Jury deliberating in Iraq Abu Ghraib prison abuse civil case; contractor casts blame on Army

BY MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A lawyer for a military contractor being sued by three survivors of the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq says the plaintiffs are suing the wrong people. Lawyers for Virginia-based CACI told jurors Monday that the Army is responsible for any abuse. The lawsuit by the ex-detainees marks the first time a U.S. jury has weighed claims of abuse at Abu Ghraib. Twenty years ago the prison was the site of a worldwide scandal when abuse inflicted by U.S. soldiers became public. The suit alleges civilian interrogators supplied by CACI contributed to the torture while conspiring with military police. The jury began its deliberations Monday.