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Outside the Beltway

Lynndie England Convicted Again

James Joyner
11

Lynndie England has been found guilty a second time by a military court, after her guilty plea in the initial trial was thrown out.

England convicted on six of seven counts (AP)

Army Pfc. Lynndie England, whose smiling poses in photos of detainee abuse at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison made her the face of the scandal, was convicted Monday by a military jury on six of seven counts. England, 22, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of committing an indecent act. She was acquitted on a second conspiracy count.

The jury of five male Army officers took about two hours to reach its verdict. Her case now moves into the sentencing phase, which will determined by the same jury. She faces a maximum 10 years in prison.

[…]

Prosecutors used graphic photos of England to support their contention that she was a key figure in the abuse conspiracy. One photo shows England holding a naked detainee on a leash. In others, she smiles and points to prisoners in humiliating poses.

They also pointed to her statement to Army investigators in January 2004 that the mistreatment was done to amuse the U.S. guards at Abu Ghraib. “The accused knew what she was doing,” said Capt. Chris Graveline, the lead prosecutor. “She was laughing and joking. … She is enjoying, she is participating, all for her own sick humor.”

Quite so. A despicable human being.

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11 responses to “Lynndie England Convicted Again”

  1. Anderson Avatar
    Anderson

    Meanwhile, more despicable human beings run amok in the 82nd Airborne.

    How about the despicable human beings who are in charge of the Army where these things happen, and who have done their best to ensure that they continue to do so?

  2. anjin-san Avatar
    anjin-san

    Great, throw a few privates to the dogs. No sign of accountability amongst officers or at the pentagon.

  3. RJN Avatar
    RJN

    How low can you go? A scapegoat should have at least as much sense as a box of rocks. Can this be the same Army I served in? They actually plea bargained with the ones who were really guilty to serve up lucky Lynndie. Shame.

  4. LJD Avatar
    LJD

    Oh, I forgot about the liberal tendency to excuse the acts of criminals based on “environemnt” or “hardship”- because “Those other guys got away with it”. Especially if they’re female, and/or pregnant.

    If we just let all of the criminals out of our jails, then we can have our military take their place. …and I thought this Cindy Sheehan thing wouldn’t catch on.

    Anybody stop to think about our military (as a whole) being held to a higher standard? Stop to think about how or why a soldier in a combat zone ends up pregnant? Or spends her time making “home movies”? Poor girl.

  5. Anderson Avatar
    Anderson

    Anybody stop to think about our military (as a whole) being held to a higher standard?

    LJD, how did your head not explode when you typed that? RSVP to let us know you’re okay.

    The desire to “hold the military to a higher standard” is precisely why, with strikingly similar abuse being so widespread, and persisting for *months* without being stopped, we moonbats would like to see officers facing courts-martial.

  6. LJD Avatar
    LJD

    My point being that the military IS held to a higher standard. i.e. the abuse is neither wipespread, nor persistent. That’s just your take on the story from the MSM. Talk about exploding heads. I can actually read between the lines of the garbage pumped out by Ted Turner, because there’s no crap falling out of my ears.

    All this story amounts to is the left’s desire to let the “innocent pawns” go free, and hang some higher-ups. Your ultimate goal, to reach all the way to the oval office. For all you know, President Bush was there, sticking a cigar into Lyndie while she took the iraqi prisoner for a “WALK”.

    It’s nice that you support our troops though. Officers, who bear great responsiblity and burden, away from their families and at great risk of peril, to keep you safe at home. Nice going.

  7. Anderson Avatar
    Anderson

    Okay, you’re in a fantasy world, LJD. Read the stories about what’s been going on with the 82nd Airborne, or else quit pretending to be informed on the subject.

    17 months one captain spent trying to get his superiors to do something. If there’s a captain willing to swear to such official inaction and tolerance of terrible abuse, then those officers should be court-martialed. Period.

