What is the REAL deal with Bradley Manning?

[Arkana]

This guy is the subject of every other thread at a certain other forum, and I find myself wondering what all the hubbub is about. I want to know but I can't find information from a source that doesn't think Obama is Satan incarnate.

All I know is that he confessed to leaking classified intel to Julian Assange's Vanity Exercise...er, that is, I mean Wikileaks and was tossed in the clink.

What are all these accusations about him being tortured?

[SeattleGirl]

Arkana, check this thread out, where some of it is talked about:

http://democratsforprogress.com/forum/sh...p?tid=3805

[Born_A_Truman]

Lots of info about him on Wikipedia ...

[Cha]

Here's an official detailed reply from the Military..

>snip>

The Pentagon now says that Manning's underwear was taken away from him at night after he said that if he wanted to kill himself he could use the elastic waistband on his underpants. He now wears a "tear proof garment" and does have blankets and a pillow.

The Pentagon does not dispute the claim from Manning's attorney that a psychologist has determined Manning not to be a suicide risk but says the decision on whether to put Manning on Prevention of Injury watch is up to the brig commander, not the psychologist. The brig commander is the one responsible for making sure nothing happens to him.

>snip<

The Pentagon additionally denies that Manning is not allowed to talk to prisoners in other cells and denies that Manning is only allowed to walk in circles during his one hour of exercise. He is allowed to talk to other prisoners - as long as it's not disruptive - and he is allowed to use exercise equipment if he wants to. Because he remains on Prevention of Injury watch, he is not allowed to exercise in his cell. Any other prisoner on Prevention of Injury watch would also not be allowed to exercise in their cell.

>read the rest>
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-2...03544.html

[Born_A_Truman]

Chats on Wired ...

[Born_A_Truman]

According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

[Pirate Smile]

(03-15-2011 10:40 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

It is like joking about having a bomb at the airport - it wont be taken as a joke!

The unabomber tried to hang himself with his underwear while in jail. Of course, that was a civilian court and jail vs. military court and the Brig so responses may vary.

I had never heard of it before but, clearly, Manning is not the first person to threaten or try to kill themselves with their undies.

Quote:Kaczynski Agrees to Mental Exam, Seeks to Represent Himself

By William Booth
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 9, 1998; Page A01

SACRAMENTO, Jan. 8—Unabomber suspect Theodore J. Kaczynski, who authorities said may have tried to commit suicide during the night in his jail cell, agreed today to a psychiatric evaluation of his competence to stand trial and to conduct his own defense.

.....
After the proceedings recessed with agreement on the examination, Sacramento County Undersheriff Lou Blanas announced that U.S. marshals informed him at mid-morning that Kaczynski had arrived at the federal courthouse this morning wearing his jail jumpsuit but no undershorts. Kaczynski changes from the jumpsuit into his own clothes at the courthouse each day. He reportedly told the marshals he lost his underwear in the shower after they noticed it missing.

Blanas said an initial search of his cell did not uncover Kaczynski's underwear, leading his jailers to suspect he flushed the garment down the toilet. But during a second search, the briefs were found in a smaller plastic bag inside Kaczynski's trash can, Blanas said.

"The underwear appeared to be stretched," Blanas said. "It appeared to be used in the type of way we thought he did: putting it around his neck and trying to hang himself."

U.S. marshals also reported they saw a red rash on the right side of Kaczynski's throat while he dressed for court, leading them to conclude he had tried to hang himself with the missing underwear sometime before leaving his cell.

Jim Cooper, a spokesman for the Sacramento sheriff, said Kaczynski told his attorneys upon arriving at the courthouse this morning that he had attempted suicide during the night. The attorneys then notified the federal marshals, who noticed the rash on Kaczynski's neck and that he was missing his undershorts.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nat...ch0109.htm

[RoyGBiv]

(03-15-2011 11:01 PM)Pirate Smile Wrote:  I had never heard of it before but, clearly, Manning is not the first person to threaten or try to kill themselves with their undies.

It's rather popular actually.

I knew a girl who managed to slit her wrists by using elastic from her psychiatric hospital pants to saw through the skin. She didn't die, but it then required hospital personnel to take even more seemingly draconian measures to keep her from harming herself. She'd already tried to claw out her own jugular vein and was forced to keep her nails cut so short it had to be somewhat painful to just to do.

I felt really bad for her, but it's one of the many things that taught me you simply cannot play games or hope for the best when someone even hints at being suicidal.

[Pirate Smile]

(03-15-2011 11:33 PM)RoyGBiv Wrote:  

(03-15-2011 11:01 PM)Pirate Smile Wrote:  I had never heard of it before but, clearly, Manning is not the first person to threaten or try to kill themselves with their undies.

