Accountability for Designing Torture
Complaint Filed on James Mitchell with Texas Board
| Intro and Interview with Jim Cox PhD – Forensic Psychologist | Segment 1 |
| Interview with Joseph Margulies – Lawyer/Professor of Law | Segment 2 |
| Audio reading of complaint filed | Segment 3 |
| Interview with Andy Worthington about complaint, BP, and World Cup | Segment 4 |
TO listen in: CLICK HERE
Copy of Complaint PDF: CLICK HERE
In Mar 2002, the U.S. and Pakistani officers captured the man we call Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan after a dramatic raid in which Abu Zubaydah was shot and seriously wounded. After the capture, Zubaydah was rendered to Thailand and possibly other sites where he was subjected to a wide range of torture not limited to the 83 times he was waterboarded. The U.S. government would hold him in “blacksites” until he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2006.
On September 6, 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush took to the airwaves in a press event to brag that they had captured a really bad guy and that he was giving us “actionable intel”.
“We knew that Zubaydah had more information that could save innocent lives, but he stopped talking. As his questioning proceeded, it became clear that he had received training on how to resist interrogation. And so the CIA used an alternative set of procedures. These procedures were designed to be safe, to comply with our laws, our Constitution, and our treaty obligations. The Department of Justice reviewed the authorized methods extensively and determined them to be lawful.”
This was a false on so many levels. As evidenced by the walked back claims of the government, Abu Zubaydah presented zero threat to the United States nor was he ever involved in targeting the United States. Bush’s claims about him were more speechwriter Marc Theissen’s imagination than facts that withstand scrutiny. Those who continue to espouse the view that his torture was necessary are now out of line with the facts and the government case against him.
The program used to torture him was reportedly designed by two men, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen. The program attributed to Mitchell and to Bruce Jessen was revealed a few years back but no consequence for their participation has ever been rendered. Now, one of the torture program “architects” is facing pressure to strip him of his medical license in Texas. James Mitchell is facing the threat by the American Psychological Association (APA) to strip his license for participation in the U.S. torture of Abu Zubaydah.
On June 17, 2010, forensic psychologist Jim Cox of Texas filed a complaint to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists with support from attorney/professor, Joseph Margulies and attorney Dicky Grigg. The complaint lays out the obligations for practicing professionals and a detailed look at the torture of the man we know as, Abu Zubaydah.
And on July 1st, the APA sent a letter recommending action on Mitchell for these violations of his obligations as a doctor to follow medical ethics and standards to “do no harm”. I’ll keep an eye on this update and keep you posted.