HAGERSTOWN, Md. – The arraignments of three soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners have been moved up a day to Wednesday, an Army spokesman in Baghdad (search) said Monday.
Arraignments had been scheduled for Thursday for Sgt. Javal S. Davis (search), Staff Sgt. Ivan L. "Chip" Frederick II (search) and Spc. Charles A. Graner Jr. (search)
Army spokesman Spc. Justin McCue did not give a reason for the change.
The proceedings will occur the same day as the special court-martial in Baghdad of Spc. Jeremy C. Sivits (search), another of the seven soldiers charged in the alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib prison (search).
All are members of the 372nd Military Police Company, a reserve unit based near Cumberland, Md., and face charges including maltreatment of detainees and dereliction of duty.
Sivits, of Hyndman, Pa., the only soldier with a trial scheduled, is expected to plead guilty.
Frederick, 37, of Buckingham, Va., will seek to defer all proceedings until his attorney can file motions. His lawyer, Gary Myers, would not comment on the motions.
Graner, 35, of Uniontown, Pa., will plead innocent, according to his attorney, Guy Womack.
Davis, 26, of Roselle, N.J., has asked the military to postpone his trial so his lawyer can prepare a defense.
The others charged in the scandal are Spc. Megan M. Ambuhl of Centreville, Va.; Pfc. Lynndie R. England (search) of Fort Ashby, W.Va.; and Spc. Sabrina D. Harman of Lorton, Va.
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