FORT MEADE, Md. — Army Pfc. Bradley Manning should spend 60 years in prison because he betrayed the United States by giving classified material to WikiLeaks, a prosecutor said Monday.
The soldier’s defense attorney didn’t recommend a specific punishment, but suggested any prison term shouldn’t exceed 25 years because the classification of some of the documents Manning leaked expires in 25 years.
Lawyer David Coombs said Manning, who was 21 when he enlisted in 2007, had limited life and military experience.
His youthful idealism contributed to his belief that he could change the way the world viewed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all future wars, by leaking the secret files, Coombs said.
Manning faces up to 90 years in prison, but Capt. Joe Morrow only asked the judge to sentence him to 60 years.
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