WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge dimissed a juror in the case against former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Monday, after one juror apparently saw or read something about the case over the weekend. U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton has ordered jurors to avoid contact with media coverage of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's trial.
He said Monday that one juror "may have been exposed to information related to this case outside the courtroom, and conceivably others may as a result of that been exposed."
Jurors occasionally saw some news coverage during the monthlong trial. Unlike those incidents, after which only one juror was questioned, Walton said each juror would be questioned behind closed doors.
The decision came as jurors began their fourth day of deliberations and raised the possibility of a mistrial if jurors had been prejudiced in the highly publicized and politically charged case.
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, is accused of lying and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Prosecutors say Libby concocted a story to avoid losing his job for disclosing classified information to reporters without authorization. Libby said he gave investigators his best recollection of what happened and any errors resulted from memory flaws.
Attorneys picked the jury of eight women and four men after asking them about their political views, their favorite television news shows and what newspapers they read.
Walton has two alternates—both women—that can fill in. The alternates, both women, sat through the trial and have been on standby since deliberations late began Wednesday morning.
