A U.S. jury has awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, holding a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to their torture and mistreatment two decades ago. The jury found Reston, Virginia-based CACI liable for the abuse suffered by the plaintiffs during their time at the prison in 2003 and 2004.
The three plaintiffs were awarded $3 million each in compensatory damages and $11 million each in punitive damages. They testified about enduring beatings, sexual abuse, forced nudity, and other cruel treatment at Abu Ghraib. While they did not accuse CACI's interrogators of directly inflicting the abuse, they argued that the company was complicit in conspiring with military police to mistreat detainees.
CACI expressed disappointment in the verdict and plans to appeal, emphasizing that none of its employees have been charged in connection with the events at Abu Ghraib. The plaintiffs' lawyer hailed the verdict as a measure of justice and accountability.
The trial marked the first time a U.S. jury heard claims from Abu Ghraib survivors since the widely publicized detainee mistreatment scandal during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The plaintiffs' accounts of abuse were corroborated by reports from retired Army generals, which implicated CACI interrogators in the mistreatment.
Despite CACI's arguments that it was not complicit in the abuse and that any liability rested with the government, the jury held the company accountable for its employees' actions. The lawsuit, filed in 2008, faced years of legal challenges before reaching this verdict.
The $42 million award matches the plaintiffs' request and serves as a significant victory for the survivors of Abu Ghraib's atrocities. The decision sends a strong message against torture and abuse, highlighting the importance of corporate accountability in such cases.
