Posted on 09/27/2005 6:27:09 PM PDT by prairiebreeze
Lynndie England, the US soldier pictured holding a leash to a naked Iraqi inmate at Abu Ghraib prison in a scandal that prompted global outrage, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison and given a dishonorable discharge.
In sentencing testimony just hours before, England, who had faced a maximum nine years behind bars, apologised for her actions and said she remained an American patriot.
"After the photos were released, I've heard that attacks were made on US armed forces because of them," she said.
"I apologise to coalition forces and all the families," England, speaking slowly, told the jury of five officers, also apologising to "detainees, the families, America and all the soldiers."
England, 22, was convicted on Monday of abuse such as being photographed pointing to the genitals of a naked Iraqi prisoner in a section of the prison were the administrative clerk did not have any official duties.
The former West Virginia chicken factory worker blamed her involvement on Charles Graner, the abuse ringleader and father of her child.
"I was embarrassed because I was used by Private Graner; I didn't realise it at the time," she said, sometimes pausing at length to gather her thoughts. "I trusted him and I loved him."
England's mother showed up briefly with the 11-month-old baby in the military courtroom for the first time, and the Army reservist talked at length about how the child, who bears a striking resemblance to Graner, had changed her life.
Remember the baby
As the jury began its deliberations on the punishment on Tuesday evening, England telephoned her mother to ask her to return to the courthouse with the baby for their last time together before her sentencing.
England's testimony and appearance by the baby was a clear last effort to humanise a woman whose face is known worldwide but who has said little in public. Her lawyer, Capt. Jonathan Crisp, asked the jury to remember the baby and not sentence England to prison.
"Let her go home, send her home," Crisp said. "She will probably in all likelihood be facing this stigma for the rest of her life."
The prosecution asked the jury for a sentence of four to six years. "I cannot think of another incident that has more tarnished the image of the US Army," Capt. Chris Graveline said. "Who can think of a person who has disgraced the United States Army more?"
England was found guilty on six counts on Monday. All include the language of "wrongfully posing for a photograph."
The publication of these images early in 2004 caused major damage to America's image.
Asked by one of her lawyers about a photo of her baby with an American flag, England replied, "I'm still patriotic, ma'am, very much."
Graner admits abuse
By contrast, Graner, who is serving a 10-year sentence for abuses at the prison outside Baghdad, did not show any repentance earlier in the day and said he was acting on behalf of US military intelligence.
"Sir, I nearly beat a military intelligence detainee to death with military intelligence there," Graner, 37, told the court. "We treated each military detainee specifically on how the handler wanted."
Defense lawyers have sought to show that England was overly compliant to authority and Graner in particular. About England, Graner said, "She's young, she's suggestible."
England said Graner swept her off her feet.
"He was very charming, funny and, at the time, it looked like he was interested in the same things I was," she said. "I trusted him to help me out, to lead me to the right things."
The prosecution had agreed to a plea deal in May in which England would serve no more than 30 months in confinement. The judge negated the deal after hearing testimony from Graner that suggested England may not have been guilty.
England's case was the latest prosecution or plea bargain of low-level soldiers who served at Abu Ghraib.
The military has also reprimanded a small number of higher-ranking officers but none has faced criminal charges.
There were two major injustices there. (1) that Calley and Medina (at least) didn't hang, and (2) that someone like Calley, with about an 80-85 IQ, was made an officer in the first place. These days he'd have a hard time getting in the Army, period, and he wouldn't get anywhere near infantry.
Curiously, Calley chose to settle in Columbus, GA (Army town, Ft Benning) and he still lives there, but as you can imagine, he likes his privacy. Last information I had on him, he had a bad alcohol problem.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
It was a reserve unit, not a Guard unit. 800th MP Brigade, 320th MP Battalion, 372nd MP Company. AP and CNN don't get this but we know there are a lot of people between a PFC and a BG in any setup the Army has.
