14 May 2004

Three Soldiers Face Court-Martial for Alleged Prisoner Abuse

First trial to be held in Baghdad May 19

Washington -- Army Lieutenant General Thomas Metz, commanding general of III Corps at Coalition Joint Task Force 7 (CJTF-7) in Iraq, has referred charges against three U.S. soldiers for court-martial proceedings related to the alleged abuse of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib detention facility, according to a May 13 press statement.

The special court-martial of Specialist Jeremy Sivits will be held in the Baghdad Convention Center courtroom May 19. He is charged with conspiracy to maltreat subordinates (detainees), dereliction of duty for negligently failing to protect detainees from abuse, cruelty and maltreatment, and the maltreatment of detainees. If found guilty, Sivits could receive a Bad Conduct Discharge from the military.

Staff Sergeant Ivan Fredrick II and Sergeant Jarval Davis will both be tried by general court-martial, although the time and place have not been set. It is expected that the two soldiers will be arraigned May 20.

Fredrick and Davis are facing the same charges as Sivits. However, Fredrick is accused additionally of assaulting detainees and committing indecent acts. Davis is also charged with assaulting detainees and providing a false official statement to a criminal investigator.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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