Local corrections officer faces court martial for abusing Iraqi prisoners
A corrections officer at the State Correctional Institution at Greene is reportedly one of the seven U.S. Army reservists facing court-martial for allegedly abusing Iraqi prisoners. Cpl. Charles A. Graner Jr. is facing prosecution in Iraq on charges that include conspiracy, dereliction of duty, cruelty toward prisoners, maltreatment, assault and indecent acts, according to the Washington Post.
The Washington Post reported that the soldiers who are facing charges include Graner, Staff Sgt. Ivan “Chip” Frederick, Spec. Megan M. Ambuhl, Sgt. Javal S. Davis, Spec. Sabrina D. Harman and Spec. Jeremy C. Sivits. The seventh suspect, Private Lynndie England, was reassigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., after becoming pregnant.
The Washington Post said it had received sealed charging papers with the information about the seven.
All the soldiers are members of The 372nd Military Police Company, 800th MP Brigade, based in Cumberland, Md.
According to Sharon D’Eletto, public information officer at SCI-Greene, Graner was hired May 20, 1996, as a correction’s officer and was activated on March 5, 2003.
D’Eletto confirmed that she has received numerous media inquiries regarding the status of Graner, but could not provide an age or hometown for him.
She said the institution has not been notified that he has been charged either criminally or by the military.
However, D’Eletto acknowledged that she has never encountered a situation such as this, and was unsure if the military would even have to notify the institution that Graner had been charged. She said if an employee faces criminal charges, the institution is notified.
The reservists allegedly took photographs of naked hooded Iraqi prisoners, which were broadcast on television last week. Several of the photographs show the prisoners being forced to assume humiliating poses. Some of the reservists are in the photographs with the prisoners. Other pictures show the prisoners in heaps and simulating sex acts on each other.
The incidents occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, which was reportedly a well-known site of torture under Saddam Hussein. Earlier this year, the Army began investigating reports of sexual and physical abuse of prisoners at the site, which occurred in November and December.
In addition to the court martials, the former U.S. commander of Iraqi prisons, Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, commander of the 800th MP Brigade, was relieved of duties and returned to the United States.