Libby prepares request for new trial

[helderheid]

Staff and agencies
07 March, 2007


By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN and MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writers 5 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Attorneys for convicted former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby began working on a request for a new trial Wednesday as the Bush White House steadfastly refused to talk about a possible pardon in the CIA leak case.

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney , was found guilty of perjury and obstruction in the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame ‘s identity. He is the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since the Iran -Contra scandal two decades ago.

Libby‘s attorneys tried to use that at trial to persuade jurors that, since nobody was charged in the case, Libby didn‘t fear prosecution for the leak and so he had no reason to lie. Juror Denis Collins summed up the dilemma that he and his associates faced behind closed doors.

Attorney William Jeffress, meantime, said that Libby‘s defense team has begun reviewing the monthlong trial and preparing the request for a new one. It‘s a common request among defense attorneys and one that‘s not often granted. U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton had made several rulings in the case over the objection of defense attorneys.

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[npincus]

1. the idiot is just bankrupting himself

unless his legal team is working for free-- NOT.

If he had any decency, he'd drop the pretense of innocence and take his justice with dignity. Or better, flip like a pancake and drop the martyr act.

[twilight_sailing]

As I recall he has people chipping in -

He will still be a rich man when he gets out of jail or he is pardoned or whatever.

Which raises the question - who is contributing to his legal defense and why?

[npincus]

6. not so sure

his legal bills are in the millions, and (I believe) he faces a million dollar fine.

[twilight_sailing]

8. God knows my memory is not good, let's look...

http://tinyurl.com/28ga9b

What do you think?

[Sequoia]

3. Since he might have a "heart attack" like Ken Lay anyway

he'd better fess up and spill the beans before it's too late. Why he'd want to take the fall for those two pigs Cheney and Rove is beyond me unless they have something over on Scooter. There is no honor in his silence, in fact it's the way of a traitor.

[GOTV]

4. In return for greater riches in the post-Bush USA n/t

[applegrove]

2. I don't know what ooga booga means.

[Beaverhausen]

5. Sorry Libby, no do-overs for you

What possible grounds would they have for a new trial?

And I'm sure Fitzgerald was careful enough so there won't be any grounds for appeal, either.

[BuyingThyme]

7. Just for fun, the judge should grant a new trial

for the one charge on which he was acquitted.