Thumbs Up America
May 19, 2004 — ABCNEWS has
obtained two new photos taken at the
Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq showing
Spc. Charles Graner and
Spc. Sabrina Harman posing
over the body of a detainee who
was allegedly beaten to death by
CIA or civilian interrogators in
the prison's showers.
The detainee's name was
Manadel al-Jamadi.According to testimony from
Spc. Jason Kenner, obtained by
ABCNEWS, the man was brought
to the prison by U.S. Navy Seals
in good health. Kenner said he saw
extensive bruising on the detainee's
body when he was brought out of the
showers, dead.Kenner says the body was packed in
ice during a "battle" between CIA and
military interrogators over who
should dispose of the body.The Justice Department opened an investigation into this death and four others today following a referral from the CIA.
The photos were taken by Staff Sgt. Ivan "Chip" Frederick , who in e-mails to his family has asked why the people responsible for the prisoner's death were not being prosecuted in the same manner that he is.
Frederick, Graner, and Harman are among six reservists from the 372nd Military Police Company who are facing charges in the abuse scandal.
A lawyer for Graner, Guy Womack, told ABCNEWS the photo of his client represents inappropriate "gallows humor." Womack questioned why U.S. officials have not opened a criminal investigation into alleged murders at Abu Ghraib, while the investigation of his client has proceeded at a rapid pace.
A seventh member of the unit, Spc. Jeremy Sivits, pleaded guilty today to four counts for taking pictures of naked Iraqi prisoners being humiliated.
Sivits received the maximum penalty of a year in prison and a bad conduct discharge
