DOJ: No Criminal Charges In Deaths Of CIA Detainees Overseas

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The Justice Department has closed a criminal investigation into the death of two individuals in CIA custody at overseas locations, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Thursday. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Durham had opened a full investigation into the deaths last summer. From Holder’s statement:

In reaching this determination, Mr. Durham considered all potentially applicable substantive criminal statutes as well as the statutes of limitations and jurisdictional provisions that govern prosecutions under those statutes.   Mr. Durham and his team reviewed a tremendous volume of information pertaining to the detainees. That review included both information and matters that were not examined during the Department’s prior reviews.  Based on the fully developed factual record concerning the two deaths, the Department has declined prosecution because the admissible evidence would not be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. […]

I also appreciate and respect the work of and sacrifices made by the men and women in our intelligence community on behalf of this country.  They perform an incredibly important service to our nation, and they often do so under difficult and dangerous circumstances. They deserve our respect and gratitude for the work they do.  I asked Mr. Durham to conduct this review based on existing information as well as new information and matters presented to me that I believed warranted a thorough examination of the detainee treatment issue.

Read Holder’s full statement here.

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