Excerpt:

The United States is considering a plea deal that would allow WikiLeaks founder and whistleblower Julian Assange to return to Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Monday.

U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy told the Morning Herald that there could be a “resolution” to Assange’s now-four-year detention in Britain. Assange, an Australian citizen, has been held in a London prison since 2019 while combating U.S. extradition efforts. He faces 18 criminal charges in the U.S., 17 of which allege violations of the Espionage Act.

    • Five@beehaw.orgOP
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      1 year ago

      Thanks. Yeah, I think I heard about this jury, but only that its deliberation was secret, and I never found out what was decided. When the indictment was unsealed, I assumed it was the revelation of this Jury’s decision.

      • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Easy to get mixed up. It has been a long and complex case!

        Even more complex with the changing of administrations who each handled it differently.

        • Five@beehaw.orgOP
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          1 year ago

          Do you remember when the decision of the 2011 grand jury was revealed? If they kept it secret to scare Assange, that’s still a pretty outrageous form of press intimidation.

          • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            Oh agreed and I am pretty sure they were happy to leave it hanging over him for intimidation purposes.

            Democrats are “better” on press freedom simply because their moves are more overt than direct, so fewer people notice them.