By Nathan Fuller, Bradley Manning Support Network. June 4, 2012.
There is more secrecy surrounding the U.S. military’s ongoing prosecution of PFC Bradley Manning than the much-criticized Guantanamo Bay trials.. The hearings aren’t closed-door sessions, but more insidiously, they include no public records, no transcripts, and no public motions from the government. They provide so little media access that the Center for Constitutional Rights and several media organizations are suing the military for more transparency. The lawsuit follows protests from a coalition of media figures who say that they have been blocked from accessing even basic information about the trial.
To counter this extreme secrecy, Bradley’s attorney David Coombs has been publishing defense motions on his blog, so the public and members of the media can access these documents to better understand and accurately report on Bradley’s trial. The government redacts even these motions, but they still provide a window into what will come of the hearings that the military wouldn’t otherwise provide.
Coombs posted five motions for Bradley’s next courtroom appearance, the motion hearing at Ft. Meade from June 6-8, giving us a glimpse at what to expect. The first motion denounces the prosecution’s handling of evidence, concealing obviously relevant material to maintain an upper hand over the defense. The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington summarized the motion earlier this week:
Bradley Manning at Fort Meade, MD.
To counter this extreme secrecy, Bradley’s attorney David Coombs has been publishing defense motions on his blog, so the public and members of the media can access these documents to better understand and accurately report on Bradley’s trial. The government redacts even these motions, but they still provide a window into what will come of the hearings that the military wouldn’t otherwise provide.
Coombs posted five motions for Bradley’s next courtroom appearance, the motion hearing at Ft. Meade from June 6-8, giving us a glimpse at what to expect. The first motion denounces the prosecution’s handling of evidence, concealing obviously relevant material to maintain an upper hand over the defense. The Guardian’s Ed Pilkington summarized the motion earlier this week:
“…the government has failed to disclose key evidence that could help Manning defend himself against the charges.http://www.bradleymanning.org/news/incompetence-or-deception-probing-two-years-of-evasion-in-the-prosecution-of-bradley-manning
Almost two years after Manning was arrested, the military has not yet completed a search even of its own files to see if there is any material beneficial to the defence – as it is legally obliged to do.”...read more
