Chelsea Manning may face solitary confinement for having Jenner Vanity Fair issue

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Chelsea Manning may face solitary confinement for having Jenner Vanity Fair issue

Ed Pilkington in New York
Wednesday 12 August 2015 23.48 BST

Chelsea Manning, the US army soldier serving a 35-year military prison sentence for leaking official secrets, has been threatened with indefinite solitary confinement for having an expired tube of toothpaste in her cell and being found in possession of the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair issue, according to her lawyers and supporters.

Manning, a Guardian columnist who writes about global affairs, intelligence issues and transgender rights from prison in the brig of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, has allegedly been charged with four violations of custody rules that her lawyers have denounced as absurd and a form of harassment. The army private is reportedly accused of having showed “disrespect”; of having displayed “disorderly conduct” by sweeping food onto the floor during dinner chow; of having kept “prohibited property” – that is books and magazines - in her cell; and of having committing “medicine misuse”, referring to the tube of toothpaste, according to Manning’s supporters.

The maximum punishment for such offences is an indeterminate amount of time in a solitary confinement cell.

The fourth charge, “medicine misuse”, follows an inspection of Manning’s cell on 9 July during which a tube of anti-cavity toothpaste was found. The prison authorities noted that Manning was entitled to have the toothpaste in her cell, but is penalizing her because it was “past its expiration date of 9 April 2015”.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/12/chelsea-manning-solitary-confinement-toothpaste-army

[LiberalElite]

1. All I can say is

what the fuckety FUCK???!!!!

[LiberalLovinLug]

32. Here is a petition and support site for her

http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=11573

FREE CHELSEA MANNING!

[NV Whino]

2. All I can say is

Harassment.

[kcjohn1]

3. To be fair

It says its the maximum punishment, and not necessarily what was assigned.

I'm appalled by solitary confinement use in prisons. This is an extreme form of torture and fact its common in prisons speaks to the nature of our society.

[Codeine]

4. That's beyond stupid.

I'd say they should be ashamed of themselves, but clearly that's an impossibility.

[Scuba]

5. Just another kind of torture, sanctioned at the highest levels, to send a signal to others.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

6. Justified, though. Wouldn't you say. I mean, c'mon, man. She had toothpaste and a freakin' magazine!

OK, I get it. There have to be rules in a prison. But that whole situation--not just the imposition of solitary--seems to be, as you say, meant to send the a signal, the signal being that whistle-blowing is seriously frowned upon by those who'd rather keep their wrongdoing on the dl.

[Juicy_Bellows]

7. Let her go.

She should be a free woman.

[hifiguy]

11. +1.

[Juicy_Bellows]

12. Then Vanity Fair could put her on their cover.

[hifiguy]

14. Fine idea, IMO.

[riderinthestorm]

8. And people wonder why Snowden ran. The harassment of whistleblowers by this Admin is despicable

[Renew Deal]

10. You think Obama is harassing her over magazines and toothpaste?

[riderinthestorm]

13. The treatment of whistleblowers by this Admin is unprecedented.

UNPRECEDENTED!

Yes, all caps for emphasis.

I have no problem believing Chelsea Manning will spend the next 35 years suffering real adversity during her incarceration. It's the small stuff in prison that makes or breaks a person. Manning is now writing for the Guardian - that must chafe for Obama. Harassment is easy when one is confined.

This Admin HATES whistleblowers.

[Renew Deal]

16. You'd have to prove unequal treatment to prove harassment.

Do we have proof that other prisoners wih these violations are ignored? This is just newsworthy because it's Manning. It more a story about the US prison system.

[riderinthestorm]

19. Fair enough

I just think US prisons are FILLED with contraband that the guards simply ignore.

You know it. I know it. It's a fact of life in prison - everything from cigarettes, gambling, extortion and weed can be found in any cell at any time.

Why focus on Manning for contraband? Because they want to make an example of her...

[msanthrope]

27. It's military prison. Toothpaste is kept tightly controlled, believe it or not, because

it's an incredibly easy way to cause a fever by ingesting it. As for the other stuff, prisoner possessions are also strictly controlled...she may or may not have had too many magazines, etc.....

Do I think she is being harassed? I don't doubt that. Funny thing, though....she had the chance to transfer out of military prison and go to regular fed. She fought that.

[Renew Deal]

30. Too many magazines makes more sense.

Also, thanks for explaining the toothpaste problem.

[msanthrope]

31. Military prison is highly restrictive. Manning turned down two opportunities to go fed. nt

[Renew Deal]

9. How would Manning acquire a contraband magazine?

Also, why is expired toothpaste against the rules? There must be a reason for this? Maybe it has something to do with not turning it in and using it as a sellable asset somehow?

[elias49]

15. She'd have to sell it to her imagination

if she's sent to solitary. What ass-holes!

[Renew Deal]

17. That doesn't answer the questions.

The most important one being how she received contraband magazines. I don't get how that is possible.

[elias49]

18. I'm sure I don't know!

Could she have been set up?
I can't imagine her lawyer(s) would be so stupid.
??

[Renew Deal]

20. I was thinking the same thing

Is the lawyer that dumb.

[msanthrope]

28. It may not be "contraband" for content, but, she may have too many periodicals

at one time. Possessions are tightly controlled in military prison.

As for toothpaste.....well, inmates eat it to cause a fever. That's why there's a regulation about it.

[Dornick]

22. Health hazard if it's beyond its sell by date...

Not likely a legitimate problem with toothpaste but maybe with other stuff and the ruling is coming down black and white.

[GP6971]

23. Huh???

Were you posting to the correct thread?

[GP6971]

25. OK. Thanks

Welcome to DU!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

29. Spoiled toothpaste? From improper refrigeration?

Now I need to look at the toothpaste I bought. Plus the little tubes that the dental tech has given me over the years. I've been ignoring them, living dangerously I guess.

I can't be sure, but I'd bet the reason Manning had the toothpaste was for dental hygiene.

[FlatBaroque]

21. A very sad chapter in a truly depressing story

Bless you Chelsea Manning for doing what you did for mankind. Your sacrifice and contribution to justice will never be forgotten.

[Spirochete]

26. That's right -

kick her some more when she's down. Assholes.