Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free \ stacker news ~news

pull down to refresh

Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S., allowing him to go free www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/julian-assange-reached-plea-deal-us-allowing-go-free-rcna158695?taid=6679fbb8ea213f00014618a4

5386 sats \ 54 comments \ @saunter 24 Jun news

view all related items

594 sats \ 18 replies \ @siggy47 25 Jun

I'm happy for Assange, and I don't want to take away from the fact that he will soon be free, but the fact that the US gets a guilty plea out of this is bullshit. Leaking national security secrets? The case will now be precedent, and will basically put another nail in the coffin of a free press.

165 sats \ 2 replies \ @anon 25 Jun

The fact that the US had to use a plea deal for time served, letting Assange go immediately, is a strong sign that they were concerned they wouldn't win in court in a real trial.

121 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 25 Jun

I think so too. It also was a no win for the US. A trial would have exposed all the embarrassing shit again.

54 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 25 Jun

Yep and another possibility is the fact that this isn't a good look for the US in general. The US is the big dog still but they can't do whatever they want without a cost.

154 sats \ 8 replies \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun

How much does that matter?

Look at what they did to him without precedent.
Are plea deals discounted to some degree in subsequent legal arguments?

I had never thought about that second question. It seems to me that jury decisions would carry more weight.

311 sats \ 7 replies \ @siggy47 25 Jun

Regarding #1, they didn't need a plea to make his life miserable, it will just make it easier next time. #2 is more serious. In order to plead guilty, a defendant has to allocute. That means he or she has to admit to specific facts that constitute the crime. Often, a defendant will admit to stuff that they didn't do because they don't want to risk a jury trial. Here, I can't see how Assange can plead guilty based on what I know about the case. I'm pretty sure he didn't steal the docs. So, the prosecution and defense will get together to come up with a version of the facts that a judge believes constitutes the crime. Supposedly respectable news organizations did the same thing Assange did. I can see this case making disclosing information that is embarrassing to the government equate to leaking state secrets. As far as precedent goes, the facts the defendant admits to that constitute a crime can be used in future cases. Also, defendants waive their right to appeal as a condition of a guilty plea, so a higher court won't review it.

54 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 25 Jun

“Allocution”

54 sats \ 5 replies \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun

So, what happens if the next person in a similar case insists on going to trial?

How does precedent factor in when a jury is making the decision?

163 sats \ 4 replies \ @siggy47 25 Jun

It's complicated and depends on many things, so I can't give a quick answer. Worst case scenario is that this case weakens the Pentagon Papers case as precedent : https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/us/pentagon-papers-journalism-leaks.html

That is true, because the Pentagon Papers case set the press free to publish secrets in ways that were unimaginable in 1971.

54 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun

Sounds like it could impact things like pretrial motions to dismiss.

Is that sort of directionally correct?

90 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 25 Jun

Yes. I guess my real point is that the Assange case could have reaffirmed the Pentagon Papers case and discouraged this government intimidation of journalists in the future.

154 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun

Yeah, I didn’t appreciate the significance initially.

reply on another page

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 25 Jun

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of allowing The New York Times and The Washington Post to continue publishing the classified Pentagon Papers[1]. Key points of the ruling include:

The Court rejected the Nixon administration's attempt to block publication, stating the government failed to meet the "heavy burden" required to justify prior restraint of the press[3][4].
The decision upheld the newspapers' First Amendment right to publish the classified information without risk of government censorship or punishment[3].
The ruling was made quickly, just two weeks after the case was filed, with a brief per curiam opinion accompanied by separate opinions from each justice[4].
Several justices, including Potter Stewart and Byron White, emphasized that an informed citizenry and critical public opinion were essential checks on executive power in matters of national defense and foreign affairs[3].
The Court determined that the government's claims of potential harm to national security were not sufficient to overcome the presumption against prior restraint of the press[4].

This landmark decision reaffirmed the core First Amendment principle of press freedom to criticize the government and serve as a check on abuses of power[5].

Sources [1] The Pentagon Papers case today - Harvard Law School https://hls.harvard.edu/today/the-pentagon-papers-case-today/ [2] Court Rules for Newspapers, 6-3 - Flashback: This Month in History https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/flash/july/pent71.htm [3] New York Times Co. v. United States - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._United_States [4] Pentagon Papers | The Free Speech Center - MTSU https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/pentagon-papers/ [5] New York Times Co. v. United States (The Pentagon Papers Case) https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/supreme-court-case-library/new-york-times-co-v-united-states-the-pentagon-papers-case

reply on another page

54 sats \ 0 replies \ @Akg10s33 25 Jun

That is totally true, the free press will be the most harmed... those supposed state secrets... they manipulate them and let them be seen when they want and when it suits them... that is the truth...

54 sats \ 3 replies \ @travis 25 Jun

Glad he is free. Hopefully he gets a pardon. Maybe Trump will if he gets re-elected. Would be a nice way to F with the American Deep State.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @RDClark 25 Jun

What happened in those first 4 years?

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @travis 26 Jun

Yeah, Trump could have pardoned him then. It's BS. I heard Trump tried to pardon Ross at least but the AG slow walked it and sunk it. Michael Malice has mentioned this a couple times.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @RDClark 26 Jun

Pardons get done full stop. Anyone blame shifting that is just not be truthful. I hope Ross gets to go home soon but these fake based influencers are a blight.