  8. LJD Avatar
    LJD

    But enough about me…

    Lyndie England (who you so easily excuse) had her day in court. She did not have to succumb to the lynch-mob you are organizing here. Before we go out and hang us some officers, I suggest we give them their due process as well.

    ONE officer complaint does not make a conspiracy. ONE blog about “shirking responsibility” (how telling of the author’s motives) does not make fact.

    I do not recommend we condone violations of the UCMJ, the Geneva Convention (where applicable) or international law. I do not recommend we avoid punishing, or cover up the indiscretion of our troops. I DO recommend we keep our sanity, and give the troops the benefit of the doubt where it exists. Not complacency, not condolence, just the benefit of DOUBT.

    You sir (lower case intended) are spreading falsehoods, and hysteria. How can you possibly claim to support the troops, when you so easily assign blame?

    So lets get back to the subject of the post- Lyndie England. She was abusing her authority, acting in a manner unbecoming a soldier, making “home movies” and getting pregnant! while ON DUTY in a combat zone! But let’s not stop there, she actually took pictures of all this to share with friends… Poor girl, obviously a victim.

    The outcome was a huge black eye for the military at a critical time in the GWOT. It was a huge slap in the face of every soldier not f-ing around, actually doing their duty, and doing it well, under adverse circumstances. Very likely, this stunt cost some of our soldiers their lives- something no one on “your side” seems to want to discuss.

    Why you fail to see it for what it is, or desire to see something else, is way, way beyond me. Aside from any name-calling, you truly make me sick to think of you as a fellow countryman.

    (So be sure not to put words in my mouth, actually read what I’ve said about soldiers doing their duty and being punished when convicted of crimes).

  9. Anderson Avatar
    Anderson

    Speaking of putting words in mouths, where did I ever defend Ms. England?

    And it’s not “one” officer complaint. If you troubled to read the story, you would see that hundreds of cases are being investigated.

    An officer corps that made it 100% clear that torture and abuse are beneath contempt, and that soldiers who stoop to same will be court-martialed, would not be seeing what we’ve seen. Alas, we do not have that officer corps. Instead, we have people who would’ve fit neatly into the Wehrmacht in 1941, and their apologists.

  10. LJD Avatar
    LJD

    Wow, Anderson the Commie. Who knew.

    How do you get from another soldier being punished, to having NO accountability? This is old news- we heard about it long ago. Even though it happened a few years back, the MSM is recycling it- to reach their political agenda. It’s a damn dirty shame, clearly showing that the left will stop at nothing to discredit this government, this administration, this military, even at the destruction of our way of life. But that’s what they want, right? The socialist utopia?

    The story? From your blog source or the HRW? Credible, indeed. Yes, we all know about the gulags. One only has to go to any college in the nation, during Greek Hell Week, to see many of these heinous abuses. Oooh, I had to look at girls panties! Oh My!

    The story I READ, referenced the complaint of ONE officer, and TWO NCOs. There was ONE incident reported of a broken bone. I absolutely do not consider stress positions, sleep deprivation, temprature manipulation, loud music, or women’s underwear to constitute any form of torture. Much better than a beaheading, wouldn’t you agree?

    I also do not condone torture (as long as we’re talking about the same thing here). Soldiers who have beaten, killed, or otherwise injured prisoners, should absolutely be punished. Just be glad you are eharing about this. It means something IS being done. It IS being investigated. I guess that doesn’t make for a good news story.

    But you can sit there in the comfort of your home, pointing your finger at volunteer service people, doing an incredibly difficult job, at risk of life and limb?

    How can you compare nudity, or humiliating pictures, or even a severe beating or murder on the part of one or a few soldiers, to an army that systematically attempted to destroy a race of people? That conducted science experiments on human beings, sometimes for pleasure?

    You go way too far with your analogy, you prick. I hope someday you don’t have to depend on a soldier to save your ass. You certainly don;t deserve it.

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