Charles Colson Should Plead Guilty For Ellsberg Trial

857 Words4 Pages

In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a United States military analyst, released the top-secret Pentagon papers to the public. He is on trial under of the charge of the Espionage Act, theft, and conspiracy. The president, Richard Nixon, in the midst of the media’s attacks, orders Charles Colson, a member of his special administration, to dig up some dirt on Ellsberg to discredit him while he is on trial. Colson hires E. Howard Hunt, a CIA officer, to join the president’s Special Investigations Unit. Hunt’s mission escalates to breaking into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist's office and helping organize a break-in at the DNC at the Watergate in June of 1972. Upon the discovery of the break-in, those in close operation with Nixon faced the various charges from committing and covering up the crimes that became known as the Watergate scandal. It is an undisputed fact that Charles Colson participated in defaming Ellsberg by hiring E. Howard Hunt to find slanderous information on him. Some people believe Colson should not plead guilty in the Ellsberg trial’s charges, while others feel he should plead guilty. Colson should plead guilty to the Ellsberg trial’s charges given three reasons: it dismisses Colson’s …show more content…

He demonstrates his repentance when he pleads guilty to the crimes he committed-- despite his attorney’s urging him not to do so. Furthermore, while imprisoned, Colson places all trust into God to lead him into doing what is right. Colson initially struggles keeping his self-reliance and pride at bay, but by the time he serves his seven month sentence, he understands complete faith in God is of the utmost significance. Similarly, his prison time exhibits the power of prayer. Colson and fellow Christian inmates spend hours begging Christ to lay his healing hand upon Cecil Barnes, who was suffering from an unyielding fever amongst other numerous afflictions. Then, the very day after the prayer session, Barnes awakes feeling good as