Justice American Style: The Release of Charles Graner

Though Charles Graner's release from the US military prison in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas made the news, the event passed without much fanfare in the US. It was big news in Iraq, understandably. Iraqi citizens are quoted in various news sources and the general consensus is disgust with a system that releases this torturer and abuser after just over 6 years in prison. Graner was sentenced to 10 years, but received time off for his good behavior in prison.

What could we expect? Ft. Leavenworth is a military prison and it is likely that Graner was a privileged and loved inmate there. Many are unaware that Charles Graner worked in corrections as a guard in Pennsylvania prior to heading to Iraq as an Army reservist. According to Mumia Abu Jamal, Graner was an abusive prison guard and he would know as Graner was a corrections officer in the maximum security prison that Jamal is incarcerated at.

If you read the Wikipedia bio of Charles Graner Jr. you will see the entry regarding his conduct as a prison guard. A couple of quotes from that bio:

“In 1998, a prisoner accused Graner and three other guards of planting a razor blade in his food, causing his mouth to bleed when he ate it.”

“Graner and four other guards were also accused of beating another prisoner who had deliberately flooded his cell, taunting anti-capital punishment protesters, using racial epithets and telling a Muslim inmate he had rubbed pork all over his tray of food."

And there is much more – those two incidents were far from the only ones. He also served in the USMC during Desert Storm. No telling what this sadist did to his victims back then as there's probably no one left to discuss it. Oh, and he also physically abused his now ex wife and threatened to kill her, later admitting to it all.

Can you see how this abusive piece of trash would be respected and loved by military personnel at Ft. Leavenworth? I'd bet he received special treatment, extra privileges, and was almost idolized by guards and prisoners alike. I would be willing to bet that he was allowed conjugal visits, off the record of course. So it should be easy to understand how he received almost 4 years off of his sentence for “good behavior”.

Next thing we know someone will be offering him a corrections position in a prison somewhere in this country or he may be allowed to re-enter the military – yes, this happens and I know that for fact. He could actually end-up back in the Middle East somewhere as a soldier.

We live in a sick place and we have one of the worst criminal justice systems in the world.