Judge Rejects Bid by Manning Lawyers to Cite Evidence Leak Caused No Harm

Jul 20, 2012 by freespeechtv


A military judge has rejected a bid by attorneys for the alleged U.S. Army whistleblower Bradley Manning to cite evidence showing the leak for which he is accused caused no damage to the United States. Manning?s attorneys had sought to present "damage assessment" reports that evaluated the impact of the publication of government diplomatic cables that Manning allegedly provided to WikiLeaks. Internal government reviews have found the leak caused minimal damage, contradicting prosecutors? contention that Manning harmed national security and aided U.S. foes. But on Thursday, the judge overseeing Manning?s military trial rejected the effort, saying the impact of the leak is irrelevant to Manning?s case. The judge also rejected a defense request to present testimony from United Nations rapporteur Juan M?ndez, who has said the U.S. government?s treatment of Manning may amount to torture.