Army: We won't provide transgender Manning with hormone treatment or sex reassignment surgery

[branford]

40. Manning's attorneys might share some of the blame.

If Manning is suffering from a medical condition, why didn't the defense attorneys immediately seek treatment, rather than wait until just after her conviction. Based upon what I've read, Manning identified as a woman even before she stole the documents.

If Manning's own counsel did not feel the medical condition warranted treatment throughout the many, many months of pre-trial proceedings and the actual trial, the military brass who already are not likely to be positively disposed to Manning, have some legal justification for doubting the sincerity of the defense allegations.

Although I have no objections to the treatments Manning is seeking, the prosecution might legitimately believe that the defense is simply engaging in attention-seeking tactics to minimize public approbation of their client or more preferable conditions of incarceration. It's the prosecution's job to be dubious of the defense.

Ironically, defense counsel might have been to sly for their own good, and it might now adversely effect Manning's ability to get the HRT or surgery.