Bradley Manning, the Army private who leaked classified documents to WikiLeaks, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison by a military judge on Wednesday.
Manning, 25, was acquitted on charges of aiding the enemy, but was still convicted on six espionage counts, counts for theft, computer fraud and breaking other military laws. He is credited with the largest leak in U.S. history, handing WikiLeaks thousands of documents focused on policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to CBS News, Manning had agreed to plead guilty, which did reduce the charges. His fate was decided by a military judge, Army Col. Denise Lind, instead of a military jury. Last week, he appealed for leniency and apologized for his actions. “I look back on my decisions and wonder how on earth could I, a junior analyst, believe I could change the world,” he said. “Unfortunately I can’t go back and change things. I can only go forward.”
Lind still had harsh works for Manning, writing, “Manning's conduct was of a heedless nature that made it actually and imminently dangerous to others. His conduct was both wanton and reckless.”
CNN reports that Manning’s rank will also be lowered from private first class to private, in addition to 35 years in prison.
The material Manning gave WikiLeaks in 2010 included 470,000 documents on Iraq and Afghanistan and 250,000 State Department cables.
image: Wikimedia Commons
