Skip to main content
CNN.com International
The Web    CNN.com      Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ON TV
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Law

August hearing set for accused soldier

By Jim Polk
CNN

RELATED
Gallery: Abuse at Abu Ghraib prison (Contains graphic content. Viewer discretion advised.)

• Gallery: Soldiers charged
• FindLaw: Taguba report
• Timeline: Iraq abuse case
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Iraq
Crime, Law and Justice

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina (CNN) -- The preliminary hearing for Pfc. Lynndie England, an Army reservist accused in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, was rescheduled Monday for August 3.

England sat at the defense table looking somber, leaning forward with her hands folded and answering only "yes, ma'am," as the hearing officer addressed her.

The Article 32 hearing was scheduled to begin Monday but was delayed a second time at the request of the defense, which asked that a new military lawyer be appointed to help her civilian counsel.

Article 32 hearings are held to determine whether to convene a court-martial, where witnesses are called and evidence is presented.

England, a 21-year-old Army reservist clerk from rural West Virginia, wore a camouflage uniform with a maternity cut. England's lawyers say she is six months pregnant as a result of her relationship with another guard at Abu Ghraib.

She faces 19 charges, eight of them involving photos which she either took or appeared in, involving naked prisoners at the Baghdad prison. If convicted and given the maximum sentence on each count she could be sent to prison for 38 years, but no single count carries a sentence greater than five years.

The hearing lasted only five minutes.

England's case is the only Abu Ghraib case to be tried in the United States. England was transferred to Fort Bragg after becoming pregnant. The father, Charles Graner, is awaiting court-martial in Baghdad as the apparent leader of the abuse.

England's preliminary hearing originally was scheduled for June 22, but was pushed back after two of her civilian lawyers resigned from the case for personal reasons.

In addition to her and Graner, four other Abu Ghraib guards are awaiting courts-martial to be held in Iraq. A seventh guard, Jeremy Sivitz, pleaded guilty in mid-May and was sentenced to a year in a military prison. He is expected to testify against England and the others.


Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
CNN/Money: Ex-Tyco CEO found guilty
Top Stories
EU 'crisis' after summit failure

City:

CNN US
On CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNN AvantGo CNNtext Ad info Preferences
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.