Judge: Reporters Must Give Libby Documents

Judge: Reporters Must Give Libby Documents

By TONI LOCY
The Associated Press
Friday, May 26, 2006; 1:57 PM

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge on Friday ordered Time magazine to turn over documents for a former White House aide to use in his defense to perjury and other charges in the CIA leak case.

The order by U.S. District Reggie B. Walton also said the New York Times might have to turn over some information but reduced the scope of documents the newspaper and other news organizations would have to provide to lawyers for the defendant, former top vice presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.



This image provided by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia shows a New York Time op-ed page with notes supposedly written by Vice President Dick Cheney which was filed by Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in pre-trail proceedings in the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby CIA leak case. (AP Photo/U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) (AP)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/26/AR2006052600981.html

Judge Reggie B. Walton's Order
United States of America v. I. Lewis Libby May 26, 2006

Citing a lack of relevancy, Walton said that Judith Miller, a former Times reporter, doesn't have to provide two notebooks, her phone records or appointment calendars to lawyers for Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff.

Walton also said NBC News does not have to provide Libby's defense team with one page of undated notes taken by correspondent Andrea Mitchell because she is unlikely to testify at Libby's perjury trial, which is set for January.

In granting in part and denying in part Libby's subpoenas for the media's records, Walton ruled that reporters do not have a right to refuse to provide notes, drafts of articles or other information in a criminal case.