Pretty sad that the US treats reporters this way for outing crimes. Any guilty plea will only ever be viewed as a pressured response. "you can go to jail for the rest of your life or just admit it and we will reduce the sentence". It makes a mockery of free reporting.

Wayback archive link for those who hate giving Murdoch clicks: https://web.archive.org/web/20230814053057/https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/julian-assanges-brother-says-wikileaks-founder-could-return-to-australia-as-us-ambassador-hints-at-plea-deal/news-story/6265cf02e63476571c4301cf4d8fcac8

Obvious trap is obvious.

Speaking to Sky News Australia, Assange's brother Shipton said the news showed the US was seeking to end it's "extremely controversial" prosecution.

"This indication from the Ambassador Caroline Kennedy shows that the US administration is looking for an off-ramp," Mr Shipton said.

"They've been pursuing Julian for the past 13 years for publishing evidence of corruption, for publishing evidence of war crimes and they're now deciding that there is a solution available.

"This is a sign that they don't want this playing out in American courts, particularly during an election cycle, so the US administration is really looking for an off-ramp here for what is an extremely, extremely controversial press freedom prosecution."

Asked what the outcome of a potential deal could be, Mr Shipton suggested he would expect Assange to be freed completely upon his return to Australia, saying he had already "paid" a significant price for his actions.

"Julian has been in prison for four year, he been detained one way or another for 13 years," he said.

"This is the price that he has paid, this is the price that his family has paid as well."