HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — An Army private charged with sending reams of U.S. secrets to WikiLeaks claims lengthy delays have violated his right to a speedy trial.
Pfc. Bradley Manning is seeking dismissal of all charges in a motion his lawyer posted on his website Thursday.
It’s been two years and four months since Manning was detained in Iraq for allegedly sending hundreds of thousands of classified war logs and diplomatic cables to the anti-secrecy website. His trial is set to begin in February.
Defense attorney David Coombs says the Military District of Washington commander rubber-stamped all prosecution requests to delay Manning’s arraignment and improperly excluded other periods from the speedy-trial clock.
Coombs says the delays made a mockery of the requirement that an accused be arraigned within 120 days.
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