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WAPO : Scooter Libby Opening Day Live-Chat

By Jeralyn, Section Lewis Libby Trial Coverage
Posted on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 01:10:00 AM EST
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Jury selection in the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby begins Tuesday.

I will be doing a live chat at 2:00 pm ET for the Washington Post. It will focus on the key players, the charges, the likely defense, the jurors each side will look for, and the probable key witnesses for each side.

I hope you'll join me. You can begin submitting questions now on these or other related issues at this link.

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    WAPO : Scooter Libby Opening Day Live-Chat | 7 comments (7 topical)

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    just be careful (none / 0) (#1)
    by scribe on Fri Jan 12, 2007 at 04:54:17 PM EST
    they don't do to you like they did to Firedoglake early last year.  The WaPo used their moderation of the "live" "chat" to try to make FDL (I think it was Jane H.) look really silly and out of touch.  

    I'm not worried (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Jan 12, 2007 at 04:58:40 PM EST
    I've done several live-chats for them before on high profile trials and nothing of the sort has happened.  I'm doing a legal analysis not political commentary.

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    Could the VP be declared a hostile witness? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Bill Arnett on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 12:24:05 PM EST


    The defense is calling Cheney (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 12:38:40 PM EST
    Libby is calling Cheney because he is expected to back Libby up that Libby was preoccupied with other matters. Fitzerald will have the chance to cross him.  A hostile witness is one whom a party calls on direct examination and therefore it doesn't apply.

    Parent
    Thank you. (none / 0) (#5)
    by Bill Arnett on Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 12:43:13 PM EST


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    re Fitz doing background checks on jurors (none / 0) (#6)
    by scribe on Tue Jan 16, 2007 at 03:11:13 PM EST
    I noted in the chat that one of the questions was re Fitz having criminal background checks done on the prospective jurors.  
    Similarly, the question came up in the discussion/liveblog over at FDL.  Apparently, this was one of the things the judge discussed (though I could be wrong on that).

    The response was that, because the appeal in the U.S. v. (fmr Illinois Gov.) Ryan, case, which Fitz tried recently, involves allegations of juror impropriety deriving from a couple of them having criminal records/issues of their own, Fitz is looking to forestall any such problems arising in the Scooter case be getting that out of the way at the beginning.

    That's true, but (none / 0) (#7)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Jan 16, 2007 at 05:16:59 PM EST
    that wasn't the question asked. Fitz asking for background checks was mentioned as a statement in the question, but the question asked was:

    ....is it impermissible to serve on a federal jury if a person has been arrested for a misdemeanor at some point in life? Seems a bit biased to believe that anyone who has ever been arrested is unfit for jury duty.

    So I answered the question literally, sticking to felony convictions and arrests.

    Jeralyn Merritt: Being arrested for a misdemeanor does not disqualify a person for jury service. A felony conviction does.

    The reason for probing these matters is to test the person's attitudes and beliefs towards the criminal justice system. Do they believe they were treated fairly, would they use anything from that experience against one side or the other.

    But again, Fitz did file a motion for background checks based on Ryan trial.    


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    WAPO : Scooter Libby Opening Day Live-Chat | 7 comments (7 topical)

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