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struggle4progress

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23. Bradley Manning was kept in restrictive custody to prevent suicide, officer testifies

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 10:57 PM

Nov 2012

By David Dishneau, The Associated Press

9:08 p.m. EST, November 28, 2012

An Army private accused of sending reams of classified U.S. documents to the secret-spilling website WikiLeaks was kept in tight pretrial confinement partly because another prisoner had recently committed suicide, the former security chief at the Quantico, Va., Marine Corps base testified Wednesday.

Marine Col. Robert Oltman appeared as a witness on the second day of a pretrial hearing for Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is seeking dismissal of all charges, claiming his confinement in the Quantico brig amounted to illegal punishment.

Oltman and others have testified that psychiatrists who examined Manning at Quantico repeatedly recommended that his conditions be eased. But Oltman, whose command included the brig, said he was skeptical about at least one of those recommendations because another detainee had killed himself in December 2009 after his custody status was reduced based upon the advice of the same doctor, Navy Capt. William Hocter, the psychiatrist assigned to the brig.

"He didn't have the strongest credibility with me with regards to his recommendations," Oltman said under questioning by civilian defense attorney David Coombs ...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-manning-wikileaks-20121128,0,7910406.story

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UPDATE: " Bradley Manning Trial" for those Dems who are Civil Rights Advocates! [View all] KoKo Nov 2012 OP

Kevin Gosztola is doing a great job. Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #1

He's going to be a great investigative reporter. I followed him on OWS because he actually sabrina 1 Nov 2012 #122

I am looking forward to his write up about Brad's testimony today and tomorrow. Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #123

Hopefully hte real trial will start soon, the asshole gets convicted RomneyLies Nov 2012 #2

Bradley Manning is an extraordinary courageous hero that took his oath to humanity seriously Agony Nov 2012 #3

Yes, well, that's not the oath he took. randome Nov 2012 #4

Not the one I took. RomneyLies Nov 2012 #6

Manning did more for this nation than the majority of people who wear the uniform. white_wolf Nov 2012 #9

I don't think the oath you took was the one that said to Cleita Nov 2012 #15

I had a top secret clearance RomneyLies Nov 2012 #19

He exposed powerful war criminals. Fuddnik Nov 2012 #43

The key word there being "powerful." white_wolf Nov 2012 #46

And I would add to that to 'protect' the powerful too. We've seen what's happen in other RKP5637 Nov 2012 #51

Name the powerful war criminal he exposed? nt. NCTraveler Nov 2012 #114

What's that sound? msanthrope Nov 2012 #129

When someone says "I know" then I stop listening. How audacious to think that you know. rhett o rick Nov 2012 #58

I had one, too - enlightenment Nov 2012 #79

The only people who look ridiculous RomneyLies Nov 2012 #81

Count me as one of the 'ridiculous'. You make no effort to explain your condemnation of the sabrina 1 Nov 2012 #125

The military sure is good at squashing dissent, isn't it? EOTE Nov 2012 #94

project much? mysuzuki2 Nov 2012 #95

Members of the US military are obliged to follow a moral JDPriestly Nov 2012 #38

I believe he deserves mitigation. randome Nov 2012 #50

There is no "moral code" that supersedes actual morals. The germans following orders killing Jews rhett o rick Nov 2012 #59

So you think that what ever oath he took trumps morality? That wouldnt be very Democratic thinking. rhett o rick Nov 2012 #63

Not at all. randome Nov 2012 #70

Our authoritarian culture denigrates whistleblowers and rewards those that rhett o rick Nov 2012 #74

Our culture also has clear avenues to follow for whistleblowers. randome Nov 2012 #75

These "protection acts" are designed by authoritarians. Corporations also have "protection acts". rhett o rick Nov 2012 #80

Whistleblower acts exist in nearly every state. randome Nov 2012 #86

Not nearly as much as it should. EOTE Nov 2012 #97

Leaking information has nothing to do with Whistleblower statutes. randome Nov 2012 #100

You didn't respond to my post. EOTE Nov 2012 #105

Many of the prosecutions were for leakers, not whistleblowers. randome Nov 2012 #107

