$42M Awarded to Abu Ghraib Survivors in Landmark U.S. Case
A US jury has awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, holding Virginia-based defense contractor CACI Premier Technology responsible for their abuse. The plaintiffs, who suffered beatings and other cruel treatment, argued that CACI's interrogators instructed military police to "soften up" detainees. This verdict marks the first time a civilian contractor has been held legally accountable for the abuse at Abu Ghraib, with each plaintiff receiving $3 million in compensatory and $11 million in punitive damages.