back to article Manning's lawyer plans presidential pardon campaign, says client will appeal

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 …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Chris Miller

    Assange: "significant tactical victory"

    "If this is victory, then our hands are too small to hold it."

  2. midcapwarrior

    "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

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Obama is dumb

    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.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Obama is dumb

      They endangered themselves by treating Afghans and Iraqi's like dirt, providing plenty of propaganda.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Re: Obama is dumb

      They endangered themselves by arranging military coups in Iran, Chile, etc, resulting in the deaths of thousands, providing plenty of propaganda.

  4. Frank N. Stein

    Really??

    A thousand more Bradly Mannings? I think not. Who is going to want to risk being charged and convicted for 135 years with espianage to be a Whistleblower now? At least not while remaining identifiable. Anonymously? Perhaps.

  5. Dennis Wilson
    Holmes

    Appeal.................

    So he is going to appeal to the guy who ordered the rigged trial......

    .............somehow I think I might know the rigged answer

    1. Intractable Potsherd

      Re: Appeal.................

      On the other hand, it could be cheap and easy good publicity for the man with the Nobel Peace Prize ...

  6. BornToWin

    I'll take odds on this

    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.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'll take odds on this

      > The judicial system is in place to protect society from predators like Manning.

      The Judicial system is also in place to protect individuals like Manning from the aspersions of a badly informed society.

      1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
        FAIL

        Re: I'll take odds on this

        Badly informed society? my ass

        From my experience of living and working in the US many just stick their heads in the sand and ignore anything that is not related to:-

        - Monday Night Football

        - Their School

        - Their Kids.

        - Where their next six-pack is coming from.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Where their next six-pack is coming from

          You do mean beer don't you?

          Otherwise, how many Merkans do you know with a six pack?

          1. Charles Manning

            Re: Where their next six-pack is coming from

            Well it is fizzy, hoppy liquid but it definitely isn't beer!

        2. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Intractable Potsherd

      Re: I'll take odds on this

      "The judicial system is in place to protect society from predators like Manning."

      Military justice, like military intelligence, is an oxymoron. Do you seriously think this would have happened if Manning had come before a jury of real people?

      1. The First Dave
        WTF?

        Re: I'll take odds on this

        @Intractable: Real people, or Average Americans? If the latter, then he would have got even longer.

      2. Robert Helpmann??
        Childcatcher

        Re: I'll take odds on this

        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).

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'll take odds on this

      "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!"

  7. mhenriday
    FAIL

    What I'd liked to know is

    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

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'd say Manning's lawyers are just a little bit optimistic

    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.....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'd say Manning's lawyers are just a little bit optimistic

      I can't see Fort Leavenworth as being the best place for someone like Bradley Manning, given his disposition.

      Lucky for him though that he met Julian Assange BEFORE he had managed to have his sex change.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Mr Assange is a tw@t. Plain and simple.

    anyone who takes the piss out of him is quite right to do so.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hot off the press...

    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.

    1. Charles Manning

      Re: Hot off the press...

      The only way this can get any more bizarre would be if Manning claims (s)he was hopelessly in love with Assange and was trying to impress Assange into bed.

  11. gkroog
    Black Helicopters

    If you spot your government doing something wrong/illegal...

    ...don't tell the people they're responsible to...that's illegal.

  12. raydpratt

    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.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like