Abusive soldier apologises

2005-05-18 20:31

Fort Hood - A US army reservist tearfully apologised for her role in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, saying she failed in her duties and took full responsibility for her actions.

Specialist Sabrina Harman's voice cracked as she spoke at the hearing, where she was sentenced to six months for mistreating detainees.

Harman said: "As a soldier and military police officer, I failed my duties and failed my mission to protect and defend.

"I did not only let down the people in Iraq, but every single soldier that serves today."

She said: "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."

Another officer serving 10 years

Harman was the second low-level soldier from the Maryland-based 372nd military police company to go to trial on Abu Ghraib charges.

Charles Graner Junior was found guilty in January and is serving a 10-year sentence.

Four other soldiers from the 372nd made plea deals with prosecutors, as did two soldiers from a military intelligence unit operating at Abu Ghraib.

Lynndie England, the best-known defendant in the scandal, could face trial after her effort at a plea deal fell through earlier this month.

Harman, of Virginia, was convicted on six of the seven counts she faced for mistreating detainees at the Baghdad-area lockup in late 2003.

Four months sentence

Among other things, she was found guilty of taking part in a photographed case in which a hooded Iraqi was threatened with electrocution while standing on a box with electrical wires in his hands.

Harman had faced a maximum of five years, though prosecutors asked the jury to give her three years.

With credit for time served, her actual sentence was just more than four months.

Prosecutors said in a written statement that they were pleased to bring Harman's case to its conclusion "as we strive to air all the facts regarding Abu Ghraib."

Harman 'naive, innocent'

Defence lawyer Frank Spinner said his client had a chance to plead guilty last year with a two-year sentencing cap, but Harman turned down the proposal.

Spinner said: "I felt very strongly about Sabrina Harman. I feel she's a very naive, very innocent person ... She didn't know how to react to that experience at Abu Ghraib."

Witnesses testified that the former pizza shop manager was kind-hearted and helpful while serving in an Iraqi city.

Much of the defence testimony during sentencing focused on her behaviour while at the Iraqi city of Hillah, where the 372nd military police company was based for several months before moving to Abu Ghraib.

Sergeant Brian Lipinski, who served with Harman's unit, said she was widely known by her first name and her kind deeds among those lived in Hillah.

- AP