Soldier Found Guilty of Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse

Soldier Found Guilty of Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse

Army Private First Class Lynndie England could face 10 years in prison

Washington -- A U.S. military jury found Army Private First Class Lynndie England, a soldier accused of detainee abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, guilty of six of the seven charges lodged against her by the Army.

General Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that members of the U.S. armed forces have been “disappointed and felt disgraced by” the abuse cases, and “England’s conviction is just one more example of holding people accountable,” he said.

England was found guilty by a jury of five Army officers of conspiracy, maltreating detainees and committing an indecent act. She was acquitted of a second conspiracy charge. The trial, being held at the Fort Hood, Texas, Army post, now moves into the sentencing phase, and England could face a maximum of 10 years in prison.

“The world will see that Americans will not accept dishonorable behavior,” said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2004 when the U.S. military first brought to light allegations of prisoner abuse. “These are important lessons, though we certainly would not have chosen to teach them this way.”

England is one of nine U.S. soldiers who have been tried by military courts for prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Her trial was the last in the detainee abuse scandal; two other soldiers were convicted in trials and six made plea deals. Several of those soldiers testified at England's trial.

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