US Army Pfc. Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years in a military prison this morning after being convicted of 20 counts related to his leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks, which consisted mostly of diplomatic cables. (He escaped conviction on the most serious charge of "aiding the enemy.") In addition, he will also forfeit all of his pay and allowances, have his rank reduced to private, and be dishonorably discharged.

A reporter present at the hearing said that Manning showed no reaction as the sentence was read, but audible gasps came from spectators in the court gallery. As Manning was escorted from the courtroom by armed guards, a small group of supporters shouted, "We'll keep fighting for you, Bradley!" and "You're our hero!"

The sentence will no doubt be a disappointment to Army prosecutors who wanted a stiffer sentence. Indeed, during closing arguments on Tuesday, prosecutors requested a sentence of at least 60 years. Prosecutor Capt. Joe Morrow told the court that "there may not be a soldier in the history of the Army who displayed such extreme disregard" for his mission.

Defense lawyer David Coombs requested a term of less than 25 years, arguing that Manning had "pure intentions" and "truly, genuinely believed that this information could make a difference."

In February, Manning told the court that Americans needed to know the "true costs of war" and he "felt we were risking so much for people who seemed unwilling to cooperate with us, leading to frustration and hatred on both sides. I began to become depressed at the situation we found ourselves mired in year after year," he testified.

Manning will receive credit for the over three-and-a-half years he has spent in custody awaiting trial. That figure includes 112 days of credit for being subject to harsh treatment. During one period of his pretrial incarceration, Manning's clothing was confiscated every night, and he was then forced to stand for inspection by guards while naked. He was also prevented from sleeping between 5am and 8pm and not allowed to have sheets on his bed. Col. Denise Lind, the judge who presided over the trial, ruled during a pretrial hearing that his sentence would be reduced to account for his abusive incarceration conditions.

The Washington Post reports that Manning will need to serve one-third of his sentence before being eligible for parole, meaning that he could be released as soon as 2021, given credit for time served.