Defense terms WikiLeaker a "troubled" soldier

Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning stands accused of leaking thousands of classified diplomatic cables that eventually ended up on the whistle-blowing WikiLeaks website.

The 23-year-old Manning will attend a preliminary hearing at Fort Meade this Friday, which is expected to be the first step in court-martialing the soldier for allegedly aiding the enemy and violating the Espionage Act.

If convicted, Manning will likely face life in prison, as Army prosecutors have made it clear they are not seeking the death penalty.

Although Manning attorney David E. Coombs hasn’t yet outlined an official defense strategy, the Baltimore Sun has compiled a witness list and recently filed evidence motions that could offer some insight as to what legal route Coombs is planning to pursue. 

Additional information can be found here on the Baltimore Sun site.