A tainted juror in the Libby trial

Judge, lawyers meet to consider the way forward.

Published February 26, 2007 3:22PM (EST)

Between all the Anna Nicole Smith blather, the Oscar obsessing and a good bad weather story, we're not sure we could have caught any news of the Scooter Libby trial over the weekend if we'd tried. But someone who wasn't supposed to be trying has apparently seen something that he or she shouldn't have, and now Judge Reggie Walton and the lawyers are trying to decide how to proceed with at least one juror tainted by media coverage of the trial.

A mistrial is at least a possibility, but there are less drastic measures to take, too. We'll report back when we learn more.

Update: Walton has just dismissed the tainted juror and directed the remaining 11 jurors to continue deliberations where they left off last week. Although Walton has alternate jurors available, appointing one would have required the jury to begin deliberations anew -- a step neither Walton nor Libby's lawyers wanted to take.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

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