It's rather popular actually.

I knew a girl who managed to slit her wrists by using elastic from her psychiatric hospital pants to saw through the skin. She didn't die, but it then required hospital personnel to take even more seemingly draconian measures to keep her from harming herself. She'd already tried to claw out her own jugular vein and was forced to keep her nails cut so short it had to be somewhat painful to just to do.

I felt really bad for her, but it's one of the many things that taught me you simply cannot play games or hope for the best when someone even hints at being suicidal.

I am not familiar with these situations re preventing people from killing themselves in jail but I'm AWARE of that so I don't immediately jump to the "they are torturing Manning" like some people seem perfectly happy to do.

It seems like people who are not experts on this stuff just react in ways that are uninformed but easy to exploit - and there are certainly plenty of people who are more then willing to exploit anything to attack President Obama.

As your example shows, it is pretty damn difficult to stop someone intent on hurting themselves.

I'm sure we can all imagine how people would freak if Manning actual did kill himself while in jail. Conspiracies would explode on left and right. "Manning had Obama's REAL birth certificate from Kenyadonesia stating he is the Muslin anti-christ but they killed him to prevent it from getting out ~ all hail the hero".

What a shock that the Military is intent on preventing an inmate, especially one receiving a ton of press attention, from harming himself.

These jump first, think and gather facts later issues just piss me off. The group that chooses to always assume the worst about President Obama is supposed to be the RW, but the FDL crowd is right there with them.

[There Is No Spoon]

(03-15-2011 10:40 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

They certainly were looking for an excuse to bust his balls, of that I'm sure.

[Cha]

(03-15-2011 10:40 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

I wonder if he wishes he hadn't joked about it now or if he has the tiniest regret of leaking U.S. classified information to the world?

[Treestar]

(03-15-2011 10:40 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

Then Obama would be the "murderer."

[Ikonoklast]

(03-15-2011 10:40 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  According to his attorney, Manning was "joking" about using the elastic in his underwear.

Now, if they ignored his "joke" and he did kill himself, what would be said about that?

In psychiatry this is called 'Suicidal Ideation' and is taken very, very seriously.

A person may think or say, "I'm going to kill myself", but not make any real plans to do so.

It's not that the person isn't thinking about suicide, they most definitely are, it's that they haven't done anything concrete to put that plan into motion.

Rational people don't 'joke' about killing themselves.

[Born_A_Truman]

Reading the chat logs made it clear to me he gave the info to WikiLeaks (of course, there will be those who will say the logs were doctored, fabricated, etc).

Does anyone think he even read everything he leaked?

[Cha]

(03-16-2011 03:17 PM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  Reading the chat logs made it clear to me he gave the info to WikiLeaks (of course, there will be those who will say the logs were doctored, fabricated, etc).

Does anyone think he even read everything he leaked?

If he did then he's even more guilty of aiding the enemy and if he didn't he's even more of an idiot.

[USArmyParatrooper]

I've been fighting about this on Dailykos. As usual I get swarmed.

The thread has fallen off the rec list and has since died, so you might not want to bother jumping in. I swear some of these people WANT him to be tortured so they have a martyr.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/17...ment-Grows

[Pirate Smile]

Quote:For the Record (March 17, 2011)


This editorial incorrectly reported that Pfc. Bradley Manning is shackled while exercising in the recreation room in the Marine Corps brig. He is only shackled while walking to and from that room.

Private Manning, unlike most other prisoners, is never allowed to mingle with other prisoners. We consider that to be “solitary confinement,” but the Pentagon says it is not because he is allowed to shout to prisoners elsewhere in his cellblock. Our editorial criticized Private Manning’s detention conditions because he must strip every night and hand over his clothes to a guard (unlike most other prisoners). The Pentagon says this is not forced nudity because he is then given a Velcro-secured wrap-around “smock” that he may sleep in.

[USArmyParatrooper]

(03-17-2011 07:07 PM)Pirate Smile Wrote:  

Quote:For the Record (March 17, 2011)


This editorial incorrectly reported that Pfc. Bradley Manning is shackled while exercising in the recreation room in the Marine Corps brig. He is only shackled while walking to and from that room.

Private Manning, unlike most other prisoners, is never allowed to mingle with other prisoners. We consider that to be “solitary confinement,” but the Pentagon says it is not because he is allowed to shout to prisoners elsewhere in his cellblock. Our editorial criticized Private Manning’s detention conditions because he must strip every night and hand over his clothes to a guard (unlike most other prisoners). The Pentagon says this is not forced nudity because he is then given a Velcro-secured wrap-around “smock” that he may sleep in.

Is this saying he was never forced to be naked, or just recently? I knew that they began giving him a tear proof smock later.