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Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 04:31:09 PM EST
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After five hours of deliberation, a ten member military jury found Abu Ghraib guard Charles Graner guilty of abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Graner stood at attention and looked straight ahead without expression as each verdict was read. His parents, Charles and Irma Graner, held hands tightly as they listened.

The jury begins deliberating his sentence this evening. He can get up to 15 1/2 years.

The charges he was convicted of include Assault, conspiracy, maltreatment of detainees, committing indecent acts and dereliction of duty. He was found guilty on all counts, except that one assault count was downgraded to battery.

Each side will present witnesses during the sentencing phase, and Graner may testify. He should. He needs to tell his side of the story.

< U.S. Soldier Gets One Year for 'Mercy Killing' Iraqi Teen | Justice Dept. Investigates FBI Agents Re: Iraqi Prisoner Abuse >

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    Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse | 16 comments (16 topical)
    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 04:55:08 PM EST
    GOOD! Excellent verdict. I'm guessing he gets 10 years.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#2)
    by Sailor on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 05:19:09 PM EST
    TL, if he was your client would you wnat him to testify?

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#3)
    by wishful on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 07:43:15 PM EST
    I'm not sure what he has to lose in testifying. This is a sentencing hearing after all. Unless of course he doesn't know how to tone down the arrogance.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#4)
    by Rich on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 09:08:20 PM EST
    Make no mistake, a young man from western PA or West Virginia is more apt to die in an illegal war than any terrorist attack. Christ, one year in jail for "mercy killing" a wounded 16 year old Iraqi boy and Graner gets a friggin court martial. Navy Seals only receive Captain's Mast for their assault on Iraqi captives . Army soldiers receive effectively no punishment for drowning an Iraqi in a river. Graner is guilty of a just few things; enlisting in the military from western Pennsylvania and stupidity.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 09:22:49 PM EST
    Rich: That's a mighty sharp blade of cynicism you've got there!

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#6)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 11:08:35 PM EST
    I bet Bush will pardon him in 2009 (or sooner). Any takers?

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#7)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Jan 14, 2005 at 11:37:07 PM EST
    The SCLM is already labeling him the "ringleader" of a group of bad apples.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 12:34:07 AM EST
    Graner is nothing but a Scaoegoat and that is sad to say about the empire but normal in this empire to make and imprison Scaoegoats. How many more will be doing time for bush's war? where is bin laden? I hope Graner's is not killed in our political prison system.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 01:19:50 AM EST
    Ernesto: Why? The Bush administration has no track record of rewarding loyal sacrifices. Plus he might roll during the sentencing hearing...

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#10)
    by Rich on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 09:28:18 AM EST
    Lavocat: it helps to have grown up in Western PA. But sincerely, what in common do the fine people in New York City have with the likes of Charles Graner and his cohorts from western PA? Put another way, how many employees of Cantor-Fitzgerald would have joined the military to avenge a terrorist attack on Graner's hometown? How much money in reparation/loss-compensation would the good employees of New York City have agreed to pay or encourage their government to pay to the folks of Graner's hometown had they suffered a proportional loss in a terrorist attack? So Graner goes down not just because he committed vile acts on behalf of his national leadership, the President-SecDef-Al Gonzalez, but unlike the national leadership his lack of sophistication created an air of embarrassment that just could not be tolerated. And the pattern repeats.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#11)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 10:07:55 AM EST
    Ernesto: Why? The Bush administration has no track record of rewarding loyal sacrifices. Plus he might roll during the sentencing hearing... I am using historical precedent here. Lt. Calley was pardoned by Nixon after taking the fall for the My Lai.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 11:54:30 AM EST
    Nixon was highly principled compared to the current bunch. I will take the wager, Ernesto. The current bunch are masters at ordering abuse (not abuse of course according to their definition) and then acting shocked when prisoners are abused. Graner has no reasonable expectation of sympathy or pardon from Halliburton Inc. He is the poster-boy bad apple that prove Dubya and Halliburton Inc are the party of values. You connect the dots, Kimo Sabe.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 02:43:36 PM EST
    Graner is just a patsy, a diversion. I'll believe otherwise when some officer is held accountable for interrogation techquiues at Abu Gharib, Gitmo or Baghram which led to death or abuse. I won't be holding my breath expecting this to happen, though. It's only the "bad apples" who did the unauthorized stuff on the night shift who will be scapegoated.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 07:03:58 PM EST
    Graner is nothing but a Scaoegoat
    I agree with Fred here. It seems that everywhere I go I am told to be accountable for my actions, and take responsibility. Well when Bush is under fire, he always finds a scapegoat and does not take any responsibilty, or accountability. In this case SPC. Graner is a Political Scapegoat for Bush's PR war. Its all to make Bush look like a great leader. I say that what happened at Abu Ghraib was distasteful, and I totally disagree with the sentance. Reduction to the lowest rank and docked pay. But Dishonorably Dischared and 10 years thats harsh. What happened at Abu Gharaib was nothing compared to what Iraqi insurgents are doing to US forces.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#15)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Jan 15, 2005 at 10:25:57 PM EST
    What happened at Abu Gharaib was nothing compared to what Iraqi insurgents are doing to US forces. Taking a look at this in historical context: If this were 1776 the "insurgents" would be the colonials fighting for their freedom and we would be the British fighting to keep them a colony. The British would still be the British. I guess some things do remain constant over time.

    Re: Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 16, 2005 at 06:18:02 PM EST
    deleted for racist comments

    Charles Graner: Guilty of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse | 16 comments (16 topical)