Jury convicts Libby on four counts

Published Tuesday, March 6, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby was convicted today of obstruction, perjury and lying to the FBI in an investigation into the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity to reporters.

Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was acquitted on one count of lying after a trial that focused renewed attention on the Bush administration’s claims of evidence about weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to the Iraq war.

Libby had little reaction to the verdict. He stood expressionless as the jury left the room. His lawyer, Theodore Wells, said they were "very disappointed" with the verdict.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said he was gratified by the verdict.

"The results are actually sad," he said. "It’s sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."

White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said President George W. Bush "respected the jury’s verdict" and said he was "saddened for Scooter Libby and his family."

The verdict was read on the 10th day of deliberations. Libby faces up to 30 years in prison, but under federal sentencing guidelines he likely will receive far less.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton ordered a pre-sentencing report be completed by May 15. Judges use such reports to help determine sentences.

Libby faced two counts of perjury, two counts of lying to the FBI and one count of obstruction of justice. Prosecutors said he discussed Plame’s name with reporters and, fearing prosecution, made up a story to make those discussions seem innocuous.

Libby’s defense team said he learned about Plame from Cheney, forgot about it, then learned it again a month later from NBC newsman Tim Russert. Anything he told reporters about Plame, Libby said, was just chatter and rumors, not official government information.

Fitzgerald said that was a lie. Jurors agreed.