54 sats \ 0 replies \ @BitcoinIsTheFuture 25 Jun

Freedom isn’t always free

79 sats \ 0 replies \ @cointastical 25 Jun

This man suffered for over a decade, at the hands of tyrannical governments.

NEVER FORGET

NEVER FORGIVE

73 sats \ 1 reply \ @itsrealfake 25 Jun

I'm not much of a gambler, but what's the over under on a Rogan appearance in the next 3 months?

Feels like Julian missed our on a little of podcast opportunities so he's gonna have to make up for it

110 sats \ 0 replies \ @itsMoro 25 Jun freebie

i think hes probably not going to do that in the next 3 months. probably going to lay low, spend time with family and friends, and not fuck around. cant imagine he gives a shit about the lost podcasting opps right now.

40 sats \ 0 replies \ @TomK 25 Jun

Good.

To remind You of one of the reasons why Julian Assange was hunted by those who like to install money laundering mechanism like the afghan or ukrainian war...

https://m.stacker.news/36982

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @profullstack 25 Jun

now we need to do the same for snowden and ross ulbricht.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @SatsMate 25 Jun

What a win! This news honestly made my day. We now need Ross & Snowden. Let's speak loud - and get all three of them free.

Hopefully Assange is open to speaking at a conference of some type in the next year!

99 sats \ 5 replies \ @Satosora 25 Jun

Im glad he went free...but to take a guilty plea.. I feel that is the cost of freedom, but I wish he hadnt taken it.

184 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun

I get it, but at the same time it’s just not fair to expect any further heroic sacrifice from this man and his family.

99 sats \ 3 replies \ @Satosora 25 Jun

Yes, I know. I am not the one in jail. It is just wrong.

41 sats \ 2 replies \ @gmd 25 Jun

He's 52. Life is short. Freedom is priceless.

99 sats \ 1 reply \ @Satosora 25 Jun

I know. Its just a shame that he had to take a guilty plea to get it. What are his plans, going back to america?

120 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 25 Jun

Australia

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @cristaiji 25 Jun

Wow that’s really great news, I had given up all hope.

63 sats \ 1 reply \ @kdnolan 25 Jun

I can't believe it!

1 sat \ 0 replies \ @cyberpunk02 25 Jun

a small relief for a man, giant leak for mankind

42 sats \ 1 reply \ @030a29f333 25 Jun

Maybe I'll go to church next Sunday

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cyberpunk02 25 Jun

amen!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nullama 26 Jun

Julian Assange and Donald Trump are now both convicted felons

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @JesseJames 25 Jun

I wonder what kind of other "conditions" are attached to this plea. Good for him he is going home, he looks like shit these days, is he sick? Maybe he just want to "expire" at home and not in some nasty jail... that could be factor too.... speculating.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Hamstr 25 Jun

lol the remote island is likely Saipan. They called it's CNMI, but seriously the other islands are so underdeveloped the only island they could use would be Saipan. These crap hole islands are jungles with zero economy. They act like there's a bunch of options of islands they can prosecute him. I know this region all well, where it was likely held. He shouldn't have taken the deal. But I know they(U.S) wouldn't give up either.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @16d86e9daa 25 Jun

the proposed deal could involve Assange pleading guilty to a lesser charge, such as mishandling classified information, instead of the more severe espionage charges he currently faces. i believe This could potentially allow him to avoid extradition to the U.S. and result in a significantly reduced sentence.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @TomK 25 Jun

the senile zombie must be approaching the zero line asymptotically in the real polls to resort to such measures.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 25 Jun

I wake up and read this contradictory news about the freedom of Assange and a renewed slavery of corporate press. Free speech is no more! No more!!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kingzing131 25 Jun

Should have never been jailed.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @TNStacker 25 Jun

Do Snowden!

0 sats \ 4 replies \ @grayruby 25 Jun

Unexpected. Great news.

20 sats \ 3 replies \ @lightworks 25 Jun

Hell yeah, and this was not on the table at all until recently!

Taking the pressure and intent of the deep state, evil fuckers in the case this is effectively a win!!

Legend

1000 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby 25 Jun

Hopefully Ross is next.

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @398ja 25 Jun

President Trump promised to pardon him if he gets elected.

50 sats \ 0 replies \ @lightworks 25 Jun

Now that would be a real, very pleasant surprise...

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @lightworks 24 Jun

Its on ZH, so its probably real!!!

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/assange-be-freed-doj-agrees-time-served-plea-deal-wikileaks-founder

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @lightworks 24 Jun

Seriously!!!??? Is this real??

Won't trust it until he is out and about, maybe back to Australia, but then definitely off to somewhere relatively safe like El Salvador!

If its true I'll celebrate for weeks, finding ways of taking online potshot at the fuckers that did this...

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @nullama 26 Jun freebie

You can track Julian Assange's plane live, he will arrive to Canberra, Australia, in about one hour.

He is already in Australian airspace.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @afaithfulmanwithagoodheart 25 Jun freebie

Oh wow

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @NaOD 25 Jun outlawed

stackers have outlawed this. turn on wild west mode in your /settings to see outlawed content.