung jury, and eventually, the hold-outs will go with the majority out of sheer attrition.

[tridim]

4. Party pooper

Guilty on all counts is my guess.. Anything less and I'll be very disappointed.

[PhilipShore]

7. I wish he would be found guilty -- he is PNAC -- as a pacifist

I despise his warmongering philosophy. I am not a lawyer; but I think the jury has repukes sitting on it -- whom would never convict a high profile Republican, no matter what the law or the facts say.

[Independent_Liberal]

11. I don't think it's a puke-stacked jury.

Last I heard, it has a lot of black women on it.

[JuniperLea]

12. He can't walk! He MUST be found GUILTY!!

How else will Bush be able to pardon him?


:shrug:

[wakeme2008]

3. 24 hours from now is my guess on the time of verdict

:)

[Greyskye]

5. if the verdict comes in that soon...

...then it will be a guilty verdict. The longer the jury is out, the more likely it is that the verdict will come back either not-guilty, or hung.

IMHO.

[yellowcanine]

6. It is a case of he (Libby) said, THEY (reporters) said. My guess is THEY remove any reasonable

doubt. In which case Libby is toast.

[redirish28]

8. I personally think they will come back with a guilty by end of day.

[Beetwasher]

9. I Predict A Quick Deliberation, A Day At The Most

If it's any longer that means there's Bushbot on the jury who is holding out, in which case, Judge Walton is going to be severely pissed off. I have a feeling he will NOT accept a hung jury and send them back to deliberate some more.

[acmavm]

10. I hope that these people are worthy of being called 'citizens'

of this country and do their duty and convict the SOB. Anything less is an injustice to the country, to the people, and to the Constitution of the United States.