� “Why can’t you be reasonable?” judge asks military in case to limit secrecy in Bradley’s trial Bradley Manning Support Network

12.10.12

� “Why can’t you be reasonable?” judge asks military in case to limit secrecy in Bradley’s trial Bradley Manning Support Network: By Nathan Fuller. October 10, 2012.


The CCR’s Shayana Kadidal

During oral arguments in the Center for Constitutional Rights’ lawsuit against the government seeking public access to basic court documents in Bradley Manning’s court-martial trial, judges for the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces demanded the government explain why it wouldn’t simply provide these documents in the first place.

When Army lawyer Capt. Chad Fisher said that the court wasn’t constitutionally required to provide public access to documents like prosecution briefs, transcripts, and rulings, Judge Margaret Ryan interrupted him to ask what she called a “common sense” question.

“Why can’t you just give it to them? Instead of making this a constitutional case, why can’t you just be reasonable?”