Hearts and minds

FORT BLISS, Texas (AP) - A military jury convicted an Army reservist of assault, maltreatment, maiming and making a false official statement on Thursday for assaulting a prisoner who later died at a detention center in Afghanistan.

The jury acquitted Brand of charges that he abused a second detainee. Both prisoners died just days after arriving at the detention center at Bagram Airfield north of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Homicide charges against Brand, who served in the 337th Military Police Company, were dropped earlier this year.

Prosecutors had asked that Pfc. Willie V. Brand, 27, be sent to a military prison for 10 years with a dishonorable discharge. Instead, the panel reduced his rank to private.

For those unfamiliar with military acronyms Willie was demoted to private from private first class.