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Due Process for Abu Ghraib Officer

Gabe Rottman,
Legislative Counsel,
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
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August 20, 2007

Two charges dropped against Lt. Col. Steve Jordan after military court determines that he wasn't read his rights before being interviewed by a senior officer (to whom he allegedly lied about abuse at Abu Ghraib).

The charges against Jordan were tossed when it was learned Jordan was not read his rights before an interview with Maj. Gen. George Fay, his superior officer.According to the charging document, Jordan told Fay he "never saw any detainees being abused and never saw nude detainees, or words to that effect."The document said that "statement was totally false and was then known by the said Lieutenant Colonel Steven L. Jordan to be so false."The second count was a sworn statement that recounted the oral response to Fay.There are four remaining counts or "specifications" in military terms against Jordan. They include willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, two accusations of failure to obey an order or regulation, and one count of cruelty and maltreatment.

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