Judge Col. Denise Lind has issued her verdict on the myriad charges facing PFC Bradley Manning, the soldier charged with leaking classified military information to the website WikiLeaks. The verdicts as are follows:
- For the charge of “aiding the enemy” PFC Manning is found NOT GUILTY.
- For violation of the Espionage Act, PFC Manning is found NOT GUILTY.
- PFC Manning is found GUILTY of six lesser Espionage Act offenses.
- PFC Manning is found GUILTY of four embezzlement of government property offenses.
- PFC Manning is found GUILTY of wantonly causing to be published intelligence on the Internet.
- PFC Manning is found GUILTY to his lesser plea for the release of the “Collateral Murder” video.
- PFC Manning is found GUILTY of database and espionage charges relating to the release and misuse of documents in the Iraq War logs database.
PFC Manning faces a maximum of 136 years in prison for the charges that he was found guilty of, and sentencing begins at 9:30 AM EST tomorrow morning. Queerty will have more details on PFC Manning’s sentencing in the coming days.
BlogZilla
All I can say is, “What a flaming fool.”
You don’t commit treason in the eyes of USA law and not expect negative reprisal. When he joined the military he signed documents outlining these regulations.
Legally according to military law, he could be shot to death by. a firing squad.
His tight boy butt won’t be tight for long in prison.
jeff4justice
Vote out the 2-party system of lie-based wars, slavery, poverty, and eradication of Constitutional rights.
It’s a damn shame when the law-breaking, lying 2-party system has become lawless and someone like Manning gets punished like this.
And shame on the Gay Inc mega groups for mostly refusing to support him.
mezzacanadese
Bradley Manning: 130 years for uncovering government secrecy.
O.J. Simpson: 0 for killing 2 people. This is justice?
SewperDewper
@BlogZilla:
I do agree that you know what you’re in for when you sign up to enlist. There’s a reason that so many individuals within the U.S. military are psychologically fucked for life. You sign your life away, and the Constitution does not guarantee anything in the eyes of the U.S. government. He had to have known there were going to be repercussions for his actions, he just made a very poor judgement call.
However, your comment about his “boy butt” is completely unwarranted, as is any reference to how “flaming” he may be. You do realize that nearly 70% of LGBT individuals are sexually assaulted in prison? Rape is not something to be so cavalier about.
hankscott
A poor judgement call? This man courageously released documents that showed the United States in conclusion with all sorts of nasty dictators across the world. And Edward Snowden has released documents that show our government has been secretly spying on us. They both are heroes.
zwirad
Manning gets 130 years for helping to reveal the lies, obfuscation and chicanery our government commits every day in the names of “diplomacy” and “Freedom.” Meanwhile GW Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and others get ZERO plus book royalties, fame and endorsements for conspiring to commit violations against the Geneva Conventions, international law and acts against Humanity, while robbing the US government and the People of the United states while simultaneously endebting the US Government to the tune of at least $3 TRILLION in war debts and recession-causing tax write-offs to the rich.
2eo
Protecting the west is now a crime, America officially views its own and allied citizens as enemies.
There is no justice, in less than 80 years your country has gone from attacking the idea of communist dictator show trials to carrying them out on their own citizens who have not broken any law other than the hated crime of loving your nation and wanting to do what is best.
The American machine is now an enemy of the people of the west, far worse than any islamic despot, these lunatics are all around us already.
onyxsky
what a load of shit
onyxsky
where are all the gay activist organizations when you need them?
jeff4justice
@onyxsky: They’re EDs are in the upscale neighborhoods thanks to the 6-figure salaries they get to expediently work hard for equality (hahahah)… well, the first part is true.
And then they’re busy kissing the ass of the Democrat half of the 2-party system charade.
Remember, LGBT mega groups and LGBT media have essentially told the LGBT community not to leave the 2-party system. I suppose the good news is the religious right nuts are stuck on the Republican half of the 2party system charade too.
Saralikesyarr
This is horrible.
I saw that collateral murder video, he is a hero for releasing that.
People needed to know, the way the US actually conducts it’s wars over there.
Otherwise how are people to make informed decisions, or know when politicians are lying to them?
It’s very important that he disclosed evidence of unethical activity.
Whistle-blowers are heros not traitors.
Mkiel
@zwirad: You are SO Right.
I thought Obama was going to bring change but he is worse by expanding the spying on US citizens.
2eo
@Saralikesyarr: The American government does not agree, and thinking so means you are guilty of thoughtcrime.
Sadly by speaking up for him you are now on a watchlist [and no I am NOT joking, you literally are].
As am I.
B Damion
@mezzacanadese …Zimmerman 0 for killing 1 Person. This is justice?
Yes!send his white ass to jail.
mezzacanadese
@Saralikesyarr:
I agree with you totally, Saralikesyarr. I couldn’t have said it better.
mezzacanadese
@2eo:
As am I now.
mezzacanadese
@B Damion:
A person should not be sent to jail because he is white or black. He should be sent to jail if he committed a crime.
