| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
01 Feb 2007 12:00:12 PM |
| Object: |
Republican CIA Leak Scandal Trial Jurors May View White House Tapes |
From The Casper Star Tribune, 2/1/07:
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/02/01/ap/washington/d8n110g80.txt
Leak Jurors May View White House Tapes
By MATT APUZZO
WASHINGTON -
Former vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is fighting to
keep prosecutors from playing videotape from the White House briefing
room at his perjury and obstruction trial.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald says he wants to play tapes of
White House press secretary Scott McClellan discussing the leak of a
CIA operative's identity in 2003.
McClellan originally told the press corps that President Bush's top
political adviser, Karl Rove, had nothing to do with the leak and
prosecutors say Libby pressed McClellan to make a similar statement
for him. McClellan ultimately did clear Libby's name in the press.
Fitzgerald says the briefing room tapes show that Libby was eager to
publicly conceal conversations he had with reporters about CIA
official Valerie Plame.
Libby is accused of lying to the FBI and obstructing the investigation
into the leak of her identity.
Libby's attorneys say the tapes can't be used to suggest Libby's state
of mind because there's no evidence he actually watched them.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said he'd rule on the issue
Thursday.
Fitzgerald also appears to be planning another multimedia display that
would let jurors hear Libby's grand jury testimony in court.
FBI agent Deborah Bond was scheduled to be the next witness Thursday
and could provide an opportunity for Fitzgerald to play the tapes.
Fitzgerald believes jurors should hear and see Libby's words for
themselves.
He successfully fought to allow into evidence Libby's full grand jury
testimony _ the sworn statements he gave prosecutors during the
investigation _ and Fitzgerald played a brief clip during his opening
statement.
That tape would give jurors the chance to hear for themselves the
testimony that Fitzgerald says is a lie and that Libby says is a
product of faulty memory.
_______________________________________________
Developing.....
Harry
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