Bradley Manning Throws Himself on the Mercy of the Court

It's sad to read, but not entirely surprising given everything he's been through and the penalties he faces. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, at his sentencing hearing today, folded like a deck chair, apologizing for his leaks and saying he knew now what he did was wrong.

The New York Times reports:

Pfc. Bradley Manning on Wednesday apologized for leaking 700,000 government files to WikiLeaks, saying at the sentencing portion of his trial that while he "believed it was going to help people, not hurt people," he now realized that it was wrong.

"I'm sorry," Private Manning told the judge. "I'm sorry that my actions hurt people. I'm sorry that they hurt the United States. At the time of the decision, as you know, I was dealing with a lot of issues, issues that are ongoing."

But while those issues — a reference to his crisis over his sexuality, which he was confronting while on a military deployment in a combat zone — have caused him considerable difficulties, he said, he was responsible for his actions.

Manning faces a maximum sentence of 90 years. No doubt he's hoping for much, much less.

Follow this story and more at Reason 24/7.

Spice up your blog or Website with Reason 24/7 news and Reason articles. You can get the widgets here. If you have a story that would be of interest to Reason's readers please let us know by emailing the 24/7 crew at [e-mail], or tweet us stories at @reason247.

Comments

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Shit.

[Rasilio]

One can only last so long with a ratcage strapped to their face

[Episiarch]

Exactly. And he has been ratcaged for a long time now. Which, of course, was by design.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I can't fault him for this. But he's screwed. His only hope is that the Obama administration holds no sway over the judge.

[Hugh Akston]

"He gazed up at the enormous face. Six years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the HOPE poster. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Obama."

[Eitan]

[Eitan]

shudder

[John C. Randolph]

Manning's actions were a tremendous service to the United States, and fuck the jackbooted cretins who tortured him into caving like this.

-jcr

[Pro Libertate]

Maybe Tim Tebow could intervene?

[Hugh Akston]

Tim Tebow helps those who help themselves, ProLib.

[Episiarch]

It is his birthday today, ProL. He must rest.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Some lucky lady is getting a nice dinner and maybe a chaste kiss on the cheek tonight!

[Another David]

Well that's fucking depressing. Everybody's got a breaking point.

[Gordilocks]

I LOVE YOU BIG BROTHER!

[Gordilocks]

And fuck the US Federal Government. Every last one of you useless, parasitic, lying, thieving, torturing and murdering cocksuckers.

[Gladstone]

You know Who Else told the USG to fuck off?

cocksuckers

I didn't know Warty and Epi worked for the USG.

[Gordilocks]

Deep Throat?

[Gladstone]

Deep Throat?

Nah he just told Nixon to fuck off.

[R C Dean]

I'm sorry that my actions hurt people.

I'm not aware that any actual human beings were harmed by his leak. There was some chatter that he blew the cover for some of our agents in the Middle East, but I'm not sure that anything came of it.

I'm sorry that they hurt the United States.

I'm not aware that the country itself was harmed by this leak. Now, the government was inconvenienced and annoyed, but I look around for actual harm that was inflicted on the government, and nothing comes to mind.

This may be the best non-apology apology ever. Much better than the usual "I'm sorry I got caught" or "I'm sorry you misunderstood me" apologies.

[John C. Randolph]

I'm not aware that any actual human beings were harmed by his leak.

That depends on whether lying politicians getting embarrassed by having war crimes exposed constitutes "actual human beings" getting harmed.

-jcr

[Almanian!]

Well, shit. FWIW....nah, it's worth nothing to the man.

Another one bites the dust. Vaya con Obama, Bradley.

[Joe M]

I hope Edward Snowden is taking notes.

[BakedPenguin]

He already did. That's why he's in exile, not in prison.

[James Anderson Merritt]

Well, remember that if he hadn't been "rescued by the cavalry" at the last minute, Star Trek's Captain Picard also would have reported five lights to his captors, instead of four. Sadly, We The People were the cavalry for Manning in real life, and we didn't get there in time. I do not fault Pfc. Manning at all in this, but I think that today's events should shame Americans who pay lip service to the Constitution but are willing neither to bother themselves to hold government's feet to the fire, nor to help rescue those who do.

[MappRapp]

The Kangaroo courts will have a field day with him now.

http://www.Tactical-Anon.tk

[Bardas Phocas]

They all confess in the end.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.....Twenty-One

"I fully and completely admit that I am guilty of all the gravest charges brought against me personally, and that I admit my complete responsibility for the treason and treachery I have committed."

[Andrew S.]

They've had him in Room 101 for a while. He was bound to crack.

Unfortunately, since lese-majeste is the worst crime one can commit in America today, I doubt he'll see any mercy.

[Anonymous Coward]

"I'm sorry," Private Manning told the judge. "I'm sorry that my actions hurt people. I'm sorry that they hurt the United States. At the time of the decision, as you know, I was dealing with a lot of issues, issues that are ongoing."

"I betrayed Big Brother in a fit of madness brought on by my sexual deviance and reading of forbidden materials. I am guilty on all counts. I only ask for mercy, to be shot while my mind is still clean and the love of Big Brother fills my heart."

[AlmightyJB]

Yeah, I'm sorry but I just figured out I was gay? Was that his lawyer's idea?

[Acosmist]

Eh, only brown people got killed because of what Manning did. Totally ok.

[Hugh Akston]

C- trolling, please see me after class.

[Eduard van Haalen]

If only Snowden comes to the US to Explain Himself to the American People, he'll have the chance to act just like Manning!

[Gladstone]

Then Snowden will admit his death sentence was just while in the noose.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord."

http://englishhistory.net/tudor/prianne3.html

[Eduard van Haalen]

"PS - You *don't* want to see what an *un*merciful prince is like!"

[John C. Randolph]

I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you,

I see what she did there... Subtle way to wish England to go to hell.

-jcr

[Gladstone]

You know which other gay man handed out secrets?

[General Butt Naked]

Ernst R?hm?

[Gladstone]

Would he count as the elusive Nazi libertarian? He opposed corporate cartels, the aristocracy and the military and was killed for those beliefs along with being gay.

[Juice]

"...I was dealing with a lot of issues, issues that are ongoing."

Why does his apology exactly fit the narrative that the government had spun around him right after his arrest?

[anon]

What a pussy. As if the judge isn't going to lock him up for the rest of his life anyways.

He could have at least had the balls to tell the judge to go fuck himself.