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The buzz at the Libby courthouse today, where 11 jurors have held dozens of journalists hostage for an eighth day of their deliberations on the fate of the former top aide to Vice President Cheney, was not entirely focused on when the verdict might come in, but who would play the principals in the movie version.
Warner Bros. Pictures is developing a feature on the lives of former CIA officer Valerie Plame and her husband former diplomat Joseph Wilson, the Washington couple at the center of the CIA leak scandal.
Discuss (1 comments) 
Email this | 
Link to thisWith three months of pre-trial activity left before the beginning of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's January trial, his attorneys and Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald have been mired in negotiations and courtroom arguments on everything from admitting memory experts to which classified documents might be allowed at trial.
Today, Judge Reggie Walton, who is presiding over the case, revealed a rare insight on just how much the CIA leak case is on his mind.
In a footnote to an order extending the deadline for a pre-trial filing by both parties, the judge writes, "As the parties are aware, Judge Walton will be on vacation in Jamaica beginning November 18, 2006 and it is particularly important for the expeditious resolution of these motions that Judge Walton have something to work on while relaxing on the beach."
Discuss (8 comments) Email this | Link to thisI. Lewis "Scooter" Libby seemed relaxed this afternoon as he strode down the hallway on the second floor of the federal court just before his motions hearing. Libby greeted waiting reporters and then walked to a small office in the courthouse, punching in the number of a cipher lock to a room, referred to as the "skiff," where, since his indictment in October, Libby has come nearly every day to examine classified documents that could be used for his defense.
Libby's wife Harriet Grant was in court today - first time since the indictment. Libby first sat next to her in the front row, gave her a hug, then moved to the defense table.
Discuss (1 comments) Email this | Link to thisIn a court filing late last night, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's lawyers revealed some of their defense strategy -- namely, that their client simply can't remember things like, "snippets of conversations about Valerie Plame Wilson's employment status." Libby's defense, according to court documents, is that he was overwhelmed by the demands of his job at the White House, and might have forgotten, or misconstrued conversations.
Discuss (5 comments) Email this | Link to thisNow up and running, the official "Scooter Libby Legal Defense Trust" at www.scooterlibby.com. The fund is fueled by donations from friends and supporters of the indicted former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.
"There is already more than $2 million in the trust," according to Barbara Comstock, a Republican strategist and a member of the fund's steering committee. "The goal is for about $5-6 million in donations."
Discuss (5 comments) Email this | Link to thisAnother tense day in the Alexandria, Virginia federal courthouse where the war of words continued for confessed 9/11 conspirator, Zacarias Moussaoui.
The reason for today's hearing, according to U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema - one day before direct jury questioning is set to begin - was to determine, "how Mr. Moussaoui plans to behave ... whether you plan to remain quiet ... or whether you plan to make speeches."
Well, Moussaoui did not oblige to the judge's requests to remain mum.
Discuss (0 comments) Email this | Link to thisBecause of limited space in the Alexandria, Va. federal courthouse only a half dozen reporters were allowed into Judge Leonie Brinkema's courtroom today for the start of jury selection in the sentencing phase of Zacarias Moussaoui's trial. When seated, the jury will determine whether Moussaoui, the only person convicted in the U.S. on charges stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks, is executed or spends the rest of his life in prison.
I was among the "pool" selected to hear the third of four sessions where prospective jurors were to be selected. The courtroom was filled with more than 130 prospective jurors. Most of them white, from their 20s through their 50s or 60s -- one woman wore a headscarf, presumably she was Muslim. All in all, nearly 500 possible jurors came to the courtroom in the four, roughly 30-minute sessions. That pool will be narrowed on February 15 to 85 and then on March 6 to 18. Only 12 jurors will decide the fate of Zacarias Moussaoui. The others will be alternates.
Discuss (4 comments) Email this | Link to thisThe "Libby Legal Defense Trust" is up and running, fueled by donations from friends and supporters of the indicted former chief of staff to the Vice President.
"There is already more than $2 million in the trust," according to Barbara Comstock, a Republican strategist and a member of the fund's steering committee. Expect a new Web site to be unfurled shortly as well -- next week is the target date, according to Comstock. She tells NBC, "the goal is for about $5-6 million in donations."
The trust was set up to help Libby pay for "growing legal expenses." Hundreds of people across the country have already made donations, according to Comstock. The gifts are coming in at under $12,000 to avoid tax liability for the donors, she said.
Florida shopping-center magnate, Mel Sembler chairs the trust. Sembler is Chairman of the Board of The Sembler Company in St. Petersburg, Fla. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Italy from 2001 to 2005. He also served as Finance Chairman for the Republican National Committee from 1997 to 2000.
Discuss (6 comments) Email this | Link to thisDon't hold your breath in anticipation of a trial to begin any time soon in the CIA leak case of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. In court today, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled jury selection to begin January 8, 2007. Walton said he had hoped to start the trial in September 2006 but one of Libby's lawyers, Ted Wells, had a scheduling conflict -- another trial -- that made an earlier date impractical. Walton said he "hates to have a case linger so long," but had no choice.
Expect to see Libby back in court on February 24, 2006 for another status hearing. Today, he seemed relaxed and made small talk with reporters while stopping for coffee in the courthouse cafeteria. He asked a reporter what he was listening to on his iPod, then he headed to a conference room on the second floor to wait for the open hearing to begin.
Discuss (36 comments) Email this | Link to thisEditor's note: Correspondent Tom Costello reports tonight on the Senate Appropriation Committee's hearing on mine safety.
Since the Sago mine tragedy, some reports have said mining is America's most dangerous occupation. However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists several jobs with worse at-work fatalities.
It says the deadliest are:
(fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2004)
Read the full report from the BLS here.
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