 A military judge jailed a US Army sergeant, described in court as a typical all-American boy, for eight years yesterday for sexually and physically abusing Iraqi prisoners. The sentence for Staff Sgt. Ivan "Chip" Frederick, 38, is by far the toughest of those handed down to three soldiers now convicted over abuses at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib Prison. Frederick, who sat impassively through the two-day court-martial at a US base in Baghdad, appeared shaken and looked at the floor after Judge Col. James Pohl announced his verdict, which included a dishonorable discharge and a demotion.
Defense counsel Gary Myers said the sentence was excessive and he would appeal. Frederick, the most senior soldier indicted in the scandal, pleaded guilty to five charges that included assault, committing an indecent act and dereliction of duty. The church-going father of two, who was a prison guard in civilian life, admitted helping tie wires to the fingers and private part of one prisoner and telling him he could be electrocuted, and forcing three hooded detainees to masturbate. In one of the most notorious of abuses committed last year and to which the charges were related, naked, hooded prisoners were also made to form a human pyramid while other military police posed for photographs with them. Two psychologists who testified for the defense described Frederick as an introvert who depended heavily on others and had a strong desire to please, which they said helped explain why he did not discipline his colleagues for abusing prisoners.
| "He was a quiet boy. He liked bunnies and kittens. They never lived long, though..." |
"Give me an image of the all-American boy and it's this young man," said San Francisco-based doctor Philip Zimbardo. "He is a wonderful young man who did these horrible things." Myers said that Frederick, who was in charge of the night shift at Abu Ghraib, was poorly trained for the chaotic conditions he encountered. The counsel argued that the military chain of command must bear some responsibility.
| I don't think so. Much as we may occasionally joke about it here, sadism isn't part of the training. These guys were playing sex games, and they lost. |
| My sympathy meter actually gave a false positive reading, until I remembered how high a price tag came with that one night of debauchery. |
|