Protesters march during a rally in support of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning outside Fort Meade, Md., on Saturday. Manning, who is scheduled to face a court-martial beginning Monday, is accused of sending hundreds of thousands of classified records to WikiLeaks while working as an intelligence analyst in Baghdad. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption
Protesters march during a rally in support of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning outside Fort Meade, Md., on Saturday. Manning, who is scheduled to face a court-martial beginning Monday, is accused of sending hundreds of thousands of classified records to WikiLeaks while working as an intelligence analyst in Baghdad.
In the three years since his arrest, Bradley Manning, the slight Army private first class with close-cropped blond hair and thick military glasses, has become less of a character than a cause.
"Bradley Manning is a very polarizing figure. People either think that he is a hero or they think he's a traitor," says Elizabeth Goitein, who co-directs the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice. "I actually think that he's somewhere in between."
Manning is accused of one of the biggest leaks of classified information in history. Prosecutors say he downloaded thousands of diplomatic cables and war field reports and sent them to the website WikiLeaks.
Goitein will follow Manning's trial, which begins Monday at a military base in Maryland, for what it says about the government's system for handling secret material.
"I think this case really does illustrate one of the harms of overclassification, which is that when people, day in and day out, who are working with classified information see that there are so many documents that are completely innocuous that are classified, they lose respect for the system," she says.
Manning's supporters say he deserves an award for blowing the whistle on war crimes, civilian casualties and torture. Instead, they say, he was abused by the U.S. military, which held him in solitary confinement for months in a brig in Virginia.
Defense lawyer David Coombs made rare public remarks at a rally last year.
"Brad's treatment at Quantico will forever be etched, I believe, in our nation's history as a disgraceful moment in time," he said.
Bradley Manning is a very polarizing figure. People either think that he is a hero or they think he's a traitor. I actually think that he's somewhere in between.
Elizabeth Goitein, Brennan Center for Justice
Manning has already agreed to plead guilty to 10 lesser criminal charges, but not the most serious offenses including violations of the Espionage Act and aiding the enemy, which carries a possible life sentence.
The government will need to prove Manning had reason to believe the leaks would hurt national security. But Manning is expected to argue that he had no intent to harm anyone.
The case is already one of the longest and most complex in military history, says Eugene Fidell, who teaches military law at Yale.
"The unanswered question is why this train has run so badly off the tracks," he says.
Fidell says the military justice system is supposed to prize speed and efficiency, but the drift in the Manning prosecution and other failings undermine public confidence.
"It's unfolding at a time that may be a tipping point for the military justice system generally," he says. "And what I'm talking about specifically is the widespread consternation and dismay about how the military justice system deals with an entirely unrelated type of criminality, which is sexual assault."
The judge in the Manning case has ruled that some witnesses will testify behind closed doors. The case already has a rap for excessive secrecy, since many court filings have been impossible to view for reporters and Manning's vocal supporters.
One of them is Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights, who spoke about his frustration at that rally last year.
"It's hard to hear sometimes. You get no access to any of the court documents, none of the court orders, none of the motions filed nothing," he said. "And I'm a lawyer, and I sit in that courtroom and it seems like a completely secret proceeding to me."
The trial is expected to last 12 weeks.
