WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange reaches plea deal with US | LiveNOW from FOX
28,195
Published 2024-06-24
Assange will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose information related to the national defense in a U.S. federal court in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific, this week, according to newly filed court papers.
The deal ensures that Assange will admit guilt while also sparing him from any additional prison time. Assange spent five years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States. The charges stem from one of the largest publications of classified information in American history.
The Justice Department’s indictment accused Assange of encouraging and helping U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks published in 2010. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of violating the Espionage Act and other offenses for leaking classified government and military documents to WikiLeaks. President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in 2017, allowing her release after about seven behind bars.
A month ago, Assange won the right to appeal an extradition order after his lawyers argued that the U.S. government provided “blatantly inadequate” assurances that he would have the same free speech protections as an American citizen if extradited from Britain.
He is expected to return to Australia after his plea and sentencing in Saipan. The hearing is taking place there because of the court’s proximity to Australia and Assange's opposition to traveling to the U.S.
Subscribe to LiveNOW from FOX! youtube.com/livenowfox?sub_confirmation=1
Where to watch LiveNOW from FOX: www.livenowfox.com/
Follow us @LiveNOWFOX on Twitter: twitter.com/livenowfox
Raw and unfiltered. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. Limited commentary. No opinion. Experience LiveNOW from FOX.
All Comments (21)
-
Being Jailed for telling the truth....Sounds about right
-
American citizen here: about time he be set free! Never should have been targeted. So, now that he goes free, let’s dig up all the soulless elitists who pursued him because he embarrassed them by exposing THEIR crimes. Let’s review THOSE crimes again, and shame them!
-
I am Polish American from Mclean Virginia next to Washington DC and I am very happy with this news. Assange need to be with his kids, wife, father and family. He was only journalist for truth.
-
they screwed this guys life
-
God Bless this man! Thank God about time for freedom!
-
Never forgive the government for this
-
Dear Julian Assange, you are a hero of truth and sanity of the world. Thank you, stay strong. We love you so much for your cause. God bless you
-
He never should have been in prison in the first place. He took a plea deal, so he could be freed. Prayers for Julian Assange and his family.
-
I'll believe it when I see him living well on his home turf.
-
Who instigated this? Thank god for them. Any longer he would have died. I can’t wait for Julian to return to Australia to his family❤
-
The Truth Should be Set Free
-
Assange is justified in not coming to US to appear in court. Our Justice system has not been open and above board for decades.
-
I Hope this is NOT only to to force him to keep silent against corruption.
-
Great news he needed to be free more than 12 years ago
-
He spent 5 years in jail and years in that embassy in the UK for the crime of being a reporter.
-
"When exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you are being ruled by criminals." ~ Edward Snowden
-
Julian should be free! This is a travesty of justice, but he does need to be with his family! I get a sinking feeling the government will turn around and arrest him for some trumped up charges. I just don't trust our government.
-
ABOUT TIME
-
Julian 👍 YOU ROCK
-
Yasssssss, he's finally free 🕊️
