Go to Jail "Scooter"
June 14, 2007
This post, written by Michael Roston, originally appeared on Raw Story
A Federal District Court Judge ruled that former White House Adviser I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby must report to prison in 30 to 45 days, according to a breaking news report from MSNBC. Libby was sentenced last week to 30 months in prison after March convictions for perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements in an investigation of the leak of the identity of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson. He had sought to delay serving his sentence while his case was on appeal.
Libby may now file an emergency appeal to keep him out of prison while he makes his case against his conviction. The Judge ruled that he was not a flight risk or a danger to the community, and could self-report to prison.
Live blogging of the court session at Firedoglake showed Judge Reggie Walton revealing that he and his family had faced threats in letters sent after he handed down the sentence last week.
Of some of the issues that Libby's attorneys raised for appeals, the Judge didn't believe there was a credible basis for his sentence to be overturned.
"This is not a close issue in my view," he reportedly said.
Judge Walton also dealt with defense claims that Libby should be kept free from jail pending his appeal. He reportedly expressed his anger at the quality of an amicus curiae brief submitted by former Judge Robert Bork.
"These are intelligent people, but I would not accept this brief from a first year law student. I believe this was put out to put pressure on this court in the public sphere to rule as you wish," according to a paraphrase of the Judge's statement published at the blog.
Attorneys for the former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly questioned Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's authority to pursue the case as a possible basis for appeal, among other grounds.
DEVELOPING ...
A Federal District Court Judge ruled that former White House Adviser I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby must report to prison in 30 to 45 days, according to a breaking news report from MSNBC. Libby was sentenced last week to 30 months in prison after March convictions for perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements in an investigation of the leak of the identity of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson. He had sought to delay serving his sentence while his case was on appeal.
Libby may now file an emergency appeal to keep him out of prison while he makes his case against his conviction. The Judge ruled that he was not a flight risk or a danger to the community, and could self-report to prison.
Live blogging of the court session at Firedoglake showed Judge Reggie Walton revealing that he and his family had faced threats in letters sent after he handed down the sentence last week.
Of some of the issues that Libby's attorneys raised for appeals, the Judge didn't believe there was a credible basis for his sentence to be overturned.
"This is not a close issue in my view," he reportedly said.
Judge Walton also dealt with defense claims that Libby should be kept free from jail pending his appeal. He reportedly expressed his anger at the quality of an amicus curiae brief submitted by former Judge Robert Bork.
"These are intelligent people, but I would not accept this brief from a first year law student. I believe this was put out to put pressure on this court in the public sphere to rule as you wish," according to a paraphrase of the Judge's statement published at the blog.
Attorneys for the former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly questioned Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's authority to pursue the case as a possible basis for appeal, among other grounds.
DEVELOPING ...
