Snowden: Would return to U.S. with guarantee of fair trial
MANCHESTER, N.H. » Speaking via Skype from Russia, Edward Snowden tells an audience of supporters in New Hampshire that he is willing to be extradited to the United States if the federal government could guarantee he would get a fair trial.
The former National Security Agency contractor in 2013 leaked details of a secret government eavesdropping program and left the country. He faces U.S. charges that could land him in prison for up to 30 years.
Snowden spoke Saturday at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum, heavily attended by libertarians. He has previously spoken of making offers to the government to return home and even go to jail.
Saturday he said he asked for a guarantee of a fair trial where he can make “a public interest defense” then have jurors decide his case.
28 responses to “Snowden: Would return to U.S. with guarantee of fair trial”
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He should come back and face trial, it’s probably preferable to living the rest of his life in Russia. He has a fairly good chance the government will not be able to convince 12 people to convict him. He’s probably worried a judge could set aside the verdict and find him guilty anyway. There’s no question of his guilt, the only question is how much sympathy the jury will have for him.
It may be wise for him to wait for the outcome of Hillary’s e-mail investigations.
He looks like the kind of people we see at the Queen’s Beach in Waikiki.
“Fair trial?” Not going to happen in the USA with the government in total control in the judicial process.
For a truly fair trial, USA would have to try him in court in either Sweden, Denmark, or Switzerland. Sad to say but true.
Think you are right Localguy. Sad. We are no longer a free country.
The Republicans have successfully destroyed our free country of America for Main Street.
Now the Republicans want to bust the union and have Main Street work for free.
You keep saying “free”. Is that the same free stuff that the democrats are promising to give away, if elected?
Ahi. And my puppies are also free range with no collar to roam around the acre yard.
Haven’t you learned yet? Nothing is FREE anywhere in the world. Never was. Yet, as far as personal freedom, the U.S. is better than any other major country.
He’s a self serving traitor. He should have stayed in the US and faced his actions.
He made his choice, now he should stay with Vlad Putin……get a taste of some real ugliness in statecraft!
Yep, seems like he sold his soul to Putin and regrets it. Russia is pretty much everything that he stands against yet they are his biggest ally right now. The enemy of my enemy is my friend…
na stay in Russia. continue as Putins lap dog
He could apply Putin’s sun tan lotion.
Some people look at him as a traitor. Some see that he exposed a government that was abusing their power and doing things to the American people that they shouldn’t be doing.
And he could have worked at changing the system instead of making himself famous, infamous. People were hurt, we lost a lot because of his arrogant self important actions
No. He’s not worth the effort of a trial. Justice is served with him stuck in Russia as said above. Perfect
Some people look at my fat dog as not wasting food when she steals it from her skinny sister.
Fair what? And the American citizens would pay their taxes if it was spent wisely.
No trail in Iran. Just sit here and get stoned to death.
If Snowden came to Hawaii, he will be a hero. We treat the non residents better than the residents here.
Doesn’t really matter if he is found guilty. In America, we treat our inmates with the red carpet service.
Whatever he considers “fair”? A heroes homecoming? Waiting for accolades from the left or right? Putin is putting the the buttons.
He sure does have a soft and fair skin.
Sorry, no sympathy for this guy. He chose his course. I don’t want him to go to trial. Exile is much better punishment for him!
This guy’s nothing more than a government contractor and failed government worker who should spend the rest of his days in Russia. It’s ironic that he would expose US government secrets as if the US were some ominous bad guy, yet he’s in Russia…the Mecca of personal freedoms and transparency. What a joke…let him rot there.
Snowden elected to stay in Russia and now is having second thoughts. Too late – stay in Russia. The U.S. doesn’t want him back and we don’t want to have a long drawn out EXPENSIVE trial for him.
Snowden really wants to return to Oahu where he once lived. Besides he needs a tan.