Friday, March 23, 2012

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Last April, President Obama publicly decreed Bradley Manning guilty even though he has yet to be tried, flatly telling a questioner: “He broke the law.” Following his Commander-in-Chief’s example, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, yesterday did the same: “We’re a nation of laws. He did violate the law.” If having your Commander-in-Chief and the nation’s top ranking military officer both decree your guilt before your trial begins doesn’t constitute “undue command influence,” what would? [...] For Obama and Dempsey to proclaim Manning’s guilt makes it impossible to imagine how he could receive a fair trial.

  Glenn Greenwald
It's hard for me to imagine Obama and Dempsey are interested in having him receive a fair trial.

But since his lawyer is defending him as though there is no question that he's guilty - he was a "troubled" young man who should never have been given access to military files - I guess the "trial" is really only going to be a sentencing hearing anyway.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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