JURIST - Paper Chase: Libby lawyers seek to use memory expert in CIA leak trial

[JURIST] Attorneys representing I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense profile; JURIST news archive], the former chief of staff for Vice President Cheney, on Monday asked US District Judge Reggie Walton to allow expert testimony from a memory specialist at Libby's upcoming trial relating to his role in the CIA leak case [JURIST news archive]. In a court filing, Libby's attorneys said that testimony about how human memory works and why it fails will help a jury consider whether Libby lied to federal investigators about his knowledge of the CIA leak scandal, which revealed covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. Libby's attorneys will argue that Libby became confused during the investigation because several government witnesses misremembered facts, Libby was more focused on issues he considered more important at the time, and he did not intentionally misrepresent his knowledge of the leak. If allowed, Dr. Robert A. Bjork, the chairman of the Department of Psychology at UCLA, will likely testify that Libby could have easily confused minor details of conversations about Plame.

Libby has pleaded not guilty [JURIST report] to obstruction of justice and perjury charges [PDF indictment; JURIST report] in connection with the investigation into the leak of Plame's identity. NBC News has more.

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