Professor Solis Comments for Media on WikiLeaks Sentence
Professor Gary Solis commented for media on the case of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, who was convicted in a military court for violating the Espionage Act by providing classified documents to the WikiLeaks website and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Solis was interviewed by media including Slate, the Associated Press, and San Francisco radio stations KCBS and KKSF.
Speaking with Slate, Solis commented that the Manning case was almost unprecedented in its seriousness, with the only parallel being the case of John Walker, a U.S. Navy chief warrant officer who, in 1985, sold secrets to the Soviet Union. Solis also said it is unlikely that Manning's conviction will influence the trials of two civilians charged with violating the Espionage Act, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, who has been charged with leaking information about classified National Security Agency programs.
"There's no need for a civilian court to look to a court-martial for precedent," said Solis.
Solis, a member of the King Hall Class of '71, is a retired U.S. Marine with 26 years active duty, including tours in Vietnam and service as a Marine judge advocate and military judge. He has taught law at the United States Military Academy, George Washington University, and other institutions, and is currently a visiting professor at King Hall.