Defense contractor ordered to pay former Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million

[Lauren Taylor]

A FEDERAL JURY HAS AWARDED THREE FORMER ABU GHRAIB PRISONERS WHO WERE TORTURED AT THE HANDS OF U-S INTERROGATORS 42 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE RULING STEMS FROM A LAWSUIT FILED ON BEHALF OF FORMER DETAINEES IN 2008 – AGAINST A VIRGINIA-BASED DEFENSE COMPANY.

EARLIER THIS YEAR – A *DIFFERENT* JURY COULDN’T DECIDE WHETHER THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR THINGS ITS CIVILIAN INTERROGATORS – WHO WORKED ALONGSIDE THE U-S ARMY IN 2003 AND 2004 – DID.

THE JURY AWARDED THE FORMER DETAINEES 14 MILLION DOLLARS EACH IN DAMAGES FOR THE BEATINGS, SEXUAL ABUSE, FORCED NUDITY AND OTHER CRUEL TREATMENT THEY SUFFERED AT THE NOTORIOUS PRISON IN IRAQ.

WHILE THEY DIDN’T SAY THE COMPANY’S INTERROGATORS EXPLICITLY INFLICTED THE ABUSE THEMSELVES – THEY SAID THE COMPANY WAS COMPLICIT BECAUSE ITS INTERROGATORS CONSPIRED WITH MILITARY POLICE TO QUOTE “SOFTEN UP” DETAINEES FOR QUESTIONING WITH HARSH TREATMENT.

THIS CASE MARKED THE FIRST TIME A U-S JURY HEARD CLAIMS BROUGHT BY ABU GHRAIB SURVIVORS IN THE 20 YEARS SINCE PHOTOS OF DETAINEE MISTREATMENT — ACCOMPANIED BY SMILING U.S. SOLDIERS INFLICTING THE ABUSE — SHOCKED THE WORLD DURING THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ.