US Army Private First Class 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 by a military jury on six of seven counts.
England, 22, was found guilty on Monday 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 to the sentencing phase, which will be heard by the same jury, beginning yesterday.
PHOTO: AP
England tried to plead guilty in May to the same counts she faced this month in exchange for an undisclosed sentencing cap, but a judge threw out the plea deal. She now faces a maximum of nine years in prison.
England, wearing her dark green dress uniform, stood at attention on Monday as the verdict was read by the jury foreman. She showed no obvious emotion afterward.
Asked for comment after the verdict, defense lawyer Captain Jonathan Crisp said, "The only reaction I can say is, `I understand.'"
England's trial is the last for a group of nine army reservists charged with mistreating prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq, a scandal that badly damaged the US' image in the Muslim world despite quick condemnation of the abuse by US President George W. Bush. Two other troops were convicted in trials and the remaining six made plea deals. Several of those soldiers testified at England's trial.
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.
The conspiracy acquittal came on a count pertaining to the leash incident; she was found guilty of a maltreatment count stemming from the same incident.
Beyond the sordid photos, prosecutors pointed to England's statement to army investigators in January last year that the mistreatment was done to amuse the US guards at Abu Ghraib.
"The accused knew what she was doing," said Captain Chris Graveline, the lead prosecutor. "She was laughing and joking. ... She is enjoying, she is participating, all for her own sick humor."
Crisp countered that England was only trying to please her soldier boyfriend, then-Corporal Charles Graner, labeled the abuse ringleader by prosecutors.
"She was a follower, she was an individual who was smitten with Graner," Crisp said. "She just did whatever he wanted her to do."
England, from Fort Ashby, West Virginia, said that Graner, now serving a 10-year sentence, fathered her young son.
England's earlier attempt to plead guilty under a deal with pro-secutors was rejected by Colonel James Pohl, the presiding judge.
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