A military judge on August 21 sentenced U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning to 35 years in prison for disclosing secret documents to WikiLeaks about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Manning faced 90 years in prison on charges including violations of the 1917 Espionage Act. He was acquitted of the most serious charge — aiding the enemy — for his disclosure of more than 700,000 classified military and diplomatic documents.
MINNESOTA 'TROLL' OUSTED
Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson announced a settlement on August 20 that essentially kicks a Texas patent "troll" out of the state. MPHJ Technology Investments agreed to stop threatening to sue Minnesota businesses that use standard office equipment that scans documents to email. MPHJ, of Waco, Texas, had demanded license fees of up to $1,200 per employee. The first-of-its-kind agreement bars MPHJ from sending licensing or infringement inquiry letters in Minnesota without Swanson's permission.
