Judith Miller of The New York Times and Matthew Cooper of Time Magazine were both facing prison after a federal court of appeals ruled last week that there is no reporter privilege shielding them from revealing their sources in the case of Valerie Plame, the undercover C.I.A. agent whose identity was first disclosed by Robert Novak, the syndicated columnist. But they won a big one today.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who has been leading the effort to send reporters Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper to jail for refusing to reveal their sources in the Valerie Plame case, has agreed not to challenge the reporters' request to stay their sentences until the U.S. Supreme Court can take up the matter.

Editor & Publisher also reports that Cooper has changed lawyers, dumping First Amendment specialist Floyd Abrams (who continues representing Miller) and replacing him with the one-time Bush administration U.S. Solicitor General, Reagan-era Assistant Attorney General and longtime Clinton-basher Ted Olson. For Cooper's sake, we hope this illustrates the wisdom of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. —MG
 Deal Struck for Timing of Miller, Cooper Supreme Court Appeal [Editor & Publisher]
Earlier: Ted Olson Joins Floyd Abrams In Time-Times Case [New York Observer]