Prosecution rests in Libby trial News
Prosecution rests in Libby trial

[JURIST] US Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald [official website] rested the prosecution's case Thursday in the trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense website; JURIST news archive]. As the prosecution's final witness, Tim Russert [official profile], Washington bureau chief for NBC News, testified Wednesday that he was unaware of former undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity until reading Robert D. Novak's July 14, 2003 column. Libby had told investigators that he first learned about Plame's identity from a telephone conversation on July 10 or 11 with Russert and not administration officials. Russert has said that Plame was never discussed in the conversation. The defense is expected to begin presenting their case Monday by calling journalists to testify, although the defense team has not indicated whether and when they still plan to call [JURIST report] Libby's former boss, Vice President Dick Cheney [official website] to take the stand.

Libby is charged with perjury and obstruction of justice [indictment, PDF; JURIST report] in connection with the investigation into the leak of Plame's identity [JURIST news archive]. Last Tuesday, former New York Times reporter Judith Miller testified [JURIST report; JURIST news archive] concerning conversations Libby had with Miller, during which he allegedly told her about his frustration with the CIA and revealed to her the identity of Valerie Wilson. On Monday, a federal district judge authorized public release of audio recordings [JURIST report] of the secret grand jury testimony after they were played at the trial. The New York Times has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.