Judge in Abu Ghraib Case Might Offer Deal to Senior Officers

[dumpster_baby]

Published: August 24, 2004

ANNHEIM, Germany, Aug. 24 — The judge in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse case said today that he might award immunity from prosecution in exchange for the testimony of several senior military intelligence officers who prosecutors said were likely subjects to be charged in the case.

...

He was responding to a request by one defendant, Sgt. Javal Davis, that higher officers in the chain of command be induced to testify, presumably to show that the abuses that took place had authorization and were not the work of rogue enlisted men and women acting on their own.

"Isn't the fundamental issue whether there was some authorization given that authorized extreme measure such as the accused are being charged with?" Judge Pohl said, asking prosecutors why he should not grant immunity to Colonel Jordan and Colonel Pappas.

...

The hearings gave some strong indications of the different strategies being planned as defense lawyers prepare their cases. Some defendants, Sergeant Davis among them, seem intent on demonstrating that whatever they are accused of doing in mistreating prisoners at Abu Ghraib, their actions were legal because they were approved by higher-ups in the chain of command.

....
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/24/international/middleeast/24CND-GERM.html


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



EGG-ZA-LENT! Push all the way to the TOP, baby!

[aquart]

1. And I thought you gave immunity to lower ranks

To hook the big fish.

My mistake.

[saigon68]

3. NO--- IN THE NEW ARMY THE PEONS GET THE SHAFT

The Colonels and Generals go to Halliburton for Cushy Jobs after they retire and DOUBLE DIP.

[Bozita]

7. Like giving immunity to Don Corleone in order to get Luccobrazzi

[realFedUp]

2. yeah, right....

so these on-site commanders get immunity while
testifying that higher-ups gave the orders,
and Rummy will be out of office by the time this
comes to conclusions. In the meantime, the
soldiers get the real punishment.

do we have justice in Iraq?

[oneighty]

4. Certainly you would not

want the senior officers to lose retirement pay? Their whole life ruined? Their wives and children to be disgraced by association? Over the discomfort of a few brown-skinned/rag heads.

Enlisted men only get the shaft-ignorant-uneducated-cannon fodder.

THIS IS SARCASM.

180

[Trillo]

5. My sentiments exactly. Special Deals for those at the top;

meanwhile, those at the bottom shoulder the responsibility.

[geek tragedy]

6. The enlisted people on trial requested this.

This is part of shoving shit upstream.

[realFedUp]

8. I don't think it's going to work...shit just sinks to the bottom

but of course their military lawyers
would see this as an obvious step to
remove the responsibility from the
soldier's shoulders.

[Dogmudgeon]

9. Here's how it REALLY works --

PFC Lynndie England is dishonorably discharged, does a year in the stockade, has her baby taken from her, and has her life ruined for several years.

SSGT Charles Greiner, her boyfriend, gets custody of Lynndie's baby, dumps Lynndie, forfeits his next promotion, receives a Letter of Reprimand and makes big bucks after finding Jeebus and going on a national book tour. ("From Poontang to Praise")

Brigadier General Janice Karpinski toughs out a long day of negative press reports and then hammers down a few bourbon-and-branchwaters at the base canteen.

SecDef Donald Rumsfeld ducks the press for a week.

George Bush continues to smear John Kerry.

--bkl