The military legal code guarantees a right to a speedy trial for US troops, and makes explicit exactly what that means: 120 days. Small delays of a few extra days have occasionally been permitted, but the 120 limit has traditionally been seen as near absolute.
Bradley Manning’s lawyer David Coombs has noted that it has been over 1,000 days since Manning’s detention began, and that he wasn’t even formally charged for almost two years after his capture. That’s a fair distance past 120 days, and Coombs argued that the case should just be dismissed since it’s been so long.
Judge Denise Lind rejected the call, however, at a “pre-trial” hearing today, insisting that years of delays were “reasonable” because the prosecution was working really hard and deserved those seven separate 30-day delays and the assorted other pauses that prevented a trial from taking place in anything resembling a timely faction.
“The government worked diligently,” Lind insisted, insisting the assorted charges against Manning can continue. Exactly how long until they move to an actual trial remains to be seen, but it seems that more delays will likely be shrugged off as well.
Perhaps the prosecution had to "work so hard" was because they do not have a case and it takes time to manufacture one. The Judge's reasoning is very disappointing.
Well stated. And no reason to cut the prosecution any slack. As Clemenceau said, military justice is to justice, as military music is to music- though in this case it is not the military code, but the judge's application of the military code that is unjust.
Home of (the very few ) Brave !
Land of the Free ?
Home of cowards and land of the enslaved (and dumbed-down).
The Brave go to prison