Where are Lynndie England and Charles Graner now?

Lynndie England and Charles Graner inside Abu Ghraib - 2003

As photographs of Abu Ghraib and the abuse that went on there shocked the world in 2004, one of the main faces of the scandal was Lynndie England. Throughout several of the photos England, only 21 years old at the time, was almost always seen smiling, even posed next to a dead body and when pointing at the detainees' genitals.

Charles Graner, accused in some circles as the "ringleader," was also another well known smiling face of the Abu Ghraib scandal. Both him and England were convicted of their roles in the scandal and sentenced to prison time. Graner sentenced to 10 years, of which he served six and a half, and England sentenced to three years, of which she only served half.

After serving time, where are they now?

Lynndie  England returned home to Fort Ashby, West Virginia after being released from prison. There she lives in a trailer park with her parents and four year old son, fathered by Charles Graner. In the very small town she tries to move on with a "normal" life of looking for a job, staying out the way of the public and getting on with a life. During an interview with Emma Brockes, England was asked about the photos and her relationship with Graner. At one point when Brockes asks why she didn't walk away from the pictures, England remarks, "I didn't want them. But he was so persistent. Go on! Just for me! If you loved me, you'd do it. I'm like, gee, OK just take the damn picture." England goes on to talk about Graner and the things he did that influenced her into her actions. England's mother went on the record stating that she felt is was her daughters own fault but her father hasn't spoken about the scandal. While England was serving her time in prison her parents got a divorce after it was revealed her father was having an affair. England blames herself and states, "Yeah. I pretty much broke up a 30-year marriage." England is now on antidepressants and experiences nightmares but is worried she will not be able to afford the medication once she is officially discharged from the military.

Emma Brockes "Interview: She's Home from Jail, But Lynndie England Can't Escape Abu Ghraib," The Guardian, 2 January 2009.

Charles Graner was "convicted of offenses that included stacking the prisoners into a pyramid, knocking one of them out with a head punch and ordering prisoners to masturbate while soldiers took pictures." While Graner stuck to his story that these sort of actions were the plans of military intelligence officers to "soften up prisoners for interrogation" he received the longest sentence of those convicted and served six and one half years on a ten year sentence before released from the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Graner married his fellow Abu Ghraib defendant Megan Ambul after his conviction but since being released from prison neither of their whereabouts have been released. Graner maintains his innocents in the reasons he carried out the actions He continue to fight and appeal his conviction with an attorney who states, Graner was a "political prisoner of the failed United States Iraq policy and uncessary war."

 

David Dishneau, "Charles Graner Released. Abu Ghraib Abuse Ringleader Set Free From Kansas Prison," The Huffington Post, August 6, 2011.