http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050106/ts_nm/iraq_abuse_graner_dc&cid=564&ncid=1473FT. HOOD, Texas (Reuters) - U.S. soldier Charles Graner, who has come to symbolize the worst prison abuse scandal of the Iraq (news - web sites) war, is expected to plead at his trial on Friday that he was following orders from superiors.
Graner and Private Lynndie England, with whom he recently fathered a child, have become the faces of the Abu Ghraib scandal after they appeared in photos that showed England holding a naked Iraqi prisoner by a leash.
At his court-martial, Graner faces 24 1/2 years in prison on charges that include conspiracy to mistreat detainees, dereliction of duties, maltreating detainees, and assault. Four of seven members of his unit have already pleaded guilty and three of them have been sentenced to prison.
Attorney Guy Womack has argued Graner was just following orders. Experts say such a "only following orders" defense has often failed, making a plea bargain agreement a possible outcome.
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