June 16, 2007 12:00am
A JUDGE has refused to postpone the jail term of vice-president Dick Cheney's former top adviser, and has revealed he is receiving death threats.
District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton said he would not delay the start of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's 30-month jail term for perjury while he appeals.
Mr Cheney's ex-chief of staff has 10 days to challenge this. He could be jailed within eight weeks.
In March, Libby was found guilty of lying and obstructing an FBI investigation into who leaked the identity of CIA covert agent Valerie Plame. He was also fined $US250,000.
Other high-profile defendants have been allowed to stay free while appealing.
The decision to jail Libby, 56, while he pursues an appeal intensifies pressure on President George W. Bush to pardon him.
Judge Walton revealed he had been harassed after handing down Libby's tough sentence.
"I have received a number of angry, harassing, mean-spirited phone calls and messages, some wishing bad things on me and my family," he said.
"Those types of things will have no impact.
"I initially threw them away, but then there were more, some that were more hateful. They are being kept," he said.
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