Hearing to Decide Future of Bradley Manning

Thursday is the day for closing remarks in the preliminary hearing of Pfc. Bradley Manning, an Army intelligence analyst accused of .

Manning, who turned 24 on the day of , is facing 22 charges of leaking information in what the Associated Press labeled as the “biggest national security leak in U.S. history."

The Article 32 hearing at Fort Meade is being presided by Lt. Col. Paul Almanza, according to the Associated Press and NPR. Almanza will have until Jan. 16, 2012 to decide whether Manning will face a court-martial, meaning the Manning could spend weeks in custody without knowing his fate.

While Manning’s supporters stood in protest of his charges, many told Patch that the 24-year-old was a war hero for illuminating “war crimes,” referencing a video he allegedly leaked showing an Apache helicopter shooting and killing two Reuters journalists.

However, prosecutors claimed throughout the seven-day hearing that Manning gave WikiLeaks hundreds of thousands of State Department diplomatic cables, according to the AP.

The AP also said Manning was “outwardly calm” as peers and defenders discussed the his emotional issues, including one instance of a “tirade” and “his difficulties of being a gay soldier.”

As the hearing comes to a close, it’s likely the focus will shift away from Fort Meade if Almanza decides that Manning should stand trial.

If convicted of the most serious of charges like aiding the enemy, Manning could face life in prison or even the death penalty.