And many of them were NOT for leakers, but whistleblowers. Once again, you're completely ignoring EOTE Nov 2012 #108

Obama issued the The Project on Government Oversight directive. randome Nov 2012 #111

Once again, more prosecutions under the Obama administration than all others combined! EOTE Nov 2012 #113

Amen on that Hayabusa Nov 2012 #87

Bradley Manning is a criminal who belongs in a military prison for the rest of his life. RomneyLies Nov 2012 #5

Regardless of guilt or innocence. nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #7

I have yet to see anything that qualifies as torture... Lightbulb_on Nov 2012 #16

Those who have a clue nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #18

+1 doc03 Nov 2012 #33

Either you side with Manning or you side with war crimes. It is that simple. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #65

Either you side against Manning or you support treason, it's as simple as that RomneyLies Nov 2012 #69

I guess you are opposed to the standards of Nuremberg then. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #71

GODWIN! RomneyLies Nov 2012 #72

Actually what he exposed were possible war crimes nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #89

Every defense attorney in anything like this case claims mistreatment. randome Nov 2012 #92

Just taking a moment to say something to people replying to this RomneyLies Nov 2012 #93

Good nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #96

Yeah, you don't seem to be the type who's capable of handling dissent. EOTE Nov 2012 #109

Like hell it doesn't. Manning exposed war crimes. EOTE Nov 2012 #102

The right-wing authoritarian culture of the USofA has left the Nuremberg standards rhett o rick Nov 2012 #83

And I believe that there are Hayabusa Nov 2012 #78

Hooie. DUers were complaining of war crimes in Iraq years before Manning had even enlisted struggle4progress Nov 2012 #112

Manning will remain a hero of the highest calibre regardless if he is freed, imprisoned or executed. Agony Nov 2012 #121

Why do you spew such hate against Bradley Manning? Can you give a rationale to KoKo Nov 2012 #8

I served in the uniform. He violated his oath and screwed his fellow soldiers RomneyLies Nov 2012 #11

He revealed evidence of torture and other human rights abuses. white_wolf Nov 2012 #12

So your just what the Military is looking for , too bad you don't care about the constitution. bahrbearian Nov 2012 #14

If you cannot handle the requirements to be in the military, STAY THE FUCK OUT RomneyLies Nov 2012 #21

You apparently are the one who cannot handle the requirements to being in the military. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #66

I am surprised at such hatred expressed in a liberal blog. nm rhett o rick Nov 2012 #88

I am not. nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #98

To me haters dont meet the "political liberal people" test of the TOS. nm rhett o rick Nov 2012 #115

Crimes against peace nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #91

You're a good little soldier aren't you? EOTE Nov 2012 #103

+ a million. nt laundry_queen Nov 2012 #132

I see you have no proof to offer that he screwed his fellow soldiers Cleita Nov 2012 #17

HE passed along classified documents RomneyLies Nov 2012 #20

IF you found classified documents that were... Duppers Nov 2012 #35

+100. white_wolf Nov 2012 #44

Well said!!! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2012 #53

Wouldn't have been hard to find a Nazi that agrees with that mentality. nt Bonobo Nov 2012 #41

Bradley Manning 'attacked female soldier ... struggle4progress Nov 2012 #25

I don't really think that's material to the case for his being a traitorous bastard RomneyLies Nov 2012 #27

Yep. Marinedem Nov 2012 #31

He was pinned to the ground by his female superior? Cleita Nov 2012 #28

She pinned him after he "punched her in the phace" (sic). He uses an anti-gay slur to describe the msanthrope Nov 2012 #76

At which time, Bradley Manning should have been sent home JDPriestly Nov 2012 #39

Apparently, he was being looked at for discharge because of gender identity disorder-- msanthrope Nov 2012 #77

Alas not even DOD is making the claim nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #22

"could have" MNBrewer Nov 2012 #34

Standard for conviction under the UCMJ has no requirement for any negative effects. RomneyLies Nov 2012 #37

