Saddam victim, now in Pittsburgh, awarded $88 million

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/20040622chemp6.asp

A federal court awarded $88 million to an Iraqi who said he was tortured at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s leadership.

Abdullah K. Alkhuzai, 33, of Pittsburgh’s Overbrook neighborhood, sued Saddam, his two sons, and eight other Iraqi leaders because, he said, he was starved, beaten, stabbed and shocked while at the Iraqi prison in 1991. In May, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Hardiman granted a default judgment for Alkhuzai since none of the defendants responded to the suit.

“I feel really great, I feel the USA got my justice for me. I feel grateful to the USA government,” Alkhuzai said.

His lawyer, Regis McClelland, said they plan to hire a firm in New York that specializes in collecting these kinds of judgments.

[daleo]

1. Well this sets an interesting precedent

It will be interesting to observe further developments.

[gulfcoastliberal]

2. What about the vets who sued Saddam and won

but Bush* refused to allow them to collect their judgement? That was really a fine example of Bush* "backing the troops".

[napi21]

3. You're right! I forgot about that!

Wonder if they can refile? Wonder if the rest of them can file a class action?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. from Gulf War I?

link?

[pinniped]

5. DU link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=603379

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. Thanks

Very interesting legal questions.

[pinniped]

9. You're welcome.

n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. Well it's pretty obvious NOW why they had no interest in a precedent

being set for POW's, even U.S. ones, suing and collecting for being tortured.

[WhereIsMyFreedom]

6. The defendants didn't respond

go figure. Saddam's in prison, his two sons are thought dead, and the remaining Iraqi leaders are probably either in prison, dead or hiding. Don't they have to be subpoenaed before the case can proceed? I doubt most of them were.

[Career Prole]

7. "Bush Victims, Now In Iraq, Awarded Chaos And Misery" n/t