Sealing indictments is not done without a good reason

[Jersey Devil]

I keep hearing that indictments issued today would be sealed until Fitz has a press conference tomorrow, but I have never heard of any prosecutor sealing an indictment just so that he could have a press conference at a later date.

Indictments are generally sealed by order of a federal magistrate to whom the indictment is returned. They cannot be sealed by a prosecutor alone. It is usually done to keep the charges secret while a defendant is brought into custody so that he doesn't flee when tipped off publicly of the charges or to protect an ongoing investigation in which the prosecutor is seeking additional charges from the Grand Jury or a superceding indictment.

But it would never be done just to make a press conference more convenient.

If the indictments are indeed sealed we will hear nothing today about them and I seriously doubt Fitz will have a press conference tomorrow despite the media reports. If they are sealed I think what we may hear is that he has gone before a judge to ask for an extension of the grand jury term which expires Friday.

Why? In the past few weeks there have been reports that he has been looking into the forged Niger documents. He also may have tripped over crimes involving those documents, plus other WMD falsifications, in his investigations of the Iraq Group meetings, to which he obviously has had access.

[sasquatch]

1. FROG MARCH, FROG MARCH, FROG MARCH, FROG MARCH!!

:bounce:

[Junkdrawer]

3. We might just get one. And if it's Treason, would he get bail?

:shrug:

[sasquatch]

7. Hopefully they're held without bail

[bmcatt]

8. Who helps the frogs?

This is probably a silly-ish question, but... If there are any sort of frog-marches, who does the marching? FBI? US Marshals?

[sasquatch]

9. The arrestee does the marching

[bmcatt]

11. Yes, but who's holding their arms?

(which I thought was the obvious point of my question...)

[sasquatch]

14. I think it will be the FBI

[Horse with no Name]

17. Federal Marshalls

:)

[electropop]

2. Fine with me if he wants an extension.

He's operating in a target-rich environment. The longer he looks, the more crimes and criminals he will find. I might even be OK with Fitzmas in July.

[Sagan]

5. That's my opinion as well..

These guys are so corrupt, that it's just a matter of when to stop looking, not how much will be found. There's PLENTY to find.

[kurth]

10. 6-month extension is his for the asking

I agree about sealed indictments. They're commonly used in organized crime and espionage cases (and on crappy outfits like Enron). I just don't see a need for sealed indictments against Libby and Rove.

[lasttrip]

4. keep on going..

someone has to do the job congress was elected to do.

[spindrifter]

6. If they are sealed, then

I agree with you that the most likely scenario is that he is requesting an extension. There is no real likelihood that these people would flee before receiving their charging documents. An extension is far better than requesting a second GJ.
This would really press the administration and I could see Them starting some pretty ugly spin regarding the process.

[Arkana]

12. "Mr. Rove, turn around and place your hands on your car.

You're under arrest for treason, perjury, and destruction of government property."

[WA98296]

13. Extension wouldn't surprise me, it true that FBI agents out again today.

He's really making them sweat.

[wishlist]

15. Excellent post- I agree with your conclusions

If indictments are sealed I believe that will indicate the seriousness of the charges and that there may be even more serious charges possible from further investigation, probably involving Bush and Cheney.

[Tennessee Gal]

16. The longer it goes, the better for us and the 2006 elections.

Keep that in mind.

[Jersey Devil]

18. I agree. Just pointing out that it is not just a matter of whim

to seal indictments. There has to be a reason and it has to be by court order, not for scheduling press conferences.

[Tennessee Gal]

22. Yes, you are right.

I have been reading a few things on sealed indictments and I think that would be a good sign that Fitz believes he is on to something that really reeks. With the integrity he appears to possess, he would not be likely to stop now. So, sealed indictments would be a good thing if it leads to investigating evidence of even bigger crimes.

[BanzaiBonnie]

19. Questioning Plame's neighbors whether they knew she was CIA...

sure makes it look like there's going to be more than perjury and obstruction of justice charges. If what they are checking on is the claim that "everyone knew" or "it was an open secret" that Plame was CIA it would seem to follow that there will actually be a charge of treason for outing a CIA agent.


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Yeah!!!!!!!!! I hope all their hides are nailed to the wall.}(

[Lex]

20. Do we even know *who* is indicted if it's sealed?

[Jersey Devil]

21. No - neither names nor charges or even the fact of indictments is revealed

If there are sealed indictments the prosecutor can say nothing whatsoever to even acknowledge that they exist while they are sealed.

[Tennessee Gal]

23. Don't you think it would be leaked by those indicted?

Surely there would be signs. And how long would it be until they are brought to trial?

[Jersey Devil]

25. Those indicted wouldn't be informed either if they are sealed

They are not given the indictments or told about them either until they are unsealed.

[Tennessee Gal]

27. So, when are they unsealed?

????

[Jersey Devil]

29. They are unsealed only by court order

when the prosecutor tells the court he is done with his investigation and that there is no longer a reason for keeping the indictments secret.

[KoKo]

24. So you are saying if Indictments are sealed then we won't know who

has been indicted. If he extends the GJ we will all have to wait maybe another 6 months or a year?
:shrug:

[Jersey Devil]

26. That is correct - 'sealed' means totally secret

No one can talk about them, no one is given the indictments and they remain under lock and key in a vault.

[kentuck]

28. Good point...

Recommend