JURIST - Paper Chase Backup: White House tapes played in Libby trial

[JURIST] US Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald [official profile] played portions of White House briefing room videos Thursday as the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense website; JURIST news archive] continued. Fitzgerald said the tapes show Libby's eagerness to publicly conceal conversations he had with reporters about CIA official Valerie Plame. US District Judge Reggie B. Walton [official profile] allowed Fitzgerald to play portions of the videos that show former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan publicly clearing Libby's name and announcing that individuals responsible for the leak would be fired. Judge Walton did not allow Fitzgerald to show a heated question and answer session between McClellan and reporters.

Libby is charged with perjury and obstruction of justice [indictment, PDF; JURIST report] in connection with the investigation into the leak of former CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity [JURIST news archive]. Libby's defense team has indicated that they plan to call [JURIST report] Libby's former boss, Vice President Dick Cheney [official website], to testify and that Libby also plans to take the witness stand himself. Walton has denied a request [JURIST report] from several news organizations seeking the daily release of audio recordings of arguments and testimony. AP has more.

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