Andrew Ledford

Lieutenant Andrew Ledford is a US Navy SEAL. Ledford is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and had served in the United States Marine Corps, prior to becoming a SEAL.

On November 4, 2003, while serving in Iraq, Ledford was in command of a special unit of SEALs tasked with arresting suspected resistance fighters. They arrested Iraqi Manadel al-Jamadi. According to later court martial testimony, on their way to deliver al-Jamadi to interrogators at Abu Ghraib they allegedly beat al-Jamadil.

At Ledford's court martial witnesses testified about three other incidents where Ledford's platoon was seen beating prisoners. One witness gave this account of a beating he saw by Dan Cerrilo, one of the members of Ledford's platoon:

:"I never saw anything like that prior with this unit or any other unit and I never saw anything like that again."

Ledford was charged with assault, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer and making false statements. He was acquitted on May 28, 2005.

Following his court martial Ledford said he was looking forward to continuing his naval career.

External links

* [http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1710672,00.html CIA man saw detainee abuse] , News24, May 25, 2005
* [http://www.allheadlinenews.com/cgi-bin/news/newsbrief.plx?id=2234567256&fa=1 Navy SEAL Officer Found Not Guilty In Iraqi Detainee Beating Death] , all headline news, May 28, 2005