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Lynndie england gets 3 years while officers not charged { September 27 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700790_pf.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092700790_pf.html
Tearful Lynndie England gets 3 years in prison
By Adam Tanner
Reuters
Tuesday, September 27, 2005; 9:27 PM
FORT HOOD, Texas (Reuters) - Lynndie England, the U.S. 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 of nine years behind bars, said she was sorry for her actions but said she remained an American patriot.
"After the photos were released, I've heard that attacks were made on U.S. armed forces because of them," she said.
"I apologize to coalition forces and all the families," England, speaking slowly, told the jury of five officers, also apologizing 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.
She stood at attention to hear the verdict and remained standing and looking toward the front of the courtroom after the trial ended as tears welled in her eyes. Her mother, Terrie, then came over to give her a very long hug.
Within 45 minutes, England's hands and feet were shackled and she was slowly walked from the courthouse to a van that brought her to jail. She made no final comments.
In her court testimony, 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 realize 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 Carter 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 with the baby for their last time together. After sentencing, Terrie England, her eyes red from crying, carried out the baby and drove away.
England's testimony and appearance by the baby was a clear last effort to humanize 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
© 2005 Reuters
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