Officer faces hearing over Abu Ghraib role

WASHINGTON - Lt. Col. Steven Jordan, the only U.S. military officer charged with crimes in the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal, will have new hearing Monday at Fort McNair in Washington to determine whether he should be court-martialed.

Jordan directed the interrogation center at Abu Ghraib in the fall of 2003.  He is accused of failing to exert his authority as prisoners were stripped naked, photographed in humiliating poses and intimidated by military working dogs. He also is accused of lying to investigators about abuses he allegedly witnessed.

The specific charges include cruelty and maltreatment, disobeying a superior officer, dereliction of duty and making false statements.

Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander in Iraq at the time, and other senior officers have been cleared of responsibility in the Abu Ghraib scandal.

The public face of Abu Ghraib
A string of lower-ranking soldiers, described by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as "a few bad apples," have faced courts martial.

Specialist Charles Graner and his girlfriend of the time, Private Lynndie England, became the public face of the abuse scandal and both were jailed.

Jordan's defense argument at an October hearing was that he had no operational control over investigations and spent much of his time at Abu Ghraib trying to improve soldiers' living conditions.

Jordan contends the presiding officer at his Article 32 investigation in October improperly considered written witness statements that were not in evidence before recommending a court-martial.

An Article 32 investigation is the military equivalent of a preliminary hearing or grand jury proceeding. Jordan would stand trial in July under a tentative schedule.

Jordan, a 50-year-old reservist from northern Virginia, isn't in custody but remains on involuntary extended active duty at the Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Va.

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