In early August 1951, Bierut had his main rival Gomułka and his wife arrested. Imprisoned Gomułka, however, refused to cooperate with his accusers and displayed remarkable ability to defend himself, while Bierut's people bungled the prosecution. According to Edward Ochab, though, Stalin and Beria ordered the arrest and trial of Gomułka, while Bierut and Jakub Berman tried to protect him and caused delays in the proceedings. Informal political reforms, slow to take hold after Stalin's death, eventually materialized and in December 1954 Gomułka was released.