PVT Lynndie Rana England United States Army
Born November 8, 1982 (1982-11-08) (age 25)
US Army Photo
Place of birth	Ashland, Kentucky
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2001 to 2005
Rank	Private (Formerly Specialist)
Unit	372nd Military Police Company
Battles/wars	War in Iraq
Awards	Army Achievement Medal

Lynndie Rana England (born November 8, 1982) is a convicted felon and former United States Army reservist who served in the 372nd Military Police Company. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Ashland is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Specialist (abbreviated " SPC " is one of the fourth enlisted ranks in the U The 372nd Military Police Company is a United States reserve Military Police unit based out of Cresaptown Maryland. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign The Achievement Medal is a military medal of the United States military. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) In Common law legal systems a felony is a serious Crime, often contrasted with a Misdemeanor. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The 372nd Military Police Company is a United States reserve Military Police unit based out of Cresaptown Maryland. She was one of several soldiers convicted by the Army courts-martial in connection with the torture and prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad during the occupation of Iraq. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a Military court. These military courts can determine Punishments for members of the Military subject Beginning in 2004 accounts of Abuse, Torture, Sodomy and Homicide of Prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq The Abu Ghraib prison (سجن أبو غريب also Abu Ghurayb is in Abu Ghraib, an Iraqi city 32 km (20 mi west of Baghdad. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous Iraq War|2007 in Iraq|2008 in IraqThe post-invasion period in Iraq

England held the rank of Specialist while serving in Iraq. Specialist (abbreviated " SPC " is one of the fourth enlisted ranks in the U Along with other soldiers, she was found guilty of inflicting sexual, physical and psychological abuse on Iraqi prisoners of war. Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual acts by one person upon another Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation Pain, Injury, or other physical Suffering or Harm. Psychological abuse or emotional abuse is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that is psychologically harmful For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics.

England faced a general court-martial in January 2005 on charges of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners and assault consummated by battery. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a Military court. These military courts can determine Punishments for members of the Military subject In the Criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between Natural persons to break the law at some time in the future and in some cases with at least one overt act Assault is a Crime of Violence against another person. In some Jurisdictions including Australia and New Zealand, Battery is a term used by the Common law jurisdictions which involves an Injury or other Contact upon the Person of another in a manner likely The formal charges did not mention the word "torture," although some commentators have so described her conduct. Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental is intentionally On April 30, 2005, England agreed to plead guilty to abuse charges. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Her plea bargain would have reduced her maximum sentence from 16 years to 11 years had it been accepted by the military judge. A plea bargain (also plea agreement, plea deal or copping a plea) is an agreement in a Criminal case whereby the Prosecutor offers She would have pleaded guilty to four counts of maltreating prisoners, two counts of conspiracy, and one count of dereliction of duty. In exchange, prosecutors would have dropped two other charges, committing indecent acts and failure to obey a lawful order.

On May 4, 2005, military judge COL James Pohl tossed out her plea bargain, as new testimony by now PVT Charles Graner suggested that PFC England did not know her actions were wrong at the time. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Charles A Graner Jr, (born 1968 is a former US Army reservist who was convicted of the War crime of prisoner abuse in connection with the 2003&ndash2004 This contradicted PFC England's statements of May 2, 2005, when she entered her guilty plea. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On September 26, 2005, England was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of committing an indecent act. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Decency is conformity to sociocultural standards of conduct and speech She was acquitted on a second conspiracy count. ^[1] She was sentenced to three years in a military prison for her crimes.

England worked in the kitchen of a prison (Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar) from which she was paroled on March 3, 2007, after having served 521 days. Commissioned on July 19 1989 Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar is a Military prison operated by the U Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian ^[2] She will remain on parole through September 2008, when her three-year sentence will be complete and she will receive a dishonorable discharge. A military discharge is given when a member of the Armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve

Biography

PFC England holding a leash attached to a prisoner collapsed on the floor, known to the guards as "Gus"