Charles Etheridge
How utterly rediculous. I don’t believe that he said anything that cold remotely hurt the rest of us. I’d strongly imagine that such comments are rife within both the military and diplomatic communities. I thought that his comments were far more interesting than dangerous.
Fawkes
@jeff4justice: Amen. All these fake LGBT rights groups will probably just give another big award to some authoritarian Democrat like they did to Bill Clinton – the single worst president ever to have happened to the LGBT rights movement. What a joke organizations like GLAAD are. We’ve heard crickets from them about the treatment of LGBT heroes like Bradley Manning, but they can’t wait to bend over and grab their ankles for some fake liberal like Obama as he strips our fundamental rights as Americans. What the hell good are equal rights to marriage when the rest of you is a slave? As you’ve said repeatedly in your Queerty posts, our community needs to stop investing themselves in this two-party dictatorship and learn how to stand on our own feet. Today should serve as a statement to us all that enough is enough.
B Damion
@mezzacanadese..Yes! Logically they “should not”…but..
markhfreeman
Sorry, Blogzilla, if you are just tuning in to this mess.
But Bradley has been in prison already for about 4 years– it took military justice that long to get to his case. And you thought waits were long for VA benefits?
The first ten months he was in the brig they kept him in solitary, with the heat off and the lights on at night, and stripped naked. So people could comment as they walked by? For his “protection’? You tell me. That only stopped after the case was brought to the United Nations, as a form of “cruel and unusual punishment.”
If you are just now really paying attention, here is a quick catch up. This guy lived in a small town in Oklahoma, was five-foot-one and weighs in at 110 pounds. He is so queer that even in high school the gay guys had to stay away from talking with him, or they would be guilty by association. Ever know anyone like that?
Five times he was evaluated for duty overseas, five times it was advised not to. So of course the Army sent him to Iraq. At least his job as an information analyst made use of his full-time life online, the only place he felt comfortable and could be “himself.” And that is where he kept seeing things that disproved what the government was saying– such as “no collateral damage” and “we would never attack a Reuters reporter’s van”. Maybe if he’d had someone to talk to, they could have convinced him not to put himself at such risk by releasing this information. But nobody on his unit wanted to roomie with him, and he had zero friends. Does any of this ring a bell, at any time in your life?
It does in mine. Back when I was a lot younger. But believed in truth and justice. And would act on it, despite what the consequences would be for me. So I support Bradley Manning. And ask you to look at why you might find that difficult, and maybe if you can find it in yourself to extend some understanding to him, too.
Best to you, and courage to all of us,
Mark
Jerry12
@jeff4justice: Having had Security Clearance in my past business activity, I soon learned that there are things that an uninformed layman might question about some Government activities, but upon investigation would find that the “Greater Good” trumped disclosure.
jeff4justice
@Jerry12: Reminds me of greater good arguments to suppress gays. History shows more often than not government is a perpetual liar without the best interest of the majority of people. This is not even a sovereign nation anymore. It’s an offshore, corporate fascist takeover. Everything is so compartmentalized well-intentioned government workers don’t even realize the evil they’re helping perpetuate.
jeff4justice
@Fawkes: Amen. The only notable LGBT figure I can think of who speaks out against the 2partys system is Lady Bunny. All the other notable LGBT public figures are Democrat zombies in the 2party system charade. All the blogs and LGBT groups pretty much put out the same uniform messaging. It’s sick.
Hope you’re in touch with me on social media – jeff4justice on YouTube, Twitter, etc…
2eo
@Jerry12: Sounds like someone is full of themselves, elaborate on “greater good”, and why your IP matches that of a 22 year old right wing nutter who was was banned from Imgur yesterday?
Jimmw2ms
@BlogZilla: Your compassion for humanity in general is horribly without conscience. Reuters photographers are murdered without provocation, as well as a man assisting the wounded as well as his children and we’re going to punish the guy who told the American people what is being done in their name? You seem to think torture of whistleblowers is justified. Maybe you should go back to abusing animals and punching your ex-wives – or whatever it is that you do in your hillbilly world. Without the exposure of truth, the rest of us will end up just as ignorant and full of hate as you are.
Stevenw
@zwirad: Damn right. Where is the jail sentence for Rumsfeld and his fellows?
This verdict contains no actual ‘justice’ – just revenge. He would have got less for murder – how messed up is that?
This darkens America’s reputation even further.
Jimmw2ms
@hankscott: GlobZilla just thinks anything not saving his own skin and flowing downstream with the status quo is “a poor judgment call.” A good judgment call would be to run for your life and shove your head in the sand whenever you see Americans begin to slaughter children.
MarvelUs
Wikileaks showed the world the truth. Bradley is no criminal. These were no security secrets, watch the video; what he revealed were war crimes.
Will L
@SewperDewper: I seriously doubt that he will be raped in prison. His ass may see a good working, but rape? Nah.
