RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court heard oral arguments Tuesday about an appeal from a U.S. military contractor ordered to pay $42 million for contributing to the torture and mistreatment of three former detainees at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison two decades ago.

Reston, Virginia-based CACI appealed last year's civil lawsuit verdict to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The appeal before the three-judge panel centers on whether the lower court had proper jurisdiction.

Suhail Al Shimari, Salah Al-Ejaili and Asa’ad Al-Zubae testified at last year's trial that they were subjected to beatings, sexual abuse, forced nudity and other cruel treatment at the prison during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. A jury awarded them $3 million each in compensatory damages and $11 million e

See Full Page