Viva Manning! I hope for 1000 to follow his example! morningfog Nov 2012 #42

Agreed. white_wolf Nov 2012 #45

Did he burst your bubble? Did he expose the horrors of reality that you are trying to avoid? rhett o rick Nov 2012 #62

He blew the whistle on Bush's war crimes. How can anyone have a problem with that? Fire Walk With Me Nov 2012 #52

He violated his security clearance and revealed classified.information to the world RomneyLies Nov 2012 #54

George Bush is a war criminal who brought torture into our playbook, among other things, Fire Walk With Me Nov 2012 #55

Irrelevent RomneyLies Nov 2012 #56

You claim you serve nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #60

To be fair.... zappaman Nov 2012 #117

When the US invaded Iraq, it became guilty of crimes against peace. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #67

Nuremberg Zorra Nov 2012 #64

Our authoritarian culture denigrates whistleblowers and rewards those that rhett o rick Nov 2012 #90

Manning did nothing to bring Bush closer to justice. Nothing. NCTraveler Nov 2012 #116

K&R n/t AAO Nov 2012 #10

We need transparency. Unknown Beatle Nov 2012 #13

Bradley Manning was kept in restrictive custody to prevent suicide, officer testifies struggle4progress Nov 2012 #23

That pretty much tells me his defense team is desperate. RomneyLies Nov 2012 #26

It was actually a deviation from standard practice to keep anyone at Quantico so long: struggle4progress Nov 2012 #32

For once, we agree, struggle4progress. JDPriestly Nov 2012 #40

Better headline "Oltman refused to listen to the assessment of experts" Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #30

I wonder how you would have reacted to the argument "Oltman just listened to experts", if struggle4progress Nov 2012 #47

The tin foil would come out... Lightbulb_on Nov 2012 #68

They would have cited that Manning was making nooses in Kuwait, and gathering metal for self-harm, msanthrope Nov 2012 #84

I think you are denying certain facts: first, a suicide resulted from the Hoctor's msanthrope Nov 2012 #73

Bradley Manning says he considered suicide while in military custody struggle4progress Nov 2012 #126

K&R forestpath Nov 2012 #24

K&R DJ13 Nov 2012 #29

This is just like America to put a hero on trial while giving the banksters millions. white_wolf Nov 2012 #36

In this *idiocratic* culture where money is god, superstitions and lies are truth, Zorra Nov 2012 #110

K&R. nt OnyxCollie Nov 2012 #48

I am a bit confused, what exactly does a psychiatrist have to do with the guilt or innocence cstanleytech Nov 2012 #49

The defense brought up the pre-trial mistreatment nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #61

You mean when they kept him naked because they feared he would commit suicide? cstanleytech Nov 2012 #118

They didn't fear he was going to commit suicide. They were purposefully Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #119

You do know that Manning himself admitted he considered suicide right? nt cstanleytech Nov 2012 #124

Ayup. In Kaiwait many months prior. And even then he testified to a caveat. Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #127

Still I am not sure exactly how its all relevant to his guilt or innocence in regards to leaking cstanleytech Nov 2012 #128

This is pre-trial motioning---it's more about due process than trying him for crimes. msanthrope Nov 2012 #130

But isnt that stuff supposed to be introduced after the verdict but before the sentencing? nt cstanleytech Nov 2012 #131

No--what you have here is a lawyer using a vehicle that allows the introduction msanthrope Dec 2012 #133

OH, thank you for taking the time to explain it as it makes more sense now. nt cstanleytech Dec 2012 #134

K and R. Thanks for posting. n/t Smarmie Doofus Nov 2012 #57

Manning was creating nooses, and gathering metal for self harm..... msanthrope Nov 2012 #82

k/r Solly Mack Nov 2012 #85

Obama, being a fan of transparency in government, should pardon him if convicted. Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2012 #99

I think he should be shown some leniency since his superiors were negligent. randome Nov 2012 #101

Yes he can. I think the term is to commute the sentence. white_wolf Nov 2012 #104

Had it on the tip of my tongue. Thanks. randome Nov 2012 #106

Kevin and others are tweeting Manning's testimoney. See my DU post here: Luminous Animal Nov 2012 #120