A jury in Alexandria, Virginia, has awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Abu Ghraib prison, linking their abuse to the actions of a Virginia-based military contractor. The decision holds CACI, the Reston, Virginia-based company, accountable for the mistreatment and torture the plaintiffs endured nearly 20 years ago. The verdict follows a previous jury’s failure to reach a consensus earlier in the year.
The plaintiffs—Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili, and Asa’ad Al-Zubae—were each granted $3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million in punitive damages. They testified to experiencing beatings, sexual humiliation, forced nudity, and other forms of abuse while detained. They contended that CACI’s civilian interrogators conspired with military personnel to improperly “soften up” detainees.
CACI’s representative, John O’Connor, did not disclose whether there would be an appeal. Meanwhile, Baher Azmy, representing the Center for Constitutional Rights, highlighted this verdict’s significance to the U.S. treatment of terrorism detainees.
The trial and subsequent retrial mark the first instance in two decades where a U.S. jury considered claims from Abu Ghraib detainees. Al Shimari reported sexual abuse and beatings, while Al-Ejaili described enduring stress positions and sleep deprivation.
CACI maintained its stance that its employees bore no responsibility and attributed any potential misconduct to the Army. The jury faced challenges in deciding responsibility between CACI and the Army. Nonetheless, evidence, including reports from retired Army generals, suggested complicity by some CACI interrogators.
