Assange: "significant tactical victory"
"If this is victory, then our hands are too small to hold it."
David Coombs, lawyer of the now-imprisoned Bradley Manning, has told a press conference that he plans to register for a presidential appeal of his client's 35-year sentence next week and will be asking for a reprieve or a reduction in his prison term. "When I heard the sentence '35 years ' I think to myself, I've represented …
"Because of credit for time served and military parole rules, Manning could be out of prison in as little as seven years, his lawyer said. The lawyer also said that he would seek a presidential pardon, casting the punishment as a disturbing example of the Obama administration’s crackdown on whistle-blowers."
Just me but if you are seeking a pardon you might want to go about it another way
Obama is pretty dumb but he knows better than to pardon Manning after he has endangered the U.S. and it's military personnel - who protect Obama. It would be suicide for Obama to do something that foolish. Manning might see his sentence increased to 90 years on appeal. That would set his head a spinning.
Manning and his lawyer haven't got a snowball chance in Hell of a presidential pardon. There is probably less than 1% of people in the U.S. that think what Manning did was right. That leaves roughly 90% who think Manning is guilty of treason. The judicial system is in place to protect society from predators like Manning. There isn't any chance of a presidential pardon for him.
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Do you seriously think this would have happened if Manning had come before a jury of real people?
Given that the jury he would go before would be composed of military personnel, I believe he most likely would have been found guilty on all counts and would have gotten a much harsher sentence. One analysis I heard was that his lawyer chose to forgo trial by jury in favor of going before a judge alone because he had a much better chance of having his arguments taken into account. Also, he pleaded guilty to multiple counts, so it mostly became a question of sentencing for those. So yes, I think that once it arrived at trial, this or a more severe outcome was going to be (irrespective of your opinion of the "realness" of the people involved).
"There is probably less than 1% of people in the U.S. that think what Manning did was right. That leaves roughly 90% who think Manning is guilty of treason."
Really? 90%? I'd be surprised if more than 50% of people in the U.S. are even aware of who he is.
I'm assuming you mean that only the other 9% is blissfully unaware? It'd be an easy persuade though...
"Duuuh, whose Bradlay Maning?"
"He's un-american!"
"Yeehaw, hang 'im high!"
whether it was article author, Iain Thomsom, himself, who penned that witty (by Reg standards) «Ecuadorian broom closet» comment, or was it a Reg local editor, under the guidance of the journals «Executive Editor», that contributed this particular jewel. The Reg's unrelenting campaign against Mr Assange long ago passed its best-before date....
Henri
He was extremely lucky to have a military judge show some independence, in the face of government pressure. There is no way Obama is going to grant Manning a pardon. He'll do his 7-10 and hopefully a US military prison isn't too harsh.....
Manning now claims he's actually a woman named Chelsea (eh ?) and joined the army to cure himself of this 'affliction' (sic). There is even an alleged email to his CO about this.
His lawyer (make that HER) lawyer claims his situation is unrelated to the leaking of documents.
Draw your own conclusions.
I was in a housing unit as a Nevada prisoner that allegedly housed the 40 most dangerous prisoners in the State of Nevada. I was there for "verbal assault," but Jake Gallegos, the serial killer, was a few doors down for a time. He could be enlisted and serve in positions of trust such as those held by Manning and Snowden and could then be rewarded with private viewings of some of our great country's choicest murder videos. People of conscience shouldn't have to bear these pains, and we can do much better.