Posted on 03/21/2024 9:54:25 AM PDT by marshmallow
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been engaged in a legal struggle in the UK against being extradited to the US, where he faces 17 counts of espionage and one charge of computer misuse, possibly resulting in a prison term of up to 175 years. However, there apparently may be a way to cut short this protracted London court case.
The US government, according to The Wall Street Journal, is exploring the option of offering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange a plea deal. The Justice Department is contemplating the possibility of dropping the 17 current charges against him under the Espionage Act. This would be in exchange for Assange pleading guilty to a lesser offense of mishandling classified information, which is categorized as a misdemeanor.
Assange would be able to enter such a plea deal remotely from London’s HM Prison Belmarsh, where he has been incarcerated since April 2019. By accepting this plea bargain, the whistleblower would effectively end his prolonged legal battle against being extradited to the US on espionage charges. Additionally, the publication noted that since Assange has already spent five years in custody in the UK, it is likely that he would be released shortly after the deal is finalized.
In response to the report, one of Assange’s defense attorneys, Barry Pollack, said in a statement:
“It is inappropriate for Mr. Assange’s lawyers to comment while his case is before the UK High Court other than to say we have been given no indication that the Department of Justice intends to resolve the case and the United States is continuing with as much determination as ever to seek his extradition on all 18 charges, exposing him to 175 years in prison.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sputnikglobe.com ...
At this point, I see Assange as a guy who fought the Deep State and lost.
Just let him go. He has paid enough. He is sick. He needs to see his family.
Good heavens these people controlling things are demon possessed.
They were after Asange because he empowered the citizens with the truth and harmed the American Globohomo Empire by exposing it. The West has fallen into tyranny and times of blood, death and depravity are coming before freedom is restored.
I’ve seen a few Freepers refer to this guy as a “traitor.” I don’t think these nitwits are even aware that Assange is not a U.S. citizen and has no immigration status here.
Once they have him in custody he will “commit suicide.’
One would hope that within days of Assange’s release, more whistleblowers provide him with information to publish.
Opposing the Swamp is always admirable.
Would Stalin have let him go? Of course not, so why will the new soviets let him go?
I would love to see this man released from his current prison so he can disappear to parts unknown where he can live out the rest of his life in peace.
Assange is a hero. His “espionage” is publishing diplomatic cables provided to his news organization [he never took a thing from a gov person, one step further from the source than the Watergate reporters BTW]. That evidence exposed Abu Graib, US’ overthrow of the Uke gov in 2014, and other highly embarrasing/criminal behavior of our gov. officials. No ‘secret plans’, or ‘spy identities’, or ‘weapons specifications’. Just exposing crimes.
The man was exiled in Ecuador. What crime did he commit against Ecuador? None.
The man is incarcerated in England. What crime did he commit against England? None.
Falsely accused of rape in Sweden. [notice how that was dropped?]
This is all deep state tactics to imprison what they cannot control.
Calling him a traitor, accusing him of espionage, is a mind trick to get you to gloss over the facts and assume he’s really a Rosenberg. Very effective on the uninformed and weak minded like democrats.
Well, you do have a point there.
He is indeed a hero, and that’s why he finally needs to be either set free, or allowed to retire to an island somewhere out in the Pacific. Let him live his life in peace.
Exactly true. he should be given a medal rather than any charges, no matter how minor.
Manning definitely was a traitor.
(Notice “he” is the one that Obambi pardoned)
I don’t see Assange as lily white. People got killed because of what he leaked. Now you can argue that they were fools to rely on the lousy security of the US Deep State, but there it is.
The Left loved Assange until he started leaking stuff that showed what a Deep State stooge Hillary was.
And now the Left wants Assange to be killed or die in prison, just like Gonzo Lira or Epstein.
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