Army private offers guilty plea in WikiLeaks case

[November 08, 2012]  FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) -- The U.S. Army private charged with sending reams of government secrets to WikiLeaks is offering to plead guilty to some offenses.

Pfc. Bradley Manning's civilian defense attorney, David Coombs, revealed the offer Wednesday during a pretrial hearing at Fort Meade. The hearing continues Thursday.

Coombs says Manning isn't pleading guilty to the offenses charged by the government. Rather, he's offering to take responsibility for less serious offenses that are encapsulated within the charged crimes.

Even if the court accepts the offer, military prosecutors could still try to prove Manning guilty of the more serious charges. They include aiding the enemy, punishable by life imprisonment.

Coombs also says Manning has elected to be tried by a military judge, not a jury, at his trial in February.

[Associated Press; By DAVID DISHNEAU]

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