Army will evaluate suspect in WikiLeaks Mental fitness for trial at issue

[IScreamSundays]

Source: Washington Times

The Army is assembling a special board to evaluate the mental state of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is being held on charges that he illegally obtained thousands of classified documents and turned them over to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks in what might be the biggest security breach in U.S. history.

Lt. Col. Robert Manning, an Army spokesman, said Monday that no further legal proceedings will happen until Pfc. Manning is evaluated by what is called a "706 board" and a recommendation is made on his fitness to stand trial.

The Army charged the 23-year-old private in May while he was assigned as an intelligence analyst with a combat brigade in Iraq. Since July, he has been held in solitary confinement in the brig at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

"What's happening right now, they are convening a 706 board, which is a board to determine his mental fitness, which was requested by the defense," Col. Manning said. "Because of the nature of the charges, that board is being screened. Once that board meets and determines Pfc. Manning's mental fitness, then they will continue to move forward with the Uniform Code of Military Justice process. That's the first thing that needs to happen, this 706 board. … I don't have a timeline on that."

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/3/army-will-evaluate-suspect-wikileaks/

[sabrina 1]

1. When are they going to start investigating the crimes

revealed by the leaks? The real crimes. All he did was try to report crimes, so why aren't his superiors who ignored those reports being investigated also?

He is a hero and should be given a medal.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

3. that is a slight lie

He didn't just try to report crimes, he also released a lot of classified information that had nothing in the slightest to do with crimes and as such can't really be defended using that claim.

Had he really wanted to reveal crimes he would only have released the files and cables dealing with the crimes and not gathered a ton of random files to send off.

[glinda]

4. Maybe it was easier to just dump the whole lot of information than

to sort it out. If he is the only person that did it...

[Sancho]

6. No one knows if he released anything...

there is an accusation from a person who was recently released from a mental institution that the defendant copied and gave files to wikileaks. There is no public record that he really did what the news has assumed that he did...and wikileaks goes to great lengths to collect information without knowing the source. Remember OJ? Sometimes trials don't end in obvious verdicts.

Would you go to trial if the defense is that "I"m a whistle blower of crimes - let me show you!". If there are crimes in the files and if this guy was the culprit, then you can bet that his lawyer will be ready to put the whistle-blower defense on from the start.

Of the quarter million files that wikileaks supposedly has, only 1 per cent are public, so there's no clear crimes evident but clearly the government's reaction (overreaction) seems to point to a fear that some of the files do imply crimes.

[sabrina 1]

11. We don't know that. We are told he released the War Video

and probably some of, or all of, war logs. Eg, the information about the U.S. trained Iraqis being handed over Detainees who they then tortured and that the U.S. turned a blind eye. We are told this is why Manning did what he did, he reported those crimes and was ignored.

But no one knows how much of what Wikileaks has was from Manning. Not sure he would have had access to the Embassy cables, eg. But it's possible.

Still, nothing has been done about the crimes seen in the video or whoever is responsible for handing over detainees to be tortured in Iraq. No investigations into who ignored the information he gave them.

Crimes are being committed every day in these horrific wars. If it was our country, our citizens being tortured and murdered eg, we'd view it differently. I don't know why that is, as Iraqi lives are as important as American lives. If constant exposure finally stops these crimes, or even makes them more careful, knowing they can be exposes, then that is what the press is supposed to do.

Had Wikileaks been around before 9/11, as the Federal Agents who tried to warn their superiors have said, it could have been prevented. Or must a real, free press. If we don't like Wikileaks, the way to solve it is to restore freedom of the press and make truth-telling popular again.

[Robb]

2. The Moonie Times? Really?

[Joanne98]

5. Army board to evaluate WikiLeaks suspect

Source: UPI

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A soldier suspected of providing classified documents to the Web site WikiLeaks will be evaluated by a mental health panel, a U.S. Army spokesman said.

The spokesman, Lt. Col. Robert Manning, said the Army is assembling a special "706 board" to decide whether Pfc. Bradley Manning is fit to stand trial, The Washington Times reported Tuesday.


The Army's Manual for Courts-Martial says the board must answer two questions concerning Pfc. Manning's state of mind and mental competence.

"Was the accused suffering from a mental disease that made him unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct?" the manual says. "Is the accused mentally competent to stand trial?"



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/01/04/Army-board-to-evaluate-WikiLeaks-suspect/UPI-62651294148638/

[fascisthunter]

7. how can they have a trial after putting the man in solitary confinement

wouldn't his testimony be in doubt due to psychologically breaking him?

[defendandprotect]

8. The fact that he's been tortured for months should argue for dismissal of any charges....

First the torture him to drive him insane --

they they hold an insanity hearing?

What happened to charges and trials which should have been

the first things to happen -- !!

[itsrobert]

9. Tortured?

What trial reached the verdict that he was tortured? What is the evidence? Witnesses?

[defendandprotect]

12. The evidence is that TORTURE is against military rules ....

and that "isolation" has been found to be torture by all who have studied it --

Doesn't take much intellect to understand that ...

but if you must, lock yourself in your bathroom for a week or so with one magazine --

and let us know how you do.

Oh, yeah -- don't permit yourself any exercise while you're in there -- and imagine

yourself in chains!

[msanthrope]

10. Charges filed in July. This hearing is a defense request. n/t

[defendandprotect]

13. Where do you have info on "charges" against Manning?

As far as I know there haven't been any charges filed --