Read more from the original source:
Intent To Harm At Center Of Bradley Manning's Trial : NPR
- The Bradley Manning Trial: A Short(ish) Guide To Understanding ... - NPR - May 3rd, 2023
- Bradley Manning: the angry young man who turned whistleblower - March 31st, 2023
- Bradley Manning timeline | Chelsea Manning | The Guardian - March 31st, 2023
- Bradley Manning Sentenced to 35 Years for WikiLeaks - January 6th, 2023
- A Plan to Let Soldiers Interact with the Army Cloud Using Their Own Devices Got a Bit Clouded - Forbes - September 13th, 2022
- Jarren Duran moved to right field with Jackie Bradley Jr. in center as Boston Red Sox look to avoid sweep Thu - MassLive.com - July 18th, 2022
- Explained: Julian Assange extradition order and charges against the Wikileaks founder - The Indian Express - April 28th, 2022
- Culture of impunity - The News International - November 19th, 2021
- Punishing the conscientious - The News International - July 30th, 2021
- Assange has until 29 March to respond to US appeal over extradition - iTWire - February 21st, 2021
- Chelsea Manning's mother, 65, drowned in bath while heavily intoxicated with alcohol, inquest hears - MEAWW - December 24th, 2020
- University of Iowa Health Care reduces hospitalizations through 'virtual hospital' model - kwwl.com - November 26th, 2020
- Forgotten lessons on the evil of intervention - newagebd.net - November 26th, 2020
- The Korean War's Forgotten Lessons on the Evil of Intervention - Consortium News - November 20th, 2020
- Pentagon counterspy report shows threats growing - Washington Times - November 19th, 2020
- The Korean War's Forgotten Lessons on the Evil of Intervention - CounterPunch - November 18th, 2020
- Obama Commutes Bradley (Chelsea) Manning & Oscar Lopez ... - August 1st, 2020
- Pte Bradley Manning The Celtic League - July 27th, 2020
- WikiLeaks published 75,000 classified US military documents on the Afghanistan War 10 years ago - American Military News - July 25th, 2020
- Accused Whistleblower Bradley Manning Begins Court ... - July 24th, 2020
- Manning calls for dismissal of charges against him - The Hindu - July 24th, 2020
- NEW: Judge Orders Chelsea (Bradley) Manning to be Released ... - July 21st, 2020
- The Judicial Lynching of Bradley Manning - Global ... - July 21st, 2020
- Bradley Manning lawyer says case 'mishandled' as hearings ... - July 21st, 2020
- Interview - Brian Manning | WikiSecrets | FRONTLINE | PBS - July 21st, 2020
- University of Iowa doctors monitor and help COVID-19 patients remotely - UI The Daily Iowan - June 30th, 2020
- The Korean War Atrocities No One Wants to Talk About - The American Conservative - June 30th, 2020
- Julian Assange fathered two children while hiding in Ecuadoran Embassy, alleged partner claims in video - Seattle Times - April 13th, 2020
- University of Iowa Health Care debuts 'virtual hospital' for COVID-19 patients - The Gazette - April 10th, 2020
- On 10th Anniversary of 'Collateral Murder' Release: The US Soldier Who Sought to Save Iraqi Children - Consortium News - April 10th, 2020
- Headlong and Century Films Partner With BBC Arts On UNPRECEDENTED: REAL TIME THEATRE FROM A STATE OF ISOLATION - Broadway World - April 10th, 2020
- Remember That Time John Terry Won an Oscar? The Inevitable Ellen Selfie Meme Onslaught Begins - Infosurhoy - March 31st, 2020
- During time of crisis, Rafi's reaches out to the community - Olean Times Herald - March 19th, 2020
- Assange tried to call White House, Hillary Clinton over data dump, his lawyer says - WTVB News - March 3rd, 2020
- Factbox: News and Quotes From Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing - The New York Times - March 2nd, 2020
- Julian Assange, The Glass Cage And Heaven In A Rage: Day Four Of Extradition Hearings OpEd - Eurasia Review - February 27th, 2020
- UK court told Assange tried to call White House, Hillary Clinton over data dump - Reuters - February 25th, 2020
- What is happening to Assange will happen to the rest of us - Salon - February 16th, 2020
- West: Bergdahl, Manning, Vindmanthe Progressive Left's Heroes - MRCTV - February 16th, 2020
- Bergdahl, Manning, Vindman: Heroes of the Progressive Socialist Left - CNSNews.com - February 14th, 2020
- Bradley Manning Sentenced to 35 Years for Leaking Secrets ... - January 29th, 2020
- Is Bradley Manning a Traitor or a Whistleblower? I want ... - January 10th, 2020
- The US media is in the gutter with Trump - The Japan Times - December 18th, 2019
- Obama Granted Clemency to Terrorists and Traitors, But Were Supposed to Be Angry at Trump's Pardons | News and Politics - PJ Media - November 23rd, 2019
- World News, Economics and Analysis Based on Bible Prophecy - theTrumpet.com - November 19th, 2019
- 'What happens after that is out of their control' Former military leaders and lawyers react to Trump's war crimes pardons - Task & Purpose - November 19th, 2019
- Lt. Col. Allen West Commends President Trump for His Clemency and Restoration of Rank to Three Service Members - Released by West4Texas - PRNewswire - November 16th, 2019
- Week in Review: Baghdadis fall, UK fishermen struggle with Brexit and a look inside Miss Maggies kitchen - FRANCE 24 - October 31st, 2019
- Bradley Manning Trial Begins; Prosecutor Says Leaker Gave ... - October 20th, 2019
- Thanking Bradley Manning - truthout.org - October 14th, 2019
- List of charges in United States v. Manning - Wikipedia - October 14th, 2019
- Bradley Manning Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison - Hosbeg.com - October 1st, 2019
- Bradley Manning is still a traitor. And he's also still a man. - August 30th, 2019
- LAWYER: Bradley Manning's Treatment Is A Stain On US History ... - May 18th, 2019
- 'US Withheld Hundreds Of Emails In The Bradley Manning ... - May 17th, 2019
- JUST IN: Chelsea (Bradley) Manning Ordered Back to Jail ... - May 17th, 2019
- Bradley Manning: a sentence both unjust and unfair ... - May 17th, 2019
- Chelsea Manning released from prison after 7 years of 35-year ... - May 11th, 2019
- BRADLEY MANNING: I'm Sorry - Business Insider - May 7th, 2019
- Bradley Manning Admits Providing Files to WikiLeaks - The ... - May 6th, 2019
- Bradley Manning: Is There Anyone More Normal? - reason.com - April 26th, 2019
- Bradley Manning Awaits Armys Decision on Whether to Court ... - April 26th, 2019
- Do you think Bradley Manning being stripped naked is a ... - April 26th, 2019
- Bradley Manning court-martial starts: key points in the ... - April 24th, 2019
- Manning Is Acquitted of Aiding the Enemy - April 14th, 2019
- Leaker Chelsea Manning stuck in jail after Assange arrest - April 12th, 2019
- Chelsea Manning Changed the Course of History. Now Shes Focusing on ... - April 12th, 2019
- Fox News reporter calls Chelsea Manning by her deadname during Julian ... - April 12th, 2019
- UPDATE 4-U.S. charges WikiLeaks' Assange with hacking conspiracy with ... - April 12th, 2019
- Assange conspired with Chelsea Manning in 2010 WikiLeaks ... - April 11th, 2019
- Assange accused of conspiring with Chelsea Manning in 2010 ... - April 11th, 2019
- Bradley Manning justice: Our view - usatoday.com - April 11th, 2019
- Chelsea Manning jailed for refusing to testify to jury on ... - April 11th, 2019
- Trial Portrays Two Sides Private in WikiLeaks Case - April 11th, 2019
- Bradley Mannings Defense is the Defense of Freedom and Dignity - April 6th, 2019
- Bradley Manning: US soldier cleared of aiding the enemy in WikiLeaks case - April 6th, 2019
- Does Bradley Manning Have Rights? - Business Insider - April 6th, 2019
- Did WikiLeaker Bradley Manning Leak Documents Because Of Don ... - April 6th, 2019
- Bradley Manning Obituary - Pittsfield, MA | The Berkshire ... - March 28th, 2019
- Bradley Manning Guilty on Most Charges, But Not Aiding Enemy ... - March 26th, 2019