Trial delayed for former CIA officer accused of leaking secrets

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Source: cnn

Washington (CNN) -- The trial for a former CIA officer charged with leaking classified defense information has been delayed just as jury selection was set to begin on Monday.

Jeffrey Sterling was charged in January with 10 felony counts, including unauthorized disclosure of national defense information, mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Sterling has pleaded not guilty.

Opening arguments were expected to begin this week in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, after jury selection, but the trial was postponed on Monday after prosecutors said they intended to appeal the judge's decision to strike two witnesses, according to Peter Carr, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia. No date has been set for the trial pending a ruling from the appeals court, which could take several months once an appeal is filed.

Sterling worked for the CIA from 1993 to 2002, when he was fired, the Justice Department said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/17/us/cia-officer-trial/index.html