I believe the whistleblower you have in mind is SP/4 Joseph M. Darby, 372nd MP Company. He was commended by MG Taguba. One of three soldiers (a lieutenant and a navy PO 1/c were the others) that the general thought deserved praise.
For everybody that has forgotten the facts of the matter, or has only read the stuff in the mainstream press, I recommend the Taguba report. Here is a trustworthy link to it
FindLaw, HTML format with annexes: http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/iraq/tagubarpt.html
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
They finally charged him with UA and larceny (IIRC, of his handgun). But never took him into custody, and, in fact, gave him leave. (Like I said, nobody ever said Marines were smart). He didn't show up for his trial at the end of his leave -- imagine that. He now has an honoured place on the Navy's most wanted list:
http://www.ncis.navy.mil/wanted.cfm?id=134
There's also a nifty .pdf wanted poster you can download.
Also, POW Network has a page with some news stories on Hassoun. http://www.pownetwork.org/gulfII/hassoun.htm
Location, anybody's guess. Supposedly he's PNG in Lebanon and can't return.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
If you'll recall, she did plead guilty, but the trial judge threw out the plea based on that slime ball Graner's testimony that said she didn't know the pictures were not to be used for training, while she had said she knew they were for the guards personal jollies.
It's interesting that she stuck with a military JAG officer as her defense attorney, whereas many in such high profile cases go with a civilian attorney.
Much of that is not because of some "old boys club" mentality, although there is a bit of that, it's because their offenses are generally of omission, not commission. They fail to do their jobs properly, but do not commit any direct crimes, or at least any that can be proven. Even the military justice system requires proof of criminal actions before incarcerating people for long periods.
It may be relatively easy to prove that Corporal Alpha took a cattle prod to some Jihady's private parts, especially if his buddies took pictures, it may be a lot harder to prove that General Omega ordered it, unless she wrote the order down, and it's even harder to prove that she willfully looked the other way while a crime was being committed.
People are entitled to be stupid, Joe. The UCMJ frowns gravely upon those who abuse the privelige to the detriment of the service.
Besides, I hear that Leavenworth is lovely this time of year.
Jack.
She did was she was told by the man she was having sex with. A man who was taking advantage of a woman who could most charitably be called very plain, and not very bright. The fact that he was Corporal is not really of much importance. A corporal is the very lowest rank of all NCOs and NCOs aren't generally referred to as "Officers", even though that's what the "O" in NCO stands for. Unless you feel yourself in need of a new orifice, I wouldn't go calling your corporal Sir or Mamm, and you try it with your Sgt. Major. and you'll probably end up with several new orifices.
I too think the sentence was about right, although I wouldn't have objected to just a dishonarble discharge either. The media made her the poster girl for the scandle, but in reality she was jsut a bit player.
She's a bit too innocent looking for his tastes. He likes 'em sleazy. However the leash bit might appeal to him.
Being from not far from there, it probably is. But come December, January and February, and again in June, July, August (and this year September), not so much.
do tell. this is the first I've heard of it.
She did, but then the judge threw it out. He said she didn't know what she was doing. Her original plea bargain would have gotten her 18 months IIRC.
Ha! Please "punish" me that way. You do know that an O-6's retirement pay is at 20 years $46,800 a year, and at 25 years $61,300, and even higher for more don't you? I don't know how many years Karpinski had in, but in any case that ain't "punishment."
If you're serious, then you have a terrible problem with ethics and in finding ugly, stupid, immoral, evil women attractive.
It wasn't just panties on the head. Have you completely forgotten what she and Graner did to the prisoners ?
No suprise there.
Uncle Hulka? LOL
It could be pointed out that they only started doing that after the Arab street found out what had been going on in Abu Grahib, so those beheadings are down to the funtimes of the REMFs in the prison.
She got off easy.
Ohhhh, I didn't know her relatives were the culprits! Ok, 10 years works for me--on top of the three she's already getting!
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