Week Ends With No Verdict In Libby Trial

Jurors completed a shortened, eighth day of deliberations Friday without a verdict in the perjury trial of ex-White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

They resume work on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton granted their request to leave three hours early Friday to attend to personal, professional and medical obligations.

The seven women and four men got the case near midday on Feb. 22. They normally work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but on three of the eight days they've had the case, court or personal business have shortened their deliberation time by several hours.

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, is accused of obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI and a grand jury about how learned and whom he told the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, wife of prominent Iraq war critic Joseph Wilson.

Jurors have asked only one substantive question — involving Libby's discussions with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper — but resolved it themselves before the judge could answer.

The more time that goes by, the higher the risk a juror will be exposed to some media report about this trial. Last weekend, a juror improperly viewed information and had to be dismissed. The judge chose to keep deliberations going with a panel of 11.

If it happens again, CBS News correspondent Barry Bagnato reports it's likely an alternate or two would have to be called in, and deliberations would have to start from scratch, wasting days of work.

Libby faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of all five charges, but would surely get far less time under federal sentencing guidelines.