Bradley Manning took the stand again on Wednesday and spoke for the second time in the more than three years since his arrest. This time, he said he was sorry.
"I want to start off with an apology," Manning told the military judge in a two-minute statement. "I’m sorry that my actions hurt people. I’m sorry that they hurt the United States [...] I understood what I was doing, and decisions I made. However, I did not fully appreciate the broader effects of my actions."
Manning delivered his statement during the last day of the sentencing phase of his court martial, where he potentially faces 90 years in prison after he was found guilty of espionage. Manning leaked thousands of secret documents to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, but while he claimed to regret those decisions, he said he made them in good faith.
"When I made these decisions I believed they would help people, not hurt people," he said, according to a transcript from the court published by The Guardian.
His words may come as a surprise, given that during his only other previous public appearance -- until today -- he seemed rather unapologetic.
During the pretrial hearings, he stepped up as WikiLeaks' source and said he believed the leaked documents were "some of most important documents of our time."
This time, however, he showed regret.
"I look back at my decisions and wonder, 'How on earth could I, a junior analyst, possibly believe I could change the world for the better over the decisions of those with the proper authority?' In retrospect I should have worked more aggressively inside the system," Manning said. "I had options, and I should have used these options."
Finally, Manning added that he hoped to get out of prison and earn a college degree, spend time with his family and contribute to society. He pleaded for a short sentence.
"I hope you can give me the opportunity to prove -- not through words, but through conduct -- that I am a good person," he said, "and that I can return to a productive place in society."
Since Manning's statement was not sworn, the prosecution could not cross-examine him. Manning's lawyer David E. Coombs is currently addressing the judge before resting the defense's case.