Manning Verdict Due Today

Bradley Manning will learn today whether he’s going to spend the rest of his life in prison. A judge is set to rule on whether Manning’s disclosure of classified documents to WikiLeaks constitutes “aiding the enemy.” The prosecution has argued that Manning should have known the leaked documents would make their way to al Qaeda, while Manning’s defense has argued that he was a well-intentioned but naive whistleblower and didn’t act with the “evil intent” that would justify the aiding-the-enemy charge. In addition to aiding the enemy, Manning was charged with 21 counts, including unauthorized possession of intelligence material, theft, and violations of computer regulations. He’s pleaded guilty to 10 of the lesser charges.