Family Defends Female in Iraqi Prisoner Photos
May 13, 2004 -- Army Pfc. Lynndie England — the young female soldier who can be seen smiling in some of the photos depicting the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners — is said to be "anxious and overwhelmed" by the attention she's received since the images surfaced.
England's best friend, Destiny Goin, says her long-time friend is struggling with how to deal with the controversy swirling around her when she's so many miles away from her home.
"I know that she's [England is] anxious and overwhelmed and kind of depressed because she's isolated from the rest of her family," Goin said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "But we really don't get into too many deep discussions over this," Goin said.
Jessica Klinestiver, England's sister, says she believes the young soldier was taken advantage of by those who were in charge.
"Yes, I am very outraged because that's not like my sister to do anything like that at all," Klinestiver said.
Klinestiver says the images of England, who is now five months pregnant, smiling and pointing at naked Iraqi prisoners have come to haunt her family.
"It's just overwhelming to see it on like CNN and everything, to see my sister doing those things," Klinestiver said.
One of the photos, which eventually led to charges against England, shows her smiling with a cigarette in her mouth, as she points at the genitals of a naked, hooded Iraqi.
Another picture shows her holding a leash that encircles the neck of a naked Iraqi man lying on his side.
England, who has been stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina since her return from Iraq in March, faces a court-martial on charges that include conspiracy to maltreat prisoners and assault consummated by battery.
The soldier's younger brother, Josh England, says his sister is coping with the media attention and the charges that have been filed against her as best she can.
"She seems pretty stable to me," he said. Meanwhile, Josh England said his family is trying not to focus on all of the attention right now. "Well, we don't really talk about it much. I mean, we stopped watching TV and we've just been worried about our sister," he said.
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