ACLU: Army Investigating Chelsea Manning After Suicide Attempt

<p>The American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;says a former Oklahoman and transgender soldier imprisoned in Kansas for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks now faces possible punishment for offenses stemming from a suicide attempt.</p>

Friday, July 29th 2016, 9:03 am

By: News On 6


The American Civil Liberties Union says a former Oklahoman and transgender soldier imprisoned in Kansas for sending classified information to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks now faces possible punishment for offenses stemming from a suicide attempt.

The ACLU said in a statement that Chelsea Manning, a 28-year-old transgender soldier, received a document from Army officials Thursday saying she's being investigated for "administrative offenses," including "conduct which threatens," related to her July 5 suicide attempt.

The American Civil Liberties Union says if Manning's convicted of the offenses she could be placed in indefinite solitary confinement.

“It is deeply troubling that Chelsea is now being subjected to an investigation and possible punishment for her attempt to take her life. The government has long been aware of Chelsea's distress associated with the denial of medical care related to her gender transition and yet delayed and denied the treatment recognized as necessary,” said ACLU Staff Attorney Chase Strangio. 

“Now, while Chelsea is suffering the darkest depression she has experienced since her arrest, the government is taking actions to punish her for that pain. It is unconscionable and we hope that the investigation is immediately ended and that she is given the health care that she needs to recover.”

In addition to new charges, the ACLU says the Army continues to deny Chelsea access to basic health care, including inadequate medical treatment after her suicide attempt.

An Army spokesman didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

5/19/2016 Related Story: Chelsea Manning Appeals Conviction In WikiLeaks Case

Bradley Manning was convicted in 2013 in military court for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and federal documents when she was an intelligence analyst in Iraq.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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