Chelsea Manning walked out of a military prison on Wednesday, following President Barack Obama's commutation of her 35-year sentence for leaking classified information.
ADVERTISEMENT
Chelsea Manning was just released from prison — Here's what happened during her trial
Manning was convicted Manning of 19 other charges, including seven counts of violating the espionage act.
She served just seven years of that sentence, which came following her arrest and conviction of passing secret intelligence documents to WikiLeaks.
Much of Manning's court martial
Here's what happened at trial:
ADVERTISEMENT
- Manning pleaded guilty to many of the charges.
- pleaded guilty
- “killing and capturing people.”
- She waived a jury trail.
- opted to allow a military judge
- Her statement defending her actions was also leaked in March.
- Manning said that her decision
- Osama Bin Laden allegedly read the information Manning leaked.
- said that Navy SEALs recovered
- several items of digital media from Osama bin Laden's compound in May 2011.
- WikiLeaks arguably performed a "legitimate journalistic function."
- This argument came from defense expert
- Yochai Benkler, who was the final witness for the defense. This argument speaks to the defense's key objective to refute charges of wanton misconduct or providing aid to the enemy.
- She never took the stand.
- Manning declined
- The judge refused to drop the most serious charge.
- Col. Denise Lind said
- There were accusations of journalist intimidation.
- Alexa O'Brien told Democracy Now
- The prosecution painted Manning as an anarchist and traitor.
- Ashden Fein said, "
- The defense said Manning's 'sole purpose' was to make a difference.
- Her lawyer insisted
In late July 2013, Manning was acquitted of "aiding the enemy," but ultimately convicted on 19 other charges.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT