UPDATE- Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog by The Dissenter

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


What to Expect at Bradley Manning's Pre-Trial Hearing

By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday December 15, 2011 9:50 am
   

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/15/what-to-expect-at-bradley-mannings-pre-trial-hearing/


Pfc. Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing, also being referred to as his pre-trial hearing, will begin on December 16 at Ft. Meade, Maryland. The hearing could potentially last until Friday, December 23.

An Article 32 hearing, according to the Defense Department, is "closely akin to the civilian grand jury investigation." When the hearing closes, the "Article 32 officer" will make "a recommendation" on "the disposition of the charges." Or, as David Dishneau of AP clearly and concisely puts it, "The proceeding is to determine whether the Army intelligence analyst will be court-martialed for allegedly leaking government secrets."

[SandraJane]

 The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog


By: Kevin Gosztola Friday December 16, 2011 8:41 am
   

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/16/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog/


The first day of Bradley Manning's pre-trial hearing is about to begin in the Meade Courthouse. Manning's pre-trial hearing will be starting on his 24th birthday.

I have made it into the Media Operations Center at Ft. Meade. I am unable to post live updates while court is in session but check back here for updates throughout the morning and afternoon. I will be posting during breaks and when classified information is being reviewed (because press and the public are not allowed to follow these portions of the hearing).

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Manning Defense Files Motion Requesting Article 32 Officer Recuse Himself

By: Kevin Gosztola Friday December 16, 2011 10:21 am
   

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/16/manning-defense-files-motion-requesting-article-32-officer-recuse-himself/


Manning's defense lawyer, David E. Coombs, has filed a motion requesting Lt. Col. Paul Almanza recuse himself from his position as the presiding investigative officer over Pfc. Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing.

Coombs listed four reasons that he says independently support but collectively mandate Almanza recuse himself.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial: Live Blog, Day 2


By: Kevin Gosztola Saturday December 17, 2011 9:31 am
   

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/17/bradley-manning-pre-trial-live-blog-day-2/


Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing or, as it is more generally called, pre-trial hearing resumes today with the government laying out the evidence it thinks it has to support their prosecution.

Members of the prosecution are Captain Ashden Fein, Captain Joe Morrow and Captain Angel Overgaard. Members of the defense are Mr. David Coombs, Major Matthew Kemkes and Captain Paul Bouchard.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog, Day 3


By: Kevin Gosztola Sunday December 18, 2011 8:20 am
   

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/18/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog-day-3/



Photo: suemelk

Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing or, as it is more generally called, pre-trial hearing resumes today with the government continuing to present the evidence it thinks it has to support the prosecution of Bradley Manning for allegedly leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.

Members of the prosecution include Captain Ashden Fein, Captain Joe Morrow and Captain Angel Overgaard. Members of the defense include Mr. David Coombs, Major Matthew Kemkes and Captain Paul Bouchard.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter

Investigative Officer Refuses to Compel Two Key Witnesses to Testify at Manning Hearing

By: Kevin Gosztola Sunday December 18, 2011 1:30 pm    

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/18/investigative-officer-refuses-to-compel-two-key-witnesses-to-testify-at-manning-hearing/



Two witnesses called to testify have been deemed "unavailable" to give testimony by the presiding investigative officer of Pfc. Bradley Manning's pre-trial hearing after invoking their rights under Article 31 of the US Code of Military Justice.

Both SFC Paul Adkins and WO-1 Kyle J. Balonek refused to give testimony. They did so under advice of legal counsel. They were able to escape providing information to the court despite the fact that David Coombs, a member of the defense, wholly objected and read off codes of military justice that are supposed to be followed during the hearing, which should have prevented the witnesses from invoking their rights under Article 31

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog, Day 4


By: Kevin Gosztola Monday December 19, 2011 8:36 am    


http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/19/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog-day-4/


Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing or, as it is more generally called, pre-trial hearing resumes today with the government continuing to present the evidence it thinks it has to support the prosecution of Bradley Manning for allegedly leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.

Members of the prosecution include Captain Ashden Fein, Captain Joe Morrow and Captain Angel Overgaard and Captain Hunter Whyte. Members of the defense include Mr. David Coombs, Major Matthew Kemkes and Captain Paul Bouchard.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog, Day 5

By: Kevin Gosztola Tuesday December 20, 2011 8:39 am

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/20/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog-day-5/

Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing or, as it is more generally called, pre-trial hearing resumes today. The government is not done with presenting evidence yet, though it has called 14 witnesses. it thinks it has to support the prosecution of Bradley Manning for allegedly leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.

Members of the prosecution include Captain Ashden Fein, Captain Joe Morrow and Captain Angel Overgaard and Captain Hunter Whyte. Members of the defense include Mr. David Coombs, Major Matthew Kemkes and Captain Paul Bouchard.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog, Day 6


By: Kevin Gosztola Wednesday December 21, 2011 8:38 am


http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/21/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog-day-6/


Bradley Manning's Article 32 hearing or, as it is more generally called, pre-trial hearing resumes today. The US government has finished presenting evidence. The defense will now begin to present its side of the case.

Members of the prosecution include Captain Ashden Fein, Captain Joe Morrow and Captain Angel Overgaard and Captain Hunter Whyte. Members of the defense include Mr. David Coombs, Major Matthew Kemkes and Captain Paul Bouchard.

I have been here at Ft. Meade covering the hearing since it began on Friday, December 16.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Bradley Manning Pre-Trial Hearing: Live Blog, Final Day

By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday December 22, 2011 8:20 am

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/22/bradley-manning-pre-trial-hearing-live-blog-final-day/   

*The Military Public Affairs Office is not permitting the media to remain on base past noon. Therefore, you will have to wait for a report on what the prosecution presented.

Most significant was that the prosecution identified "the enemy" Manning is charged with "aiding." They played an Al Qaeda propaganda video and said he knowingly passed on information to Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and similar enemies through WikiLeaks.

I intend to post a full report on the prosecution's closing argument before the day is over.

[UPDATE - 8:51 AM EST] Awaiting presentation of closing arguments that are slated to begin at 9:00 AM EST this morning—

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter

US Government Accuses Bradley Manning of Aiding Al Qaeda

By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday December 22, 2011 6:12 pm

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/22/us-government-accuses-bradley-manning-of-aiding-al-qaeda/

The pre-trial hearing for Pfc. Bradley Manning, accused of releasing classified information to WikiLeaks, concluded with the government revealing in its closing argument for the first time the enemy, which they believe Manning's actions aided: the terrorists.

Calling what Manning did a "six month-long enterprise of indiscriminately harvesting information," Cpt. Ashden Fein stated in the prosecution's closing argument that Manning had actual knowledge that what he gave to WikiLeaks would end up in the hands of the enemy and that enemy was Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and similar enemies.

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


The Closing Argument Delivered by the Government at the Manning Hearing

By: Kevin Gosztola Friday December 23, 2011 6:48 am

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/23/the-closing-argument-delivered-by-the-government-at-the-manning-hearing/

Ashden Fein delivered the closing argument for the government and began by stating Pfc. Bradley Manning was a US Army intelligence analyst the Army trained and trusted to use intelligence systems. He "used that training to defy our trust to indiscriminately and systematically harm us." He "abused our trust" and mined as much as information from SIPRnet while using the WikiLeaks "most wanted list" as a "guiding light." And, he added, Manning "continued to harvest the information knowing it would be released and accessible to enemies."

[SandraJane]

The Dissenter


Democracy Now! on the Conclusion of the Manning Pre-Trial Hearing

By: Kevin Gosztola Friday December 23, 2011 10:47 am

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/12/23/democracy-now-on-the-conclusion-of-the-manning-pre-trial-hearing/


   
The pre-trial hearing for Pfc. Bradley Manning concluded yesterday after the defense and prosecution delivered closing arguments. The defense characterized Manning as a "young and idealistic" man in his early twenties who had a "strong moral compass" and who wanted to change the world. The prosecution characterized Manning as a person who had betrayed the military and aided enemies of the United States like Al Qaeda by releasing information to WikiLeaks that terrorist groups could access on the Internet.