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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Jail sentence for ex-Cheney aide | Jail sentence for ex-Cheney aide |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A US judge has sentenced former key White House official Lewis Libby to 30 months in prison. | A US judge has sentenced former key White House official Lewis Libby to 30 months in prison. |
| Libby was found guilty of obstruction of justice and perjury in March over the investigation into the unmasking of CIA officer Valerie Plame. | Libby was found guilty of obstruction of justice and perjury in March over the investigation into the unmasking of CIA officer Valerie Plame. |
| Libby was the former chief of staff to Vice-President Dick Cheney. | Libby was the former chief of staff to Vice-President Dick Cheney. |
| Nobody has ever been charged with the offence of leaking the name of Valerie Plame, whose husband had criticised the war in Iraq. | Nobody has ever been charged with the offence of leaking the name of Valerie Plame, whose husband had criticised the war in Iraq. |
| US District Judge Reggie B Walton said the evidence overwhelmingly proved Mr Libby's guilt. | US District Judge Reggie B Walton said the evidence overwhelmingly proved Mr Libby's guilt. |
| "People who occupy these types of positions, where they have the welfare and security of [the] nation in their hands, have a special obligation to not do anything that might create a problem," Judge Walton said in delivering the sentence. | "People who occupy these types of positions, where they have the welfare and security of [the] nation in their hands, have a special obligation to not do anything that might create a problem," Judge Walton said in delivering the sentence. |
| Mr Libby is appealing the verdict. | Mr Libby is appealing the verdict. |
| It is not immediately clear if he will go to jail before the appeal process is finished. | It is not immediately clear if he will go to jail before the appeal process is finished. |
| There is also speculation that Mr Bush might pardon Mr Libby rather than have him go to prison. | There is also speculation that Mr Bush might pardon Mr Libby rather than have him go to prison. |
| Mr Libby is the highest-ranking government official to be convicted of a crime since the Iran-Contra affair of the 1980s. | |
| "It is respectfully my hope that the court will consider, along with the jury verdict, my whole life," Mr Libby said in brief remarks to the judge. | |
| Although Mr Libby had faced a maximum of 25 years in prison, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had asked for a three year sentence. |