WikiLeaks hearing: Brig commander tells of break in pattern

[struggle4progress]

Source: Los Angeles Times

By Michael Muskal
December 10, 2012, 3:06 p.m.

The former head of the brig where self-styled whistle-blower Pfc. Bradley Manning was incarcerated testified Monday that she was surprised when the base commander asked for advance notice of orders she planned to give in the case, as a pretrial hearing went into its 10th day ...

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Denise Barnes said Monday that she was told to run her orders up the chain of command, a surprising break with the usual pattern.

“I was kind of shocked,” Barnes said, according to the Associated Press. “The base commander does not control the brig” officer in charge, said Barnes, who was in charge of the military guardhouse.

In March 2011, Barnes had ordered that Manning be stripped of his underwear each night as a suicide-prevention measure. The next day, Manning stood naked at attention, which led to embarrassing media stories and the request from garrison commander Col. Daniel Choike that Barnes send her orders up the chain of command ...

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-bradley-manning-hearing-20121210,0,7937857.story

[struggle4progress]

1. Commander: WikiLeaks suspect's treatment closely watched by US supervisors

MONDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2012 20:59
DAVID DISHNEAU, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

... Brig commanders have sole authority to determine the custody status of detainees, Barnes said. But she testified that Col. Daniel Choike, then garrison commander at the Quantico brig, asked for advance notice after Barnes ordered in early March 2011 that Manning be stripped of his underwear each night as a suicide-prevention measure.

Manning stood naked at attention the next morning, resulting in news coverage that embarrassed the military and heightened worldwide interest in his case.

Barnes said Choike called her to say that Lt. Gen. George Flynn, then the highest-ranking officer at Quantico, wanted her to run any orders involving Manning up the chain of command before executing them.

"I was kind of shocked," Barnes said. "The base commander does not control the brig OIC." The acronym stands for "officer in charge." ...

http://www.medicinehatnews.com/world-news/commander-wikileaks-suspects-treatment-closely-watched-by-us-supervisors-20121210.html

[freshwest]

2. Looks like Denise went too far. No wonder they questioned her orders. She sounds thick headed.

What Manning needed, was a psychiatrist.

[snot]

6. Manning was interviewed by psychiatrists, who rec'd that he was not suicidal and shd NOT

be subjected to the conditions he was subjected to. And the abuse persisted long (months, I believe?) after these recommendations were made -- basically, until the the UN inspector's objections and other hue and cry made it impossible to brush under the rug.

From the story, sounds kind of like the higher-ups are trying to pin it on the brig officer, and the brig officer is objecting that her superiors were aware of her orders. It's a high-profile case, and the abuse went on long enough, over the objections by Manning's lawyer et al., that it's hard to believe that higher-ups weren't aware of it.

In fact, under the circumstances, it's hard not to believe the abuse was a calculated effort to coerce Manning into providing evidence that might help shut down Assange.

[rhett o rick]

3. Before the Third Way Democrats get here and say how much they hate Manning, I just want to tell

them, FUCK YOU. Go back to the Repuke Party where you belong.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. What's your problem?

Manning was convicted, in a court of law. Fair and square. By a jury of his peers.

Regards,

Alternate-Reality Manny

[Sinistrous]

7. Convicted? As of yesterday, he had not been convicted by any court

in the reality shared by the rest of us.

What was his sentence in the alternate reality court to which you refer?

[jerseyjack]

8. Don't tell anyone (I think it's called "ironic or satire".)

[rhett o rick]

9. Of course he has. I was expecting you.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

5. Thanks for speaking up.

[LiberalLovinLug]

10. Big Plus +

And a poke in the eye to all the frightened sheep with duct tape on their windows afraid of Assange and his threat of telling you a little TOO much about what your government is doing behind your back.

[rhett o rick]

11. Those hiding in their ignorance bubbles. Condeming whistle-blowers or anyone else

that dares tell them anything scary.