Charles Graner and Sabrina Harman with naked and hooded prisoners who were forced to form a human pyramid

Sabrina D. Harman (born January 5, 1978) is a former U.S. army reservist, one of several soldiers convicted by the U.S. Army in connection with the 2003-2004 Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in Baghdad, Iraq during and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Harman, with other soldiers, was tried for allowing and inflicting sexual, physical, and psychological abuse of Iraqi prisoners of war. Harman held the rank of specialist in the 372nd Military Police company during her tour of duty in Iraq. She was sentenced to six months in prison and a dishonorable discharge. Image File history File links Abu_Ghraib_48. ... Image File history File links Abu_Ghraib_48. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Modern soldiers. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... {{{mWf}}} Caution: This article contains several potentially morbid photographs that depict nude, abused, and deceased persons. ... Baghdad ( translit: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Poland Australia South Korea Romania Spain Portugal Italy others. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm. ... Psychological abuse refers to the humiliation or intimidation of another person, but is also used to refer to the long-term effects of emotional shock. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Specialist arm patch (U.S. Army) Specialist is one section of the fourth enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and below Corporal. ... The 372nd Military Police Company is a United States reserve Military Police unit based out of Cresaptown, Maryland. ... A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. ...

Harman was born in Lorton, Virginia. Her father was a homicide detective, and the family often saw photos of dead people at crime scenes. Harman's mother, Robin, has been described as a "forensics buff." Lorton is a census-designated place located in Fairfax County, Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Etymology: Latin homicidium, from homo- human being + caedere- to cut, kill Homicide is the intentional or negligent killing of another human being by one or more persons. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Forensic science (often shortened to forensics) is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to the legal system. ...

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Harman joined the Army Reserves and was assigned to the Cresaptown, Maryland-based 372nd Military Police company. Harman worked for a time as an assistant manager at Papa John's Pizza in Alexandria, Virginia, before her company was activated for duty in Iraq in February 2003, and was deployed to Fort Lee, Virginia for additional training; however, this was in combat support, not I/R, (military jargon for "internment and resettlement.") While she acknowledged that she knew there was a lot of wrong being done, she claims she knew nothing about there being any official rules about prisoner treatment (i.e. the Geneva Convention). A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Cresaptown is a community located in Allegany County, Maryland, United States of America. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Branch insignia of the Military Police Corps The Military Police Corps is the law enforcement of the United States Armed Forces. ... Papa Johns Pizza (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the third largest carryout and delivery pizza restaurant in the United States behind Pizza Hut and Dominos Pizza; it is based in Louisville, Kentucky. ... A pizza with tomato sauce, cheese, tomatoes, field mushrooms, onion A pepperoni pizza Pizza (IPA pronunciation:  ) is the name of an oven-baked, flat, usually round bread covered with tomato sauce with optional toppings. ... Location in Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia Founded 1718 Mayor William D. Euille Area    - City 39. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for February, 2003. ... Fort Lee is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince George County, Virginia, United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Geneva Conventions consist of treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland that set the standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. ...

Abu Ghraib scandal

The following are statements from Harman and others about what transpired:

"She said the prison had no standard operating procedures and on Tier 1A, where suspected insurgents were held, Army intelligence officers 'made the rules as they went.'"

"'They would bring in one to several prisoners at a time already hooded and cuffed,' Harman said by e-mail this week from Baghdad. 'The job of the MP was to keep them awake, make it hell so they would talk.'"

"In his investigation into abuse at the prison, Taguba used a portion of Harman's sworn statement to conclude that prisoners had been abused. Harman stated '... regarding the incident where a detainee was placed on box with wires attached to his fingers, toes and penis, 'that her job was to keep detainees awake.'"

