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President Obama commutes the majority of Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence President Obama commutes the majority of Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence
(35 minutes later)
President Obama commuted the majority of Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence on Tuesday. Manning, the former army intelligence analyst, was convicted of leaking classified Army documents and was sentenced to 35-years in prison. President Obama has commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, the former army intelligence analyst who was convicted of leaking classified military documents to Wikileaks and sentenced to 35-years in prison.
The New York Times reports that Manning will be released in five months, May 17, instead of 2045. Mr Obama commuted a total of 209 commutations and 64 pardons. Ms Manning, 29, will be released in five months, on 17 May, instead of 2045, according to The New York Times. 
This story is developing. Check back for updates. Since her incarceration, the former US Army soldier known as Bradley Manning, has attempted multiple suicides and undergone gender reassignment surgery.
On Tuesday, Mr Obama commuted a total of 209 sentences and pardoned 64 people. He had now commuted the sentences of a total of 1,385 individuals - the most issued by any president in US history. He has also granted a total of 212 pardons.
“While the mercy the President has shown his 1,597 clemency recipients is remarkable, we must remember that clemency is an extraordinary remedy, granted only after the President has concluded that a particular individual has demonstrated a readiness to make use of his or her second chance,” White House Counsel Neil Eggleston wrote in a statement.
“Only Congress can achieve the broader reforms needed to ensure over the long run that our criminal justice system operates more fairly and effectively in the service of public safety.
The American Civil Liberties Union has pressured the current presidential administration to commute Manning’s sentence. Additionally, a recent White House petition called on Mr. Obama to commute Manning’s sentence has reached well over 100,000 signatures.
Just last week, Julian Assange agreed to be extradited to the United States if President Obama commuted Manning’s sentence. “If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case.”