JURIST - Paper Chase: Judge rules US Army general can testify in second Abu Ghraib dog handler case

[JURIST] A military judge Tuesday said that US Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller [Wikipedia profile], the former commander of military intelligence at the Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] prison facility, can be called to testify at the upcoming trial of a sergeant accused of using dogs to abuse detainees at the Abu Ghraib [JURIST news archive] detention center in Iraq. Miller will testify at the court-martial of Sgt. Santos Cardona, who worked with Sgt. Michael Smith, another Army dog handler who was convicted [JURIST report] and sentenced to six months in jail [JURIST report] for similar abuse charges. Miller refused to testify at Smith's court-martial, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, but Cardona's defense lawyer told the court Tuesday that Miller is now willing to testify.

Miller will be the highest-ranking military officer to testify in the Abu Ghraib scandal and his testimony is expected to conflict directly with reports by Col. Thomas Pappas [Wikipedia profile], the former top-ranking intelligence officer at Abu Ghraib, who informed investigators in Smith's trial that Miller told him the use of dogs in interrogations was successful in Guantanamo Bay. Miller claims, however, that he recommended that dogs be utilized for controlling prisoners but not in questioning them. Cardona's lawyers also sought to call Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a witness, but the judge denied that request. Cardona's court-martial [JURIST report] is scheduled to begin next month. AP has more.

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