Feds Emphasize Ex-CIA Agent’s Motive as Leak Trial Goes to Jury
Sterling was the only person, the government says, who had knowledge of the exposed mission, motive to damage the CIA’s reputation, and an existing relationship with James Risen, the journalist who published the classified information.
“Jeffrey Sterling, a disgruntled employee with an ax to grind, disclosed the government’s secrets to Risen, a reporter he knew well,” prosecutor Eric Olshan told the jury as he made his final presentation of the case.
Sterling is accused of illegally retaining classified documents about Classified Program No. 1, or “Operation Merlin,” when he ceased being the case officer attached to the program in 2000. Three years later, in the midst of a failing discrimination suit against the CIA, the government alleges that Sterling turned over those documents to Risen and helped him write a story about its objective of giving intentionally flawed nuclear fire set plans to Iran.
More: Courthouse News Service