An Army report obtained by The New Yorker magazine quotes testimony from Harman that her job was to keep detainees awake, including one hooded prisoner who was placed on a box with wires attached to his fingers, toes and genitals. In an interview by e-mail from Baghdad, she told the Washington Post it was made clear that her assignment was to break down the prisoners. Two prisoners sent testimony for her defence saying she was more gentle than other guards with Amjad Ismail Khalil al-Taie stating "She has no cruelty in her. Even though she is an American woman, she was just like a sister." The New Yorker is an American magazine that publishes reportage, criticism, essays, cartoons, poetry and fiction. ... ...

Court Martial

Harman was accused by the U.S. Army of: The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

• Photographing the corpse of Manadal al-Jamadi and then posing for a picture with it;
• Striking several prisoners by jumping on them as they lay in a pile;
• Writing "rapeist" [sic] on a prisoner's leg; and
• Attaching wires to a prisoner's hands while he stood on a box with his head covered and threatening electrocution if he fell.

And because of this she is charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice with: Harman, al-Jamadi Graner, al-Jamadi Manadel al-Jamadi was an Iraqi prisoner of war who died during interrogation at Abu Ghraib prison. ... Sign warning of possible electric shock hazard An electric shock can occur upon contact of a human or animal body with any source of voltage high enough to cause sufficient current flow through the muscles or nerves. ... The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is the foundation of military law in the United States. ...

• Conspiracy;
• Dereliction of duty; and
• Cruelty and maltreatment.

Harman was represented by civilian lawyer and retired Air Force colonel Frank Spinner of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was assisted by Capt. Patsy Takemura and Sgt. Davida McGriff. In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more natural persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement. ... Robert Buzz Patterson is a US Marine officer and author. ... For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Nickname: The Springs Location in the state of Colorado Coordinates: County El Paso Mayor Lionel Rivera Area    - City 482. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...

Verdict

Sabrina Harman was convicted on six of the seven counts on May 16, 2005 with an acquittal on one of the maltreatment charges. A military jury of four Army officers and four senior enlisted soldiers deliberated for about 3½ hours before returning their decision. They found her guilty on one count of conspiracy to maltreat detainees, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of dereliction of duty. May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The jury acquitted Harman on one maltreatment count that accused her of photographing a group of Iraqi detainees who were forced by prison guards to masturbate in public. This acquittal was due to the testimonial of one of Harman’s co-defendants who established the fact that she was not present when that incident occurred. The jury also found that she did not commit two of the nine acts that were part of the dereliction charge, but she was convicted of the overall offense.

Harman was sentenced to six months in prison with credit for 51 days already served and a bad conduct discharge. She reportedly showed no reaction while the jury foreman read each of the verdicts, and she left the building without offering any comments to the press.

Harman's response

• As quoted in the Washington Post:

"[She] said she was assigned to break down prisoners for interrogation. "They would bring in one to several prisoners at a time already hooded and cuffed," Harman said in interviews by e-mail this week from Baghdad. "The job of the MP was to keep them awake, make it hell so they would talk." She said her military police unit took direction from the military intelligence officers in charge of the facility and from civilian contractors there who conducted interrogations."

• At her sentencing:

"As a soldier and military police officer, I failed my duties and failed my mission to protect and defend. I not only let down the people in Iraq, but I let down every single soldier that serves today. My actions potentially caused an increased hatred and insurgency towards the United States, putting soldiers and civilians at greater risk. I take full responsibility for my actions. ... The decisions I made were mine and mine alone."

Citings

Harman's attorney said he hopes to see the military chain of command put on trial, rather than low-ranking reservists like Harman. "I don't think we can even begin to imagine the kind of environment that she was in. First of all, she wasn't trained to be a prison guard, so she didn't even know the basic rules. She wasn't trained in military intelligence. I don't think any American can really truly appreciate the stress that existed along with the fact they were undermanned and not trained to perform this mission," he said.[1]

Sources

• "She's No Stranger To Grisly Images." CBS: 10 May 2003. 18 June 2004.
• Spinner, Jackie. "Soldier: Unit's Role Was to Break Down Prisoners." Washington Post: 8 May 2004. 18 June 2004.