Guilty plea key to deal, Starr reportedly says

WASHINGTON -- Lawyers for Monica Lewinsky have been told that she must agree to plead guilty to some offense to reach an agreement with Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel who is investigating her relationship with President Clinton, said a person with knowledge of the investigation.

Lewinsky's new legal team is pressing Starr to grant her full immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony, in which the former White House intern would acknowledge a sexual relationship with the president, said the person, who insisted on anonymity.

But in early talks with her lawyers, the person said, Starr has said that he would end the criminal investigation of Lewinsky only if she would agree to a guilty plea. It was unclear whether she would be required to plead guilty to a misdemeanor or felony or what punishment might be imposed as a result.

Details about the negotiations between Starr and Lewinsky's new legal team, Plato Cacheris and Jacob Stein, were first reported yesterday in the Washington Post.

Pub Date: 6/21/98