The jury deliberated for about 18 hours over three days. The trial began
March 13.
Smith was found guilty of maltreating three prisoners, conspiring with
another dog handler in a contest to make detainees soil themselves, dereliction
of duty, assault and an indecent act. The assault charge was dismissed.
The indecency conviction was for Smith directing his dog to lick peanut
butter off the genitals of a male soldier and the breasts of a female soldier.
Smith expressed remorse for that action. "It was foolish, stupid and
juvenile. There is nothing I could do to take it back. If I could, I would,"
Smith said.
The trial of the other dog handler, Sgt. Santos A. Cardona, 31, of Fullerton,
Calif., is set for May 22.
Smith was acquitted of maltreating and assaulting two other detainees — one
of whom was bitten hard on both thighs by Cardona's dog, according to testimony
— and of conspiring with prison guards to unlawfully harass detainees.
Nine other soldiers have been convicted of abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib,
in many cases by forcing them to assume painful positions and humiliate
themselves sexually while being photographed. Former Cpl. Charles Graner Jr.
received the longest sentence — 10 years in prison. Lynndie England, a
23-year-old reservist photographed giving a thumbs-up in front of naked
prisoners, is serving three years behind bars.
The New York-based advocacy group Human Rights First, which had observers at
the trial, said the verdict sends "a powerful message that abusive interrogation
techniques using unmuzzled dogs to terrify detainees is strictly prohibited."
But attorney Avi Cover said in a statement, "There have been prosecutions
going down the chain of the command but not going up. It's not enough to
prosecute the people who were following orders."