As she said she would, Army Colonel Denise Lind has delivered her verdict in the Bradley Manning case, finding him not guilty on the most serious charge, aiding the enemy. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), aiding the enemy is a capital offense, though prosecutors said they would only ask for life in prison. After Manning pled guilty to 10 counts through a process called “exceptions and substitutions,” the government chose to move forward with all 22 offenses, leaving Manning to face the possibility of life in prison plus 154 years. Tuesday’s verdict means Manning escapes the life sentences for aiding the enemy, but still faces a potential maximum of more than 130 years in prison, being found guilty for violations of the Espionage Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and military law. The aiding the enemy charge was particularly controversial, as it relied on what the defense described as a novel legal interpretation.