Wikileaks Soldier Defense Seeks Easier Confinement
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- The civilian lawyer for an Army private suspected of giving classified documents to WikiLeaks says he's seeking to ease the soldier's confinement conditions at a Marine Corps brig in Quantico, Va.
Attorney David Coombs said in a blog post Tuesday that he has raised his concerns with Army lawyers assigned to Pfc. Bradley Manning's case, and that they have spoken to the Marine Corps without success.
Coombs claims that conditions, including confinement 23 hours a day, amount to unlawful pretrial punishment. The Pentagon denies mistreating Manning.
Coombs says he'll seek relief at Manning's court-martial but military law bars him from filing such a motion until after the case has been referred for trial. That could be months away.
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