90 days of hard labor for Abu Ghraib dog handler

Friday, June 2, 2006

Convicted on the first of June by a military jury for participating in prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, former sergeant Santos Cardona, 32, a dog handler in the United States Army, was today sentenced to ninety days of hard labour and demoted to the rank of specialist.

Cardona was charged and convicted on two counts: aggravated assault, for using a Belgian shepherd dog to threaten detainees with actions “likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm,” and for dereliction of duty in relation to this act. He was cleared of seven other charges.

Cardona faced up to three and a half years in prison on these charges, and despite the conviction his attourney has expressed relief at the sentence. He will not be held in confinement during the term of his sentence.