US woman GI pleads guilty of prisoners’ abuse
Pakistan Times Monitoring Desk

FORT HOOD, Texas (US): Pfc. Lynndie England, who appeared in some of the most graphic photographs depicting physical mistreatment and sexual humiliation of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, pleaded guilty Monday to charges arising from her role in the abuse scandal.

The 22-year-old Army reservist entered her pleas to two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act.

In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop another count of committing an indecent act and one count of dereliction of duty.

Of the Punishment

If the plea agreement is accepted by the judge, Col. James Pohl, a jury of officers and enlisted soldiers will decide her punishment following a sentencing hearing expected to last several days.

England repeatedly answered “Yes, sir” as Pohl questioned her to make sure she understood her legal rights and the consequences of her pleas.

Defense lawyer Rick Hernandez said last week that the defense will present evidence during sentencing that England has severe learning disabilities and mental health problems.

The plea agreement, which came the day before England was scheduled to go to trial, lowers her maximum possible sentence from 16 1/2 years in prison to 11 years.

Perspective

England, from Fort Ashby, W.Va., is one of seven members of the Maryland-based 372nd Military Police Company charged with humiliating and assaulting prisoners at Abu Ghraib. She became a central figure in the scandal after her photos had surfaced.

One image showed her smiling and posing with nude prisoners stacked in a pyramid while giving a thumbs-up. Another showed her holding a hooded, naked Iraqi prisoner on a leash, and one showed her smiling and pointing at a naked detainee’s genitals while smoking a cigarette.

The Abu Ghraib scandal, which went public in April 2004, damaged the image of America’s military leadership at home and sparked outrage around the world.

Several government investigations have been conducted, but so far only low-level soldiers have been charged, although the defendants and other critics have alleged that high-level officials condoned the abuse.●