Prosecutors in CIA leak case change course, no longer want New York Times reporter to testify
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After pushing for years to get testimony from a recalcitrant New York Times reporter in a CIA leak case, prosecutors now want to bar journalist James Risen from testifying at all.
Federal prosecutors in Alexandria filed a motion Monday saying that neither prosecutors nor the defense should be permitted to call Risen at the trial of ex-CIA man Jeffrey Sterling, whose jury trial begins Tuesday.
Prosecutors believe Sterling leaked details about a botched CIA operation in Iran to Risen. But prosecutors say that Risen has made clear he won't divulge his sources, so there's no point calling him.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Defense lawyers want to call Risen and believe some of his testimony would help their client.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an effort by Risen to avoid testifying.