Accused U.S. Soldier Wants Cheney, Rumsfeld Evidence

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040604/ts_nm/iraq_abuse_england_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

DENVER (Reuters) - An American woman soldier at the center of the Iraqi prison abuse scandal has asked that Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld testify on her behalf, her attorneys said on Thursday.



The soldier, Pfc. Lynndie England, 21, is due to appear at a preliminary hearing in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she is based, on June 22.


England appeared in at least two notorious photographs taken at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, in one of which she holds a leash attached to the neck of a prostrate, naked Iraqi man.


The photographs sparked a storm of outrage, particularly in the Arab world, and President Bush (news - web sites) issued an apology for the abuse of prisoners.


England's lawyer Rose Mary Zapor told a news conference that Cheney and Rumsfeld were on a list of more than 130 people that the defense would like to call as witnesses.

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[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. Yeah, like that will happen.

When pigs sprout wings.

[LittleApple81]

2. Keep on waiting for these two to show up. Ha! n/t

[SlavesandBulldozers]

3. isn't that quaint

she thinks that Dick Cheney gives a fuck about the troops. What a tool.

[janx]

4. Why is this story coming out of Denver?

What does Pvt. England have to do with Denver?

[emulatorloo]

12. Her attorney is based in Denver n/t

[Alerter_]

5. ha ha ha ha! lol! heh heh

I hope Rumsfeld gets called to testify that he didn't order 19 year old National Guard troops to torture, sodomize, and electrocute random Iraqis. I'd buy a ticket to watch that one.

[drb]

6. Sure, Cheney and Rumsfled will be there...

...and neither one of them will lie, either.:eyes:

[pansypoo53219]

7. they

picked the wrong trailer trash to scape goat.

[dArKeR]

8. I don't see why this is unrealistic? It seems they are in charge and would

be the ones to testify. Just as a CEO would testify for actions lower ranking employees carried out.

Sorry, I'm a little ignorant. Can the military court order any person to testify?

[TexasBushwhacker]

16. I agree - they are at the top of the chain of command

and her attorney should be able to subpoena them just like he can subpoena any other witness. Her immediate supervisors may take the 5th amendment, but her attorney could ask Rummy, UNDER OATH, if he had knowlege that the Geneva convention was not being followed, that military intelligence officers were commanding lower ranks to do certain actions under the guise of "softening up" the prisoners.

This sounds like a WONDERFUL tactic by her attorney and there is no way that Cheney or Rumsfeld can come out of this looking good. They are in a damned if they do/damned if they don't position AND IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

[Athame]

9. Why Cheney?

Will the real Commander in Chief please stand up?

(I know, dating myself.)

[Must_B_Free]

10. Can they be subpoenaed in a civil suit?

[FighttheFuture]

11. Why not? Tthe Supine Court already established that a sitting ...

President could be subpoenaned in a civil suit, as we've seen with Clinton. So, why not these jokers?

[Tellurian]

13. Article 32 hearings are the civilian equivalent of a Grand Jury investigat

here is a related article:

http://www.presentdanger.org/commentary/2004/0405comminf_body.html

The investigating officer does not have subpoena power.

"Undue command influence must also be excluded in “pre-trial” proceedings such as Article 32 investigations (the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s equivalent of civilian grand jury hearings) and investigations conducted under AR 15-6, the regulation under which MGen Antonio Taguma operated. (This latter regulation “is used as the basis for many investigations requiring the detailed gathering and analyzing of facts, and the making of recommendations based on those facts.” Unless directed by the order that begins an AR 15-6 investigation, sworn statements are not required nor does the investigating officer have subpoena power. However, soldiers suspected of wrongdoing must be advised of their rights.) The fact that a formal or informal investigation has been started—and any written or oral communication from the officer who orders the investigation—does not and cannot be taken to imply that a regulation has been broken or a crime committed."

[DFWJock]

14. President Cheney

would show up but he has "other priorities"

[Just Me]

15. It would be nice to see this story make a media splash.

Of course, Rumsfeld and Cheney will assert "national security" or some other basis not to appear. But, it makes for juicy news that one of the accused torturers has put them on her witness list.

:bounce:

[saigon68]

17. Which she now has done

because we are seeing it here.

Faux mean time is all about the Peterson trial. LOL

[dArKeR]

18. Accused GI May Call Cheney, Rummy - CBS

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/30/iraq/main614905.shtml

I wonder if her lawyers are using this as a bargaining tool? She could be a real American hero if she refuses a 'deal' to save herself and calls them to prove the truth. Then she'd be an American hero to me, not matter what she did her sins are forgiven.

[Bandit]

19. National Security won't allow them to ever speak to anyone

"National Security" is their other catch-all like "9-11 changed everything".

[Mandate My Ass]

20. Cheney had to build that hidey hole

in order to keep the subpoena servers at bay.

No way, no how. Sorry, Lynndie.