Former Intelligence Officer Chelsea Manning Recovering After Alleged Suicide Attempt

KEY POINTS

Chelsea Manning allegedly attempted suicide in her jail cell at a detention center in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday
She was next scheduled to appear in court on Friday before a federal judge who would rule on possibly dropping her contempt sanctions
Manning has been in custody since May 2019 for refusing to testify before a grand jury as part of an ongoing investigation into WikiLeaks

Chelsea Manning’s legal team said Thursday the former Army intelligence analyst was recovering after an alleged suicide attempt at a jail in Alexandria, Virginia.

“On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, Chelsea Manning attempted to take her own life,” Manning’s lawyers said in a statement. “She was taken to a hospital and is currently recovering.”

Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne said an “incident” took place at the detention center around noon on Wednesday, but didn’t provide details. Lawhorne said the situation “was handled appropriately by our professional staff and Ms. Manning is safe.”

Manning has been in custody since May 2019 on charges of contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury over allegedly leaking military and government information to WikiLeaks in 2010. Her lawyers said she had accrued over half-million dollars in fines for refusing to testify and was still scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga at the Alexandria courthouse on Friday.

Trenga is scheduled to rule on a motion to drop the contempt sanctions.

“Ms. Manning has previously indicated that she will not betray her principles, even at risk of grave harm to herself,” Mannings lawyers said. “Her actions today evidence the strength of her convictions, as well as the profound harm she continues to suffer as a result of her ‘civil’ confinement — a coercive practice that the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, recently said violates international law.”

Manning was originally indicted in March 2019 as part of the ongoing investigation into Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. This was two years after she was released from jail after serving seven years for allegedly giving Assange sensitive government information. Manning refused to testify and was held in contempt in Alexandria.

“I will not participate in a secret process that I morally object to, particularly one that has been used to entrap and persecute activists for protected political speech,” Manning said in a statement after being jailed in March.