Judy Changes Her Mind

by dj moonbat

(Cross-posted at Low and Left)

Apparently, if the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Atrios) is correct, Judy Miller has been sprung.

WASHINGTON - Judith Miller, The New York Times reporter who has been jailed since July 6 for refusing to identify a source, has been released, The Inquirer has learned.

Miller left an Alexandria, Va. jail late this afternoon, a jail official said.

She was released after she had a telephone conversation with the Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, sources said. In that conversation, Libby reaffirmed that he had released Miller from a promise of confidentiality more than a year ago, sources said.

I guess it's conceivable that she's on the loose without having agreed to testify, but it seems darned unlikely. Now, it's interesting--the New York Times has stridently disagreed with Patrick Fitzgerald's contention that a little more time in stir could convince Judy of the values of being a good citizen. (Again, thanks Atrios):

As of today, Judith Miller has spent more time behind bars to protect privileged information than any other New York Times journalist. Reporters from other news organizations have endured longer jail time in the same important cause over the years, but for us and we hope for others, it should be clear after 41 days in a Virginia jail that Ms. Miller is not going to change her mind. She appears unwavering in her mission to safeguard the freedom of the press to do its job effectively.

If she is not willing to testify after 41 days, then she is not willing to testify. It's time for the judge and the prosecutor to let Ms. Miller go.

If she's caved now, after three months, before even running out the clock on October, what could she possibly say to recover any measure of pride after all the tough talk? The first few months of cocktail parties are going to be humiliating.

UPDATE: Well, the Inquirer can congratulate themselves. They got it first, and got it right. AP is reporting her release as well.