(New York Times) David Johnston - A federal judge sentenced a former Defense Department analyst, Lawrence A. Franklin, 59, to more than 12 years in prison Friday after Franklin admitted passing classified military information to two pro-Israel lobbyists and an Israeli diplomat. Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Federal District Court in Alexandria, Va., said at the hearing that he believed Franklin was motivated by a desire to help the U.S., not to damage it. Franklin pleaded guilty to three felony counts for improperly retaining and disclosing classified information in exchange for his cooperation and the government's willingness to drop three other charges against him. He will not have to begin serving his sentence until after the completion of legal proceedings against two senior AIPAC lobbyists who are scheduled to go on trial in April. That could lead prosecutors to agree to seek a reduction in Franklin's sentence, a government official said.
2006-01-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive