- Joined
- Nov 17, 2004
- Messages
- 10,362
- Reaction score
- 2,438
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Other
Suit accusing Rumsfeld of ignoring torture dropped
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three high-ranking U.S. military officials accused of ignoring allegations that U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan tortured prisoners.
"Despite the horrifying torture allegations," wrote U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan in a 58-page opinion, "the plaintiffs lack standing to pursue a declaratory judgment against the defendants."
The charges were brought by human rights groups on behalf of nine former detainees.
Hogan said there was nothing in federal case law that would allow officials such as Rumsfeld to be held personally liable for actions related to their government service.
The prisoners claimed they were innocent civilians who, according to their legal appeals, were "subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading acts during their detentions."
The detainees alleged they were hung upside down while slapped, electrically shocked, beaten unconscious, stripped naked and anally probed, menaced by dogs, chained and deprived of water and food.
What were they looking for up there?
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three high-ranking U.S. military officials accused of ignoring allegations that U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan tortured prisoners.
"Despite the horrifying torture allegations," wrote U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan in a 58-page opinion, "the plaintiffs lack standing to pursue a declaratory judgment against the defendants."
The charges were brought by human rights groups on behalf of nine former detainees.
Hogan said there was nothing in federal case law that would allow officials such as Rumsfeld to be held personally liable for actions related to their government service.
The prisoners claimed they were innocent civilians who, according to their legal appeals, were "subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading acts during their detentions."
The detainees alleged they were hung upside down while slapped, electrically shocked, beaten unconscious, stripped naked and anally probed, menaced by dogs, chained and deprived of water and food.
What were they looking for up there?
