WSJ, USA evaluate the possibility of declassifying Assange's crimes - Last minute. The US Justice Department is considering whether to allow Julian Assange to plead guilty to the less serious charge of mishandling classified information.
Assange, the 52-year-old controversial founder of WikiLeaks, is fighting a long legal battle with the UK government to avoid being extradited to the US and facing trial for publishing thousands of classified military documents and US diplomatic cables around 2010. A UK court is currently evaluating whether to allowed a final appeal by Assange.