Courtroom sketch by Clark Stoeckley

UPDATE – 9:00 PM EST Jeff Paterson of the Bradley Manning Support Network sends me this message, which suggests the three people in the sketch above are from the State Department:”It is my understanding that the three people in question represent the State Dept., and were on hand to (primarily) argue that the State Dept.–particularly their bosses–should not have to testify at the court martial.” That makes sense. The government was pushing to halt the provision of discovery evidence to the defense on behalf of the State Department. They were trying to serve as gatekeepers who protected the State Department’s records from seeing sunlight.

If the three work for the State Department, why were they at the courthouse? Perhaps, they are lawyers and they are doing some regular work with the attorneys involved in the grand jury investigation?

Original Post

Three individuals, who military public affairs have informed media are government employees, have been attending hearings for Pfc. Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of releasing classified information to WikiLeaks. They will not tell press what agency or department of government these individuals work for.

In court, they sit right behind the prosecution when they attend proceedings. The woman with the bleached blond hair is extremely tan. Multiple times she has engaged in disruptive conversation with soldiers who are there assisting military prosecutors with any tasks that must be done during proceedings (e.g. fetching copies of court decisions that could potentially influence the judge’s rulings on motions).

The three are always together. They confer with military prosecutors in a room that is just behind where media sit in the gallery. Who are these people?

The suspicion is that they are staff people involved with the WikiLeaks federal grand jury investigation that is based in Alexandria, Virginia. The woman is suspected to be Tracy McCormick. David House, who was ordered to testify before the grand jury, says the bleached blond woman is her. But, again, that identity has not been entirely confirmed.

Is her name Tracy McCormick? Is she involved in the WikiLeaks grand jury?

I attended former CIA agent John Kiriakou’s motion hearing this morning. He is being prosecuted under the Espionage Act by the Obama administration for allegedly releasing classified information to journalists that included the identities of a “covert CIA officer” and details on the role of “another CIA employee in classified activities.” He argues he is being selectively and vindictively prosecuted.

The hearing took place at the US District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia. I was standing outside the courthouse entrance talking to Kiriakou, Thomas Drake and Jesselyn Radack when I glanced over and saw two of the three alleged WikiLeaks grand jury staffers walking to a car. The two individuals I saw were the black haired woman and the red haired man.

I watched them get into their vehicle. It was parked alongside a security barrier in the middle of Mill Road. There were police cars also parked along this barrier. This barrier ran down the middle of the street outside the courthouse and seemed like a place where official employees might be authorized to park.

What were the chances that I would see them as I was standing outside chatting? Pretty slim.

The WikiLeaks grand jury has been convening at the Eastern District of Virginia courthouse. This is a major clue as to who these people are that have been attending hearings. If their identities can be entirely confirmed, this indicates the grand jury is engaged in close consultation with prosecutors working to convict Manning.

Who are these people? Are they connected or involved in the WikiLeaks grand jury investigation?