Closed hearings ordered in Libby CIA leak case

[sabra]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14705954/

Closed hearings ordered in Libby CIA leak case
Use of classified information as defense at issue


A federal judge has ordered a series of closed hearings to determine if Vice President Cheney's former top aide, I Lewis "Scooter" Libby, can use certain classified information as a defense during his trial in the CIA/Leak case.

Judge Reggie Walton ordered two sets of closed door hearings. The first, to begin on September 25th, and "continue everyday thereafter until completed," will be to make all determinations concerning the use, relevance, or admissibility of classified information that would otherwise be made during the trial. The second set of closed hearing, set to begin October 10th, will deal with classified information the judge has determined to be admissible at trial.

The judge also ordered that the government's declassification team be present at both hearings.

According to rules governing classified documents known as CIPA, the Classified Information Procedures Act, in many cases, the government will propose a redacted version of a classified document as a substitution for the original, having deleted only non-relevant classified information.

[nashville_brook]

1. a secret hearing to determine what should be secret vis a vis cheney

et libby in the plame case. niiiiiice.

[janx]

2. THIS is interesting.

Did Libby's lawyers request this?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. See the first sentence.

:D

[janx]

4. Right, but why?

The reason I ask...Libby and lawyers were constantly trying to derail things with red herrings not so long ago. Is this connected?

Edited to add (from the article):

Libby's attorneys have requested and have been given in recent weeks two batches of summaries and redacted versions of classified morning intelligence briefings which Libby attended with Cheney in order to prepare his defense.

Libby's attorneys wish to present at trial a picture of their client as being overwhelmed by the crush of critical national security work at the White House - a client who may have misremembered, what they wish to portray as insignificant, the identity of former ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife who was a CIA employee at the time. Using certain classified documents at trial could underscore the important work was involved with at the time of the Plame leak.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. From my understanding:

A federal judge has ordered a series of closed hearings to determine if Vice President Cheney's former top aide, I Lewis "Scooter" Libby, can use certain classified information as a defense during his trial in the CIA/Leak case.


If Libby can use as a defense.


</legalese>

[janx]

7. So he's still trying.

:crazy:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Yep.

Gotta spend those "defense fund" millions or they'll just rot away in some private banking account.

Hey, wait a second!

[rodeodance]

6. Libby is trying to prove how hard he worked, all the info he dealt with on

a daily basis.

[DMCSpeed]

9. Dubya's going to pardon him.....

I don't see the point of wasting taxpayer funds prosecuting the asshole when all that's going to happen is he's going to get off the hook in the end.

[janx]

11. That is not all that is going to happen. n/t

[bilgewaterbill]

12. Ok! I'll bite....What else will happen? nt

[w4rma]

13. I don't see the point of wasting taxpayer funds *defending* the asshole

when all that's going to happen is he's going to get off the hook in the end.

[texpatriot2004]

10. Transparency = Democracy nm

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Nooooooooo! Every time you go behind closed doors, you give

Rove a chance to rewrite history!