Last chance for Libby to beat perjury charge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney will have a last chance to convince a jury he is not guilty of perjury on Tuesday as a trial that has exposed the inner workings of the White House draws to a close.

The first line is disturbing to me and should be to you. This should have been caught by an editor. Mr Libby does not have to prove that he is NOT guilty, the prosecutuor must that he IS guilty. I know your reporter has probably heard this phrase ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Please remind him of it before his next assignment.

Brian P.

Several readers wrote in to make this same point.

Paul Holmes, the Reuters editor for political and general news, says, ”Technically, the reader is right. However, the story accurately reflected what was going to happen in the courtroom. While I cannot of course speak for Mr. Libby, if I were on trial and appearing for the final time before the verdict, I sure would hope to convince the jury I was not guilty.”