GI seeks dismissal of 10 counts in WikiLeaks case [View all]
Source: Associated Press
GI seeks dismissal of 10 counts in WikiLeaks case
AP foreign, Thursday May 24 2012
DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press= HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) An Army private charged in the biggest leak of government secrets in U.S. history is seeking dismissal of 10 of the 22 counts he faces, contending they are either unconstitutionally vague or fail to state a prosecutable offense.
Pfc. Bradley Manning's civilian defense attorney, David Coombs, posted the documents late Wednesday on his website. A military judge will consider the motions at a pre-trial hearing June 6-8 at Fort Meade near Baltimore.
Manning, a 24-year-old Crescent, Okla., native, faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy. He allegedly sent to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic cables and war logs downloaded from government computers while working as an intelligence analyst in Baghdad in late 2009 and early 2010.
The defense contends the government used unconstitutionally vague language in eight counts charging Manning with unauthorized possession and disclosure of classified information. The motion specifically targets the government's use of the phrases, "relating to the national defense" and "to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation."
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