Born in Ashland, Kentucky,^[3] England moved with her family to Fort Ashby, West Virginia, when she was two years old. Ashland is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. Fort Ashby is an Census-designated place (CDP in Mineral County, West Virginia along Patterson Creek. She grew up as the daughter of a railroad worker, Kenneth England, who worked at the station in nearby Cumberland, Maryland, and Terrie Bowling England. The City of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County Maryland, United States, and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland The family lived in a trailer park. A trailer park is a neighborhood consisting of an area of land where Travel trailers rest At school, England was known for wearing combat boots and camouflage fatigues. Combat boots are Military Boots designed to be worn by Soldiers during actual Combat or combat training as opposed to during Parades Camouflage became an essential part of modern Military tactics after the increase in accuracy and rate of fire of weapons during the 19th century Battledress, in the general sense is the type of uniform used as Combat uniforms as opposed to 'display' dress or formal uniform worn at parades and functions

England joined the United States Army Reserve in Cumberland in 2001 while she was a junior at Frankfort High School near Short Gap, to escape from a night job in the same chicken-processing factory in Moorefield made famous in a PETA video^[4] and to earn money so she could go to college to become a storm chaser. The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Franfort High School is a high school in Short Gap West Virginia that houses over 600 students from Ridgeley, Short Gap, Ft Short Gap is an Unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia located at the intersection of West Virginia Route 956 and West Hardy County Courthouse-Moorefield WVjpg|thumb|right| Hardy County Courthouse in Moorefield West Virginia]] Moorefield is a town in Hardy County, West Virginia Storm chasing is broadly defined as the pursuit of any severe weather condition regardless of motive She was also a member of the Future Farmers of America. The National FFA Organization is an American Youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that After graduating from Frankfort High School in 2001, she worked as a cashier in an IGA store and married a co-worker, James L. IGA is a name used by many independent Grocery stores throughout the world Fike, in 2002, but they later divorced. She was sent to Iraq in 2003. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics.

England was engaged to fellow reservist Charles Graner. Charles A Graner Jr, (born 1968 is a former US Army reservist who was convicted of the War crime of prisoner abuse in connection with the 2003&ndash2004 She gave birth to a son fathered by him,^[5] Carter Allan England, at 21:25 on October 11, 2004, at Womack Army Medical Center on Fort Bragg. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " News accounts of the birth referred to Graner as England's "ex-boyfriend. " Graner subsequently married Megan Ambuhl, one of the other accused female Abu Ghraib soldiers with whom he had been having an affair during the time of his relationship with England. Megan M Ambuhl is a former United States Army reservist and member of the 372nd Military Police Company who was convicted in Court-martial in connection ^[6]

On July 9, 2007, England was appointed to the Keyser volunteer recreation board. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Keyser is a city in and the County seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. ^[7]

Media Interviews

SPC England and SPC Graner posing behind a pyramid of naked Iraqi prisoners, giving the "thumbs up" sign

In a May 11, 2004 interview with Denver CBS affiliate television station KCNC-TV, England reportedly said that she was "instructed by persons in higher ranks" to commit the acts of abuse for psyop reasons, and that she should keep doing it, because it worked as intended. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Psychological Operations ( PSYOP, PSYOPS) are techniques used by Military and Police forces to influence a target audience's value England noted that she felt "weird" when a commanding officer asked her to do such things as "stand there, give the thumbs up, and smile". However, England felt that she was doing "nothing out of the ordinary". ^[8]

In March 2008, England told the German magazine Stern that the media was to blame for the consequences of the Abu Ghraib scandal. Stern ( English "Star" is a weekly News magazine published in Germany. Beginning in 2004 accounts of Abuse, Torture, Sodomy and Homicide of Prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq "If the media hadn't exposed the pictures to that extent, then thousands of lives would have been saved," she said. "Yeah, I took the photos but I didn't make it worldwide. "^[6][9] Asked about the picture of her posing with Graner in front of a pyramid of naked men, she said, "At the time I thought, I love this man [Graner], I trust this man with my life, okay, then he's saying, well, there's seven of them and it's such an enclosed area and it'll keep them together and contained because they have to concentrate on staying up on the pyramid instead of doing something to us. "^[6] Asked about the picture showing her pointing at a man forced to masturbate, she again referred to her feelings for Graner at the time: ". . . Graner and Frederick tried to convince me to get into the picture with this guy. I didn't want to, but they were really persistent about it. At the time I didn't think that it was something that needed to be documented but I followed Graner. I did everything he wanted me to do. I didn't want to lose him. "^[6]

Court-martial

Even before England was formally charged, she was transferred to the U. S. military installation at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina on May 5, 2004, because of her pregnancy. Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

SPC England pointing to a naked prisoner being forced to masturbate in front of his captors^[6]

England was charged with two counts of conspiracy to maltreat detainees, one count of dereliction of duty, four counts of cruelty and maltreatment and two counts of committing indecent acts at the Abu Ghraib prison in 2003. She originally faced 19 criminal counts that could have brought up to 38 years behind bars, but military prosecutors reduced the charges in February 2005. No explanation was given for the reduction.

At her trial in May 2005, Colonel James Pohl declared a mistrial on the grounds that he could not accept her plea of guilty under a plea-bargain to a charge of conspiring with Spc. Charles Graner Jr. to maltreat detainees after Graner testified that he believed that, in placing a tether around the naked detainee's neck and asking England to pose for a photograph with him, he was documenting a legitimate use of force.

At her retrial, England was convicted on September 26, 2005 of one count of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating detainees and one count of committing an indecent act. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She was acquitted on a second conspiracy count. Along with a dishonorable discharge, England received a three-year prison sentence on September 27. A military discharge is given when a member of the Armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again The prosecution had asked the jury to imprison England for four to six years. Her defense lawyers asked for no prison time.

Graner, the alleged ringleader of the abuse, was convicted on all charges earlier this year and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Four guards and two low-level military intelligence officers have made plea deals in the case. Their sentences ranged from no time to 8-1/2 years. No officers have gone to trial, though several received administrative punishment.

Additional unreleased photographs

Members of the United States Senate have reportedly reviewed additional photographs supplied by the Department of Defense which have not been publicly released. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government There has been considerable speculation as to the contents of these photos. In a March 2008 interview, England stated in response to a question about these unreleased pictures, "You see the dogs biting the prisoners. Or you see bite marks from the dogs. You can see MPs holding down a prisoner so a medic can give him a shot. "^[6]

The Sydney Morning Herald website has published additional photos that show Graner, but not England. The Sydney Morning Herald ( SMH) is a daily Broadsheet Newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia ^[10][11]

At the time the original photographs were released, there were some accusations^[12] that the Google search engine had censored images of Lynndie England in its image search. Google Inc is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable harmful or sensitive as determined by a censor Google responded that this was actually caused by delayed indexing and not deliberate censorship. ^[13]

Cultural references

• Pungent Stench track "Lynndie (She-Wolf Of Abu Ghraib)" from Ampeauty is in reference to England. Pungent Stench was a darkly humorous Death metal band from Vienna, Austria who formed in 1988. Ampeauty is the fifth album of the Austrian Death metal band Pungent Stench.
• The movie Valley of the Wolves Iraq depicts scenes from Abu Ghraib on a large screen. Valley of the Wolves Iraq (Kurtlar Vadisi Irak is a popular Turkish film from 2006 based on a television series of the same name that has been
• "Pulling a Lynndie" has been used to refer to her hand gesture where she uses one hand for a thumbs up and another hand for pointing. Some websites encourage people to send in photos of themselves standing over others in unfortunate situations in similar poses. (one example)
• On May 10, 2004, swastika-covered posters of (among others) Lynndie England were attached to British and Indian graves at the Commonwealth military cemetery in Gaza City. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. Gaza (غزة, עַזָּה ʕazzā is the largest city in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories.
• Mad Magazine has in several issues criticized Lynndie England, specifically in articles where the Iraq War is compared to other wars that the "U. Mad is a monthly American Humor Magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952 The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign S. A" fought in as well as "Worst Americans" and "15 Minutes of Fame" articles.
• In the episode of The Simpsons, "G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)", Homer runs from the US army and fears that if captured he will be stripped naked and a hillbilly girl (reference to England) will point at him. " GI (Annoyed Grunt " is the fifth episode of The Simpsons ' eighteenth season and first aired November 12,
• In another episode of The Simpsons, in which Monty Burns buys a run-down theater with the intention of turning it in to a state-of-the-art prison, he states: "This place will make Abu Ghraib look like the Four Seasons. We'll need a car battery, some wires and someone who can REALLY point at genitalia".
• In an episode of Arrested Development, the narrator reveals that Gob (Will Arnett)'s soon to be ex-wife received a dishonorable discharge for activities in an Iraq prison. Arrested Development is a character-driven American television Sitcom about a formerly wealthy habitually Dysfunctional family. William "Will" Emerson Arnett (born May 5, 1970) is an Emmy Award -nominated Canadian Actor known for his role as For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The episode cuts to a photo of his supposed wife, played by actress Amy Poehler (Will Arnett's actual wife), striking a pose similar to Lynndie England's. Amy Meredith Poehler (born September 16 1971 is an American Comedian and Actress. In another episode Lucille tells Buster, who will soon be sent to fight in Iraq, "That's for when they put you in a naked pyramid and point to your Charlie Browns. "
• In the episode "Cartman Sucks" from the television show South Park, Cartman takes a picture of himself with Butters' penis in his mouth, giving a thumbs-up sign and smiling. " Cartman Sucks " is episode 1102 (#155 of Comedy Central 's " South Park " and the second episode of the show's 11th season South Park is an animated American television comedy series created and written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central He says that the picture is against the Iraq War. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign
• In the episode "Homeland Insecurity" from the television show American Dad!, Francine imitates Lynndie England's pose. For the Endwell debut album see Homeland Insecurity (album. " Homeland Insecurity " is an Episode of the TV American Dad! is a satirical American animated series produced by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions for 20th Century Biography Francine was adopted by Chinese-American parents at an age 7 she was abandoned at an airport by her wealthy Caucasian birth parents because they were not allowed (See the image to the right for details. )
• Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live called her appearance a "drugged out Peppermint Patty" of Peanuts cartoons. Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (born May 18 1970 is a Golden Globe - five time Emmy - and SAG Award -winning American Writer Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City Patricia "Peppermint Patty" Reichardt is a Fictional character featured in Charles M Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday Comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M England was also named "Weekend Update's Dirtbag of the Week" on the May 8, 2004 broadcast and received a carton of Virginia Slims for "winning. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Virginia Slims is a Brand of Cigarette manufactured by Philip Morris. "
• Canadian playwright Judith Thompson wrote "My Pyramids," (2005) based on the life of England, performed as a one-woman show. Judith Clare Thompson (born September 20, 1954) is a prominent Canadian Playwright who lives in Toronto A movie version, shot in Victoria, British Columbia by Harbinger Productions stars Lauren Bowler as 'Sarah' and is directed by Michael Maitland.
• Chicago progressive indie rock band Make Believe references England in their song "Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till" with the lyric "Lynndie England's done a little trav'ling broad. Lynndie England's been all she can be. "
• A Robot Chicken sketch showing what would happen if The Simpsons became more conservative features Apu being sent to Abu Graib for refusing to use the term freedom fries and calling Homer a fat stupid American, it ends with Apu repenting his actions while England holds him tied to a leash. Robot Chicken is an Emmy -Award Winning American Stop motion animated television series created by Seth Green and Matthew Freedom fries was an alternate name used for French fries by some in the United States as a result of Anti-French sentiment in the United States
• "American Girls" a song by Canadian artist Jeremy Fisher is about the Lynndie England incident. Jeremy Fisher (born December 151976 is a Canadian Singer-songwriter.
• "New Religion" a song by the Scottish group, The Proclaimers, on their 2007 album Life With You, contains the lines: "Here's a thing I'd love to say, Lynndie England walks free today. The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twins Charlie and Craig Reid (born March 5, 1962) Life With You, released in 2007, is the seventh studio album by The Proclaimers. "
• "Dangerous Beauty", a song by "The Rolling Stones" on their 2005 album '" "A Bigger Bang" '", is said to have been inspired by Lynndie England. A Bigger Bang is the 22nd studio album by The Rolling Stones.

See also

References

External links

• English-language interview with Lynndie England by Stern magazine, March 2008
• Symbol Of Shame? – a CBS News article, May 7, 2004
• A new monster-in-chief – The Observer article by Mary Riddell, May 9, 2004
• "Doing a Lynndie"
• Lynndie England : A Soldiers Tale – Marie Claire article by Tara McKelvey
• England back in Mineral County
• Flickr: Doing the Lynndie