[JURIST] Lawyers for former US vice-presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense website; JURIST news archive] asked a federal judge Thursday to delay Libby's prison sentence because they felt they have a good chance of winning an appeal of his conviction. Libby was found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice in March, and sentenced to 2 1/2- years in prison [JURIST reports] on Tuesday.

Defense lawyers filed papers with the court Thursday arguing that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald [official profile] did not have the authority to bring charges against Libby, and that they were wrongly barred from questioning NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell [MSNBC profile] about certain aspects of the Valerie Plame scandal [JURIST news archive]. Earlier this week, US District Judge Reggie B. Walton said there was no reason that Libby should not begin serving his sentence while his case is on appeal. AP has more.