Former chief of staff and national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney Lewis Libby (R) arrives at the Federal Court in Washington, D.C., November 3, 2005. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)
Thu Nov 3, 2005 - 11:31 AM ET
By Adam Entous and James Vicini
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney's former aide, Lewis Libby, pleaded innocent on Thursday to charges stemming from the CIA leak probe, setting the stage for a politically damaging trial that could put a spotlight on the White House's use of prewar intelligence on Iraq.
"With respect, your honor, I plead not guilty," Libby told federal Judge Reggie Walton after being asked what plea he would enter to the charges during a 10-minute arraignment.
Walton, who did not schedule a trial date, set the next hearing in the case for a full status hearing on February 3.
Cheney and other top White House officials could be called to testify at a trial and Libby faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
Libby resigned last week as Cheney's longtime chief of staff after he was indicted on five counts of obstructing justice, perjury and lying in the two-year investigation into the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Plame's identity was leaked to the media in July 2003 after her diplomat husband, Joseph Wilson, accused the Bush administration of twisting intelligence on weapons of mass destruction to justify the war in Iraq.
Before any trial, Libby could still try to cut a deal with special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald on lesser charges, lawyers involved in the case said.
President George W. Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, was not indicted on Friday along with Libby. But lawyers involved in the case said Rove remained under investigation and may still be charged in the case. Fitzgerald is expected to inform Rove of his decision in coming weeks.
Libby's indictment was a damaging blow to the White House, which was already reeling from the mounting U.S. death toll in the Iraq war, the bungled response to Hurricane Katrina and the withdrawal of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers under fire from Bush's conservative power base.
PROMINENT LAWYER
Hours before his arraignment, Libby brought in prominent criminal defense lawyer Theodore Wells, according to court documents.
Wells, who is known for his trial work, has defended former Agriculture Secretary Michael Espy, former Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan, former Sen. Robert Torricelli and financier Michael Milken.
Libby also brought in Washington lawyer William Jeffress, who is also known for white-collar criminal defense work.
Libby walked into the courthouse near the U.S. Capitol using crutches because of a foot injury. His wife whispered in his ear and gave him a light pat on the bottom before Libby took his chair and the judge entered the courtroom.
After the hearing, Libby was taken for processing, a procedure in which defendants typically are fingerprinted and have their photograph taken, a courthouse source said.
Fitzgerald estimated that it would take his team of prosecutors about two weeks to present its case at trial.
Before any trial, Jeffress told the judge that there "may be protracted litigation" about classified information and First Amendment issues. He did not elaborate.
After the hearing, Jeffress declined to say how long a trial might take. "It's too early to say," he told reporters. "I'm not worried about anything at this point."
Wells added, with a touch of irony in his voice in commenting on the estimate by Fitzgerald, "Two week trial.
OK."
Libby waived his right to a speedy trial, and Wells during the hearing called it a "complex case." He said the earliest the defense team would get clearance for classified material will be in 60 days, and then they will start to go through a "significant volume of documents."
The judge said he wanted the case resolved as expeditiously as possible.
© Reuters 2005