http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050502/w050282.htmlFORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - Pte. 1st Class Lynndie England, who appeared in some of the most graphic photographs depicting physical mistreatment and sexual humiliation of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, pleaded guilty Monday to charges arising from her role in the abuse scandal.
The 22-year-old army reservist entered her pleas to two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act.
In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop another count of committing an indecent act and one count of dereliction of duty.
If the plea agreement is accepted by the judge, Col. James Pohl, a jury of officers and enlisted soldiers will decide her punishment following a sentencing hearing expected to last several days.
England repeatedly answered "Yes, sir" as Pohl questioned her to make sure she understood her legal rights and the consequences of her pleas.
Lawyer Rick Hernandez said last week the defence will present evidence during sentencing that England has severe learning disabilities and mental health problems.
The plea agreement, which came the day before England was scheduled to go to trial, lowers her maximum possible prison sentence to 11 years from 16 1/2 years.
England, from Fort Ashby, W.Va., is one of seven members of the Maryland-based 372nd Military Police Company charged with humiliating and assaulting prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq. She became a central figure in the scandal after photos of her surfaced.
One image showed her smiling and posing with nude prisoners stacked in a pyramid while giving a thumbs-up. Another showed her holding a hooded, naked Iraqi prisoner on a leash, and one showed her smiling and pointing at a naked detainee's genitals while smoking a cigarette.
Hernandez said his sentencing witnesses include Pte. Charles Graner Jr., the reputed ringleader of the Abu Ghraib abuses. Graner, said to be the father of England's infant son, was convicted in January on a range of abuse charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Hernandez said there has been no decision on whether England will testify.
England's lawyers have argued that she and others in her unit were acting on orders from military intelligence to "soften up" prisoners for interrogations. But army investigators testified during hearings last summer that England said the reservists took the photos while "they were joking around, having some fun."
The Abu Ghraib scandal, which went public in April 2004, damaged the image of America's military leadership at home and sparked outrage around the world. Several government investigations have been conducted, but so far only low-level soldiers have been charged, although the defendants and other critics have alleged that high-level officials condoned the abuse.
Four other members of the 372nd and two low-level military intelligence officers have entered guilty pleas, with sentences ranging from no time to 8 1/2 years. The only soldier to stand trial so far is Graner. Specialist Sabrina Harman, a former Abu Ghraib guard, is scheduled to go to trial at Fort Hood next week.
Pte. 1st Class Lynndie England's guilty plea, if approved by the judge, would bring to eight the number of army reservists convicted of abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
Specialist Sabrina Harman, 27, of Lorton, Va., the other remaining soldier charged in the scandal, is scheduled for trial at Fort Hood next week. She faces up to 6 1/2 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy, maltreating detainees and dereliction of duty.
The others previously convicted:
-Charles Graner Jr., 36, of Uniontown, Pa., is the only defendant to go to trial. Prosecutors described Graner, who is said to be England's ex-boyfriend, as the ringleader of a group of Abu Ghraib guards who mistreated Iraqi detainees. He was photographed giving the thumbs-up sign behind a pile of naked detainees and ordering them to masturbate. He is serving a 10-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., after he was found guilty in January.
Last month he married Megan Ambuhl, 30, of Centreville, Va., a former Abu Ghraib guard who pleaded guilty to failing to prevent or report maltreatment of prisoners. She was accused of watching prisoners being abused and helped set up the photograph of England holding a naked prisoner by a leash. Ambuhl was discharged from the army without serving prison time.
-Ivan Frederick, 38, of Buckingham, Va., was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in October after pleading guilty to conspiracy, dereliction of duty, maltreatment of detainees, assault and committing an indecent act. Frederick admitted he helped place wires on a detainee's hands and told him he would be electrocuted if he fell off a box. He was a staff sergeant, making him the highest-ranking soldier to serve prison time in the case.
-Jeremy Sivits, 25, of Hyndman, Pa., pleaded guilty last May to four counts for taking pictures of naked Iraqi prisoners being humiliated, including some of the photographs that triggered the scandal. The former guard was sentenced to a year in prison.
-Roman Krol, 23, of Randolph, Mass., admitted pouring water on naked detainees and forcing them to crawl around the floor at Abu Ghraib, and throwing a foam football at them while they were handcuffed. After pleading guilty, Krol was sentenced in February to 10 months in prison.
-Armin Cruz, 24, of Plano, Texas, was sentenced to eight months in September after pleading guilty to conspiracy and mistreating prisoners. Cruz was accused of forcing naked prisoners to crawl along the floor and handcuffing men together.
-Javal Davis, 27, of Roselle, N.J., received a six-month sentence after pleading guilty in February to assault, dereliction of duty and lying to army investigators. Davis admitted stepping on the hands and feet of handcuffed detainees and falling with his full weight on top of them.