Libby guilty on 4 of 5 counts in CIA leak trial

Story Highlights

. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby faces maximum sentence of 25 years, $1 million 
fine
. Libby attorney says he will seek a new trial or appeal the verdict if 
motion denied
. A spokeswoman for President Bush says he's saddened by the verdict
. Vice President Dick Cheney's ex-aide convicted of lying in outing of CIA 
operative

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After deliberating 10 days, a federal jury Tuesday found 
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, guilty 
on four of five counts in his perjury and obstruction of justice trial.

Libby was convicted of:


  a.. obstruction of justice when he intentionally deceived a grand jury 
investigating the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame;

  b.. making a false statement by intentionally lying to FBI agents about a 
conversation with NBC newsman Tim Russert;

  c.. perjury when he lied in court about his conversation with Russert;

  d.. a second count of perjury when he lied in court about conversations 
with other reporters.
  Jurors cleared Libby of a second count of making a false statement 
relating to a conversation he had with writer Matt Cooper, formerly of Time 
magazine.

  Libby, 56, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 
million. A hearing on a presentencing report is scheduled for June 5.

  CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said, "He is virtually certain to go to 
prison if this conviction is upheld."

  A 2003 federal investigation looked into the leaking of Plame's CIA 
identity to journalists. Libby was not accused of exposing Plame.

  Prosecutors contended Libby disclosed Plame's covert profession to 
reporters as part of a plan to discredit her husband, Joseph Wilson, a 
former ambassador who alleged in a July 2003 New York Times editorial that 
the Bush administration twisted some intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq 
war.

  After the verdict was read Tuesday, Libby was fingerprinted and released 
on his own recognizance.

  Ted Wells, Libby's defense attorney, said he will file a motion for a new 
trial, or appeal the conviction if that motion is denied.

  "We intend to keep fighting to establish his innocence," Wells said 
outside the federal courthouse. (Watch Wells' statement outside the 
courthouse)

  As he walked into the courtroom to hear the verdict, Libby was calm and 
smiling. "There was almost a swagger," CNN's Brianna Keilar reported.

  As the verdicts were read, Libby blinked and "it seemed as if he was 
somewhat surprised," Keilar reported.

  As court concluded Tuesday, Libby's wife, Harriet Grant, hugged every 
member of the defense team. She was teary-eyed as she kissed Wells on the 
cheek. (Watch an account of reactions of Libby and his wife)

  The White House issued a statement that President Bush watched the verdict 
and was saddened for Libby and his wife.

  Libby, Cheney's former chief of staff and national security adviser, 
resigned in 2005 after the grand jury indicted him.

  "It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official, a person 
who worked in the office of vice president, obstructed justice and lied 
under oath, and we wish that had not happened but it did," special 
prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said.

  No further charges are expected in the case, Fitzgerald said, and no 
further investigation was planned.

  "We're all going back to our day jobs," Fitzgerald said outside the 
courthouse. "If the information comes to light, or new information comes to 
us that would warrant us taking some action, we will do that."

  A statement from attorneys representing Plame and Wilson said the couple 
was pleased by the verdict and believed justice had been served.

  But the Wilsons said they would continue to pursue a civil case against 
Cheney, Libby, Bush political adviser Karl Rove and former Deputy Secretary 
of State Richard Armitage.

  "The criminal trial was about whether or not Mr. Libby obstructed justice 
and committed perjury by lying to FBI agents and the grand jury about the 
fact that he had disclosed to reporters that Valerie Wilson worked for the 
CIA.

  "The civil suit, on the other hand, hinges on whether or not the 
defendants violated the constitutional rights of Valerie and Joe Wilson by 
making those disclosures in a concerted effort to retaliate against Joe 
Wilson for revealing the falsity of the president's rationale for the Iraq 
war," the statement said.

  One juror, Denis Collins, said, "There was a tremendous amount of sympathy 
for Mr. Libby on the jury.

  "It was said, 'Where's Rove, where are these other guys?'

  "We're not saying that we didn't think Mr. Libby was guilty of the things 
we found him guilty of. It seemed like he was the fall guy," Collins said.

  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he welcomed the jury's 
verdict and called on Bush not to pardon Libby if the conviction stands.

  "It's about time someone in the Bush administration has been held 
accountable for the campaign to manipulate intelligence and discredit war 
critics," Reid said.

  "Lewis Libby has been convicted of perjury, but his trial revealed deeper 
truths about Vice President Cheney's role in this sordid affair. Now 
President Bush must pledge not to pardon Libby for his criminal conduct."

  The jury ended up with 11 members -- seven women and four men. A week ago, 
one of the jurors revealed that she had obtained outside information that 
prompted the judge to disqualify her.

  The defense said it would accept 11 jurors to avoid having to start 
deliberations over with an alternate. The prosecution objected, but U.S. 
District Judge Reggie B. Walton overruled, and the panel continued with one 
chair empty.

  During the trial, the defense contended Libby suffered from a poor memory. 
His attorneys tried to show his overwhelming White House workload, including 
urgent national security matters, could have caused discrepancies in what he 
told investigators.

  Libby initially told investigators he learned about Plame from NBC's 
Russert. He later said he got the information from Cheney a month before the 
telephone conversation with Russert but forgot about it.

  Russert said they didn't discuss Plame in their conversation.

  CNN's Kevin Bohn and Paul Courson contributed to this report.


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