[Vision2020] 05-12-04 Breaking AP: Report: Army Court-Martial Papers Detail Prisoner Abuses
Art Deco aka W. Fox
deco@moscow.com
Wed, 12 May 2004 15:38:44 -0700
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May 12, 2004
Report: Army Court-Martial Papers Detail Prisoner Abuses
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) - An Army investigator testified at a military hearing in
Baghdad earlier this month that seven guards at the Abu Ghraib prison abused
inmates "for fun" and not under orders from superior officers, the Los Angeles
Times reported Wednesday.
The agent said one noncommissioned officer witnessed one act of mistreatment but
never reported it, however, the newspaper said. The Times cited testimony it
said Special Agent Tyler Pieron of the Army's Criminal Investigation Division
gave May 1 at a military hearing in Baghdad.
The hearing involved four charges of conspiracy, dereliction of duty, indecent
acts and cruelty and maltreatment of prisoners against Spc. Megan M. Ambuhl. She
is one of seven members of the 372nd Military Police Company who have been
charged with abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib.
A hearing officer, Maj. Charles W. Ransome, later recommended that the charges
of indecent acts and cruelty and maltreatment be dropped. Ransome ruled May 8
that Ambuhl only watched but did not participate when naked prisoners were
stacked into a pyramid and when other naked prisoners were forced to masturbate.
Military prosecutors were told to provide new evidence if they wanted to pursue
a court-martial on those two charges, the Times said.
Pieron testified that the abuse was the work of the seven soldiers facing
criminal charges, who were acting without the authority of anyone higher up in
the chain of command. Some of the soldiers have said they were ordered to
"soften up" the prisoners before they were questioned by military or contract
interrogators.
"The fear instilled in the prisoners may have been a benefit (for
interrogation), but I don't know for sure," Pieron testified. "These individuals
wanted to do this for fun."
The Times said Pieron identified the ringleaders as Cpl. Charles Graner, Staff
Sgt. Ivan Frederick II and Sgt. Javal Davis, who have pleaded not guilty to
military charges. Pieron testified that Davis acknowledged "stepping, stomping
and jumping on the detainees."
Pieron said the guards' superior, Sgt. 1st Class Shannon Snider, once saw Davis
stepping on a prisoner and angrily ordered him to stop but never reported the
incident.
At the same hearing, Sgt. Samuel Jefferson Provance III, a staff member of a
military intelligence battalion, said interrogators also mistreated detainees.
AP-ES-05-12-04 1819EDT
This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAE7LXZ5UD.html
a.. Go Back To The Story
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<P>May 12, 2004</P>
<H2>Report: Army Court-Martial Papers Detail Prisoner Abuses</H2>The =
Associated=20
Press <BR><BR>LOS ANGELES (AP) - An Army investigator testified at a =
military=20
hearing in Baghdad earlier this month that seven guards at the Abu =
Ghraib prison=20
abused inmates "for fun" and not under orders from superior officers, =
the Los=20
Angeles Times reported Wednesday.=20
<P>The agent said one noncommissioned officer witnessed one act of =
mistreatment=20
but never reported it, however, the newspaper said. The Times cited =
testimony it=20
said Special Agent Tyler Pieron of the Army's Criminal Investigation =
Division=20
gave May 1 at a military hearing in Baghdad.=20
<P>The hearing involved four charges of conspiracy, dereliction of duty, =
indecent acts and cruelty and maltreatment of prisoners against Spc. =
Megan M.=20
Ambuhl. She is one of seven members of the 372nd Military Police Company =
who=20
have been charged with abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib.=20
<P>A hearing officer, Maj. Charles W. Ransome, later recommended that =
the=20
charges of indecent acts and cruelty and maltreatment be dropped. =
Ransome ruled=20
May 8 that Ambuhl only watched but did not participate when naked =
prisoners were=20
stacked into a pyramid and when other naked prisoners were forced to =
masturbate.=20
<P>Military prosecutors were told to provide new evidence if they wanted =
to=20
pursue a court-martial on those two charges, the Times said.=20
<P>Pieron testified that the abuse was the work of the seven soldiers =
facing=20
criminal charges, who were acting without the authority of anyone higher =
up in=20
the chain of command. Some of the soldiers have said they were ordered =
to=20
"soften up" the prisoners before they were questioned by military or =
contract=20
interrogators.=20
<P>"The fear instilled in the prisoners may have been a benefit (for=20
interrogation), but I don't know for sure," Pieron testified. "These =
individuals=20
wanted to do this for fun."=20
<P>The Times said Pieron identified the ringleaders as Cpl. Charles =
Graner,=20
Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick II and Sgt. Javal Davis, who have pleaded not =
guilty=20
to military charges. Pieron testified that Davis acknowledged "stepping, =
stomping and jumping on the detainees."=20
<P>Pieron said the guards' superior, Sgt. 1st Class Shannon Snider, once =
saw=20
Davis stepping on a prisoner and angrily ordered him to stop but never =
reported=20
the incident.=20
<P>At the same hearing, Sgt. Samuel Jefferson Provance III, a staff =
member of a=20
military intelligence battalion, said interrogators also mistreated =
detainees.=20
<P>AP-ES-05-12-04 1819EDT <BR><BR><B>This story can be found at:</B> <A=20
href=3D"http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAE7LXZ5UD.html">http://ap.tbo.com=
/ap/breaking/MGAE7LXZ5UD.html</A><BR><BR>
<LI><A href=3D"javascript:history.back()">Go Back To The Story</A>=20
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