Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - U.S. soldier found guilty of prisoner abuse

OFKU0 · 01-14-2005, 07:41 PM

Updated Fri. Jan. 14 2005 10:07 PM ET

U.S. soldier found guilty of prisoner abuse
CTV.ca News Staff

It took a military jury less than five hours to convict U.S. army Spc. Charles Graner of abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.

Graner, 36, looked straight ahead with no expression as the jury found him guilty of all five charges against him arising from the scandal.

He now faces up to 15 years behind bars. The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to begin Friday evening.

The military accused Graner of being the ringleader of a band of rogue guards at Abu Ghraib. Graner and his lawyers say he was just following orders -- an argument rejected by the jury.

On Friday, Graner was found guilty on 10 counts under five separate charges, including assault, conspiracy, maltreatment of detainees, committing indecent acts and dereliction of duty. One assault count was downgraded to battery.

Graner was accused of stacking naked prisoners in a pyramid and forcing them to masturbate. He also allegedly forced Muslims to eat pork and drink alcohol, against their religious beliefs, and allegedly punched a man in the head hard enough to knock him out.

"It was for sport, for laughs,'' Capt. Chris Graveline, one of the prosecutors, told jurors in his closing arguments Friday.

"What we have here is plain abuse. There is no justification.''

Graner, the first soldier to be tried on charges arising from the scandal, never took the stand himself during the 41/2-day trial.

His lawyer, Guy Womack, said the soldiers were under extreme pressure from U.S. intelligence agents to prepare the prisoners for questioning.

Womack noted that the alleged abuse happened before deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was in U.S. custody.

"There was somebody very important on everybody's mind,'' Womack said.

"Wouldn't it be logical to have your interrogators use pressure to get information to try to find him?''

The notorious photographs that sparked the abuse investigations were first broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes II in April 2004. Prisoners were shown wearing hoods, piled naked on top of each other, hooked to electrodes, and tethered to a leash.

Three others are awaiting trial, including Pte. First Class Lynndie England, who gave birth last fall to a baby believed to have been fathered by Graner.

Four other soldiers have pleaded guilty in the scandal.

With files from CTV's Alan Fryer and The Associated Press

http://g.msn.com/0US!s6.73430_734763/2.a7371/3??cm=CTVNews

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

So is this justice or not? I just watched CNN and as much as Aaron Brown tried to put on a brave face, the guy he interviewed (sorry, just jumped in, no name) said the cases of abuse are at least in the hundreds if not thousands but this guy, Graner, got caught.

The Question. Is Graner the fall guy for abuses and if so, what about his superiors? Will this epitomize the abuses, that is will this be the beckoning that is refered to if such abuses happen again and are thought of as nothing?

Or will people genuinely be appalled? If such circumstances happened to U.S POW'S would people be alarmed or would they even give a shit? So what?

01-14-2005, 07:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
OFKU0 Junk	U.S. soldier found guilty of prisoner abuse Updated Fri. Jan. 14 2005 10:07 PM ET U.S. soldier found guilty of prisoner abuse CTV.ca News Staff It took a military jury less than five hours to convict U.S. army Spc. Charles Graner of abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. Graner, 36, looked straight ahead with no expression as the jury found him guilty of all five charges against him arising from the scandal. He now faces up to 15 years behind bars. The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to begin Friday evening. The military accused Graner of being the ringleader of a band of rogue guards at Abu Ghraib. Graner and his lawyers say he was just following orders -- an argument rejected by the jury. On Friday, Graner was found guilty on 10 counts under five separate charges, including assault, conspiracy, maltreatment of detainees, committing indecent acts and dereliction of duty. One assault count was downgraded to battery. Graner was accused of stacking naked prisoners in a pyramid and forcing them to masturbate. He also allegedly forced Muslims to eat pork and drink alcohol, against their religious beliefs, and allegedly punched a man in the head hard enough to knock him out. "It was for sport, for laughs,'' Capt. Chris Graveline, one of the prosecutors, told jurors in his closing arguments Friday. "What we have here is plain abuse. There is no justification.'' Graner, the first soldier to be tried on charges arising from the scandal, never took the stand himself during the 41/2-day trial. His lawyer, Guy Womack, said the soldiers were under extreme pressure from U.S. intelligence agents to prepare the prisoners for questioning. Womack noted that the alleged abuse happened before deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was in U.S. custody. "There was somebody very important on everybody's mind,'' Womack said. "Wouldn't it be logical to have your interrogators use pressure to get information to try to find him?'' The notorious photographs that sparked the abuse investigations were first broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes II in April 2004. Prisoners were shown wearing hoods, piled naked on top of each other, hooked to electrodes, and tethered to a leash. Three others are awaiting trial, including Pte. First Class Lynndie England, who gave birth last fall to a baby believed to have been fathered by Graner. Four other soldiers have pleaded guilty in the scandal. With files from CTV's Alan Fryer and The Associated Press http://g.msn.com/0US!s6.73430_734763/2.a7371/3??cm=CTVNews ----------------------------------------------------------------------- So is this justice or not? I just watched CNN and as much as Aaron Brown tried to put on a brave face, the guy he interviewed (sorry, just jumped in, no name) said the cases of abuse are at least in the hundreds if not thousands but this guy, Graner, got caught. The Question. Is Graner the fall guy for abuses and if so, what about his superiors? Will this epitomize the abuses, that is will this be the beckoning that is refered to if such abuses happen again and are thought of as nothing? Or will people genuinely be appalled? If such circumstances happened to U.S POW'S would people be alarmed or would they even give a shit? So what? __________________ " In Canada, you can tell the most blatant lie in a calm voice, and people will believe you over someone who's a little passionate about the truth." David Warren, Western Standard.