"When he was first arrested, Manning was put on suicide watch, but his status was quickly changed to "Prevention of Injury" watch (POI), and under this lesser pretense he has been forced into his life of mind-numbing tedium. His treatment is harsh, punitive and taking its toll, says Coombs.
'There is no evidence he's a threat to himself, and shouldn't be held in such severe conditions under the artifice of his own protection.'
"The command is basing this treatment of him solely on the nature of the pending charges, and on an unrelated incident where a service member in the facility took his own life," Coombs said, referencing the February suicide of a marine captain in the Quantico brig. Coombs says he believes Quantico officials are keeping Manning under close watch with strict limitations on his activity out of an overabundance of caution. Both Coombs and Manning's psychologist, Coombs says, are sure Manning is mentally healthy, that there is no evidence he's a threat to himself, and shouldn't be held in such severe conditions under the artifice of his own protection."
C.f. also Glenn Greenwald's column from the other day, where he says:
"From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day -- for seven straight months and counting -- he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he's barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he's being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs."
So possibly he was on suicide watch for a couple days, but they quickly determined he was not suicidal and have since been taking punitive action against him.
"When he was first arrested, Manning was put on suicide watch, but his status was quickly changed to "Prevention of Injury" watch (POI), and under this lesser pretense he has been forced into his life of mind-numbing tedium. His treatment is harsh, punitive and taking its toll, says Coombs.
'There is no evidence he's a threat to himself, and shouldn't be held in such severe conditions under the artifice of his own protection.'
"The command is basing this treatment of him solely on the nature of the pending charges, and on an unrelated incident where a service member in the facility took his own life," Coombs said, referencing the February suicide of a marine captain in the Quantico brig. Coombs says he believes Quantico officials are keeping Manning under close watch with strict limitations on his activity out of an overabundance of caution. Both Coombs and Manning's psychologist, Coombs says, are sure Manning is mentally healthy, that there is no evidence he's a threat to himself, and shouldn't be held in such severe conditions under the artifice of his own protection."
http://bltwy.msnbc.msn.com/politics/bradley-mannings-prison-...
C.f. also Glenn Greenwald's column from the other day, where he says:
"From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day -- for seven straight months and counting -- he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he's barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he's being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs."
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/12/14...
Greenwald is currently addressing the perceived discrepancies between what he wrote and what Coombs said on his twitter account:
"@jon_persky Quantico is emphatic that he's not on suicide watch. And what would that have to do with 23hr/day solitary?" http://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/16417820896141312
"@sivavaid "His treatment is harsh, punitive and taking its toll, says Coombs. http://is.gd/iYYbv " http://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/16297100627156992
"@jsb (1) He's not on suicide watch & Coombs didn't say he was; (2) Combs: "he is not allowed to have a pillow"; (3) 23/hr/day solitary" http://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/16249290229809153
So possibly he was on suicide watch for a couple days, but they quickly determined he was not suicidal and have since been taking punitive action against him.