Abu Ghraib dog handler gets jail for prison abuse

A U.S. Army dog handler was sentenced to six months in prison for tormenting detainees at Baghdad’s notorious Abu Ghraib jail with his unmuzzled Belgian shepherd, an Army spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Sgt. Michael Smith, 24, faced up to 8 1/2 years in prison after he was found guilty on six of 13 counts brought against him. He will also have his rank reduced to private and must pay a total of $2,250 in fines for harassing and threatening inmates in 2003 and 2004, Army spokeswoman Shaunteh Kelly said.

After he serves his 179-day sentence, he will be released from the military with a bad conduct discharge, Kelly said. That is one step above a dishonorable discharge.

Photos of inmates being intimidated by dogs and sexually humiliated were broadcast around the world after the abuses became public in 2004, undermining Washington’s efforts to win support for its war in Iraq.

Several of these photos were introduced as evidence in Smith’s trial.

Prosecutors said during the trial that Smith took pleasure in forcing detainees to do what he called “the doggie dance” as they squirmed in terror.

Smith’s lawyers maintained he was unfairly lumped in with others on the night shift who physically abused detainees or allowed their dogs to bite them, and was acting at the request of interrogators and prison authorities.

At least eight other U.S. soldiers have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for abusing inmates at Abu Ghraib.

Smith was convicted on counts including maltreatment of three prisoners, dereliction of duty, assault and conspiring with another dog handler to frighten inmates into urinating and defecating on themselves.

He was also found guilty of indecent acts for having his dog lick peanut butter off other soldiers.

He was found not guilty on other charges of maltreatment, conspiracy and aggravated assault.

Human rights observers at Smith’s trial said it implicated higher-ranking military officials who so far have not been held accountable for the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

“Our soldiers shouldn’t be forced to sort out what manners of interrogation are permissible by watching who is convicted of what,” said Jean Aylward, a lawyer with Human Rights First, an activist group. “The rules need to be clear in advance and senior commanders and civilian leaders who intentionally muddy those waters must be held accountable.”

Smith’s trial featured testimony from the former top military intelligence officer at the prison, Army Col. Thomas Pappas, who was reprimanded and fined in part for authorizing the use of dogs for interrogation without approval.

Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, who helped shape detention practices at Abu Ghraib, invoked his right not to incriminate himself earlier this year and said he would not answer questions at Smith’s trial.

Smith will pay his fines over a period of three months, Kelly said.

Andy Sullivan