...Baher Azmy, legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and lead counsel for the plaintiffs said, “We are of course disappointed by the jury’s failure to reach a unanimous verdict in favor of our plaintiffs despite the wealth of evidence that CACI bears responsibility for the horrible abuses our clients suffered. But we remain awed by the courage of our clients, who have fought for justice for their torment for 16 years, and who testified so powerfully in a United States court. Their struggle and their bravery to take on and speak the truth against so many powerful forces aligned against them is a testament to the human capacity to fight against injustice committed against themselves and other marginalized communities. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case again.” 

The plaintiffs brought their case under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS),  a federal law from 1789 that allows foreign nationals to file lawsuits in US courts for certain violations of international law. The Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of the ATS three times in recent years, most recently in 2021.

“Throughout this litigation, CACI has sought to deflect any responsibility for its role in the torture at Abu Ghraib, claiming that because it was hired to work with the US military, only the military bears any responsibility for the cruelty Iraqi detainees suffered there,” said Katherine Gallagher, a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights. “This is not what the law says, and CACI should be held responsible for its employees’ role in the abuses.” ...

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