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Bradley Manning Sentencing Arguments
by skip Tuesday, Aug 20 2013, 1:42pm
international / prose / post

Manning's defence calls for maximum 25 years incarceration -- with a defence like that who cares what the prosecution argued! Instead of demanding exoneration for Manning and calling for the guilty to be prosecuted (I know) defence lawyers sold Brad down the river -- what did people expect from a farcical trial in a partial, illegal court? An independent international court dealing with war crimes was the only hope for Manning and his defence should have insisted on it!

Manning and civilian victims seek Justice

Nevertheless, we pay tribute to Manning as one brave little poof, we only hope that he was fully cognisant of the price he would pay for his act of valour -- as it was clear from the outset that he would be railroaded and made an example of -- the prosecution confirmed as much by requesting a minimum of 60 years jail, why not make it a thousand, you stinking, mass murdering, criminal bastards?

Report from CommonDreams follows:

Govt: 'We Want to Make an Example Out of Bradley Manning'
by Sarah Lazare

US government prosecutors called Monday for the military courts to make an example out of Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning by ensuring that the 25 year old lives most of his life behind bars.

The defense slammed the push for excessive punishments aimed at preventing Manning from having a life.

"This court must send a message to those who release confidential information," prosecutor Army Capt. Joe Morrow declared to judge Col. Denise Lind who is overseeing the case, urging a stiff 60-year minimum sentence, as well as a dishonorable discharge from the Army and a $100,000 fine.

Manning "deserves to spend the majority of his remaining life in prison," Morrow insisted.

Nathan Fuller of the Bradley Manning Support Network told Common Dreams, "The prosecution insisted there has to be deterrence and we need to set an example out of Bradley Manning. They made it clear that anyone else thinking of releasing classified info should look at Manning. They want to go above and beyond what would be considered a reasonable sentence."

Manning's defense slammed the prosecutors' dehumanization of Manning, calling for a rehabilitation, rather than punishment-driven, approach to sentencing.

Manning's "biggest crime is that he cared about the loss of life," declared defense lawyer David Coombs in court, urging no more than 25 years for the defendant.

Speaking after court, Coombs declared, "Our elected leaders don't want us to question national security." [Who cares what 'they' want -- you're supposed to be lawyer!]

Manning—who was convicted guilty in late July of 20 counts including committing federal computer fraud and violating the espionage act—could face up to 90 years in jail, in addition to the over 900 days he has already served, which included solitary confinement.

Lind announced that she would begin considering Manning's sentence Tuesday morning.

"60 years would be horrific," Fuller told Common Dreams. "On a personal level, it would be horrific for Bradley Manning."

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Brad Manning, Hero

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/08/19-5