Hanssen's Early Start

The federal government contends that accused FBI spy Robert P. Hanssen spied for Russia for 15 years, beginning in 1985, but CBS News has learned that he actually started the spying at least six years earlier, in 1979.

According to a source close to the family, reports CBS News Correspondent Lesley Stahl, he was forced to tell his wife Bonnie at that time, because she was suspicious and confronted him. After that, according to another source, Hanssen confessed his espionage to a priest affiliated with the conservative Roman Catholic Opus Dei order, and then donated money he had been paid by the Soviets — more than $10,000 — to Mother Teresa.

Hanssen then stopped spying for six years.

When he resumed, he didn't tell his wife, but did continue to confess to Opus Dei priests throughout the '80s and '90s — that according to a psychiatrist hired by Hanssen's defense team to evaluate his mental condition.

Dr. Alen Salerian, who has since been fired, told CBS News that Hanssen was tormented by psychological demons, and suffers from what he calls a "factor x" — a a grave "psychological wound" that may explain why a deeply religious family man would sellout his country.

Citing patient confidentiality, Salerian refused to describe the exact nature of "factor x," but he said that Hanssen supports his speaking to CBS News.

In more legal wrangling in the case, prosecutors and attorneys for Hanssen are nearing a deal in which the ex-FBI agent will reveal his secrets and the Justice Department won't seek to put Hanssen to death.

The informal agreement, which would mean life imprisonment for him, depends on the government being satisfied he is cooperating with its inquiries, two people familiar with the negtiations said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Prosecutors say Hanssen's actions led to the death of two double agents.

Hanssen's lawyer declined to comment Friday on the deal, as did the Justice Department.

Last month, Cacheris said he had reached an impasse with prosecutors over a plea bargain because the government refused to waive the death penalty in exchange for his client's cooperation. Hanssen pleaded innocent to all charges last month.

Fourteen of the charges against Hanssen are punishable by death.

Hanssen has been detained at an undisclosed location since his arrest Feb. 18 at a Virginia park as he delivered a package that law enforcers say was to be picked up by his Russian handlers.

The Justice Department has usually decided to forgo a full trial in spy cases because going to trial raises the prospect of prosecutors having to reveal in open court sensitive information about U.S. counterintelligence activities. For instance, Hanssen is accused of disclosing how the United States was intercepting Soviet satellite transmissions and the means by which the United States would retaliate against a nuclear attack.

Most modern espionage cases have ended with deals in which the defendants agree to plead guilty and tell the government about their activities in exchange for lesser sentences.

Randy Bellows, assistant U.S. attorney and a lead prosecutor in the case, has said he would submit motions for dealing with classified information under the Classified Information Procedures Act, a law which provides a mechanism for courts to determine what classified information can be used as evidence.

The government and Hanssen's attorneys have agreed to an Oct. 29 date for a jury trial and plan to submit a joint request for a proposed schedule of pretrial filings and discovery.

A plea bargain would avert that.

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