Fawkes
@BlogZilla: Enough of your trolling. The fact that you would openly muse about rape and toss around the word “flaming” just goes to show what a small, diseased mind you have. And since you clearly know nothing about the military, allow me to educate you. When one enlists in the United States Armed Forces, one pledges to uphold the Constitution, not do the bidding of the government and help it keep its nasty secrets. A core principle of our republic used to be that those who expose government criminality are automatically protected from any and all reprisals from government officials. With trolls like you in abundance, it’s no wonder why that principle has been thrown out the window.
Kangol
@mezzacanadese:
OJ Simpson, huh? Where did his name come from?
Why not mention the failure to indict and convict George Walker Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and the whole gaggle of members of that administration that lied the US into a war that has led to death of over 4,000 US servicepeople, numerous “coalition” forces, at least 60,000+ Iraqis, gravely or seriously wounded or maimed tens of thousands of American troops, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, created a very dangerous situation for Iraqi gays, Iraqi Christians, Iraqi Jews, black Iraqis, and other religious and social minorities, destabilized that country and region, and empowered the extremely anti-gay, anti-Jewish Iranian government, and committed a series of other crimes that should have led at the very least to impeachment?
dbmyers
@BlogZilla:
“You don’t commit treason in the eyes of USA law and not expect negative reprisal?” You mean like both Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon? Both of them had representatives negotiate with a foreign government in opposition to stated US foreign policy at the time – one of the constitutionally specifically spelled out definitions of “Treason”.
Reagan did it by having his minions negotiate with the Iranians not to release the hostages to the Carter administration, but instead to keep them prisoner longer (until after the Presidential elections) so that Carter would be defeated and then Reagan would pay them off with a better arms for hostage deal than had been offered by the Carter negotiators. The hostages were released the same day that Reagan was sworn in – January 20, 1981. Reagan’s administration went on to spend money raised from selling weapons to Iran to illegally fund the “Contras'” guerrilla war against the democratically elected Sandinista government of Daniel Ortega.
Nixon did the same thing against Johnson in 1968 when Nixon’s minions convinced the government of South Viet Nam to refuse to participate in the cease fire and negotiations – then being proposed by Johnson’s spokespersons (because of promises by Nixon’s people to provide even more troops and support for the South Viet Namese government than Johnson had). Neither, ever received any negative sanctions and were not even impeached. Seems treason is only enforced if its in the lowest ranks – certainly not at the top of the chain of command.
Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/bradley-manning-facing-over-130-years-in-prison-20130730/#ixzz2abScfcwa
wakeupscreaming
@BlogZilla: are you North Korean?
mezzacanadese
@Kangol:
I am stating a fact. O.J. Simpson murdered 2 people, and didn’t serve a day, whereas Bradley Manning did us all a service and got punished for it. Now do you get it??????
Cam
@Jerry12: said….
“Having had Security Clearance in my past business activity, I soon learned that there are things that an uninformed layman might question about some Government activities, but upon investigation would find that the “Greater Good” trumped disclosure.”
______________________
A very convenient excuse. And if that is true, then why is Congress trying to pass laws to STOP the NSA from doing exactly what Edward Snowden exposed? Doesn’t sound like they think that it is for the greater good. I also haven’t heard where anything Manning exposed damaged us, what I HAVE seen is that things he DID exposed were damaging us by remaining secret.
hansalbin
Hope you follow the rules in prison better than you did in the army.
Bye Bye Bradley.
JT Hawkins
He got what he deserved. Take the “government” out of the equation. If Manning worked for a private company and he did the same things, it would still be against the law. Just because you disagree with what the government (or a private corporation) is doing, doesn’t mean that you can steal from them and publish their private information with impunity. At least he sacked it up and faced the consequences, unlike that coward Snowden.
P.S.: Interesting that Fawkes and 2eo never comment on anything other that Bradley Manning posts. Wikileak’s trolls?
2eo
@JT Hawkins: Yeah, I never post anywhere. If you remove the hundreds of other comments obviously.
JT is a poor troll at best, I miss when we had funny trolls like that guy who posted them bible quotes all the time. Instead we now have people whose own family member contract cancer rather than interact with.
Fawkes
@2eo: I agree. The big government trolls really are quite tedious and boring. There’s nothing imaginative about what they say as they all just regurgitate the same talking points. But I guess it takes a dolt to follow the government’s agenda without question.
@JT Hawkins: Does the federal government pay you to post their talking points, or are you just that charitable?
@hansalbin: I hope you follow the rules in the coming police state better than you did in our republic.
mezzacanadese
@Fawkes:
Can the verdict be appealed?
Fawkes
@mezzacanadese: Yes, Manning can appeal the verdict, but considering how much imprisoning him means to Obama, I wouldn’t be surprised if the government finds some way of circumventing the legal process and thus block him from doing anything.
mezzacanadese
We talk about Russia suppressing human rigths, while at the same time our “leader” is guilty of the very same thing!
Fawkes
@mezzacanadese: Exactly. It’s like when Obama was going to meet China’s president and lecture him about spying on the Chinese people, and then Snowden’s leaks surfaced and it turned out our government was doing the EXACT same thing to us. It’s all a sick joke.
mezzacanadese
@Fawkes:
It’s the do as I say not as I do syndrome.