US private Bradley Manning finally learned of his fate on Wednesday after standing trial on charges from espionage to aiding the enemy. He was exonerated on aiding the enemy—which carries a sentence of life in prison—but was found guilty of stealing and spying.
Even though Manning will not receive an exact sentence of life behind bars, because he was convicted on at least 17 different charges, he is likely to spend a great portion of his life trapped behind a government-run reformatory facility, or just prison.
Manning was hailed as a hero leading up to his trial. Dr. Cornel West called him this generation’s “John Brown without the violence,” while others simply named Manning a traitor.
