JURIST - Paper Chase: Army reservist acquitted of Afghanistan abuse charges

[JURIST] US Army Sgt. Christopher W. Greatorex was acquitted Wednesday of charges that he beat a detainee at a facility at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan [JURIST news archive] who later died from the injuries. A three-person military jury at Fort Bliss Texas acquitted Greatorex, of the 377th Military Police Company, on charges of abuse, maltreatment and making false statements. During the trial, another Army sergeant testified that she saw Greatorex and another soldier, Sgt. Darin Broady, repeatedly hitting the detainee, Habibullah, in the knees. Habibullah died shortly after being detained by the US in December 2002, and a military report concluded it was due to blood clots in his legs caused by beatings. Broady also faces a court-martial on similar charges. In all, nine soldiers have been charged with abuse of Habibullah [Wikipedia backgrounder] and another detainee in Afghanistan, with several already pleading guilty [AP report; JURIST report] or being convicted. AP has more.

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