Guarantee you the US did this because their case was so weak they had a significant chance of losing. Of course, getting to that point would have taken years more trials and incarceration... and once Assange won the broken legal system would have most likely given him no compensation. So the plea is a logical choice.
quotingFree at last!
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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/julian-assange-reached-plea-deal-us-allowing-go-free-rcna158695