Larry James protsted at Wright State U.
February 17th, 2010
As reported in the campus paper, The Guardian, there was recently a protest at Wright State University of its Dean of the School of Professional Psychology, Dr. Larry James. James, along with Col. Morgan Banks, was inside lecturing to a $2,000 a person workshop on the Psychology of Terrorism:
WSU dean still under fire three years after torture accusations
Wright State professional psychology dean target of protest on campus, failed lawsuitsBy Andy Sedlak
A recent campus protest has dragged a Wright State University dean back into the headlines.
Larry C. James, dean of Wright State’s School of Professional Psychology, has been the subject of numerous news stories since arriving on campus, Aug. 1, 2008. A retired Army colonel and recipient of the Bronze Star, James was the chief psychologist at Guantanamo Bay in 2003 and 2007. He held the same title at Abu Ghraib in 2004.
At each of these two facilities, James’ task was to remedy the torture interrogations that dominated news coverage for much of the 2000s. His supervision was far reaching, and James insists the turnaround after his arrival was apparent.
“I was needed to demonstrate and teach interrogators how to go about proper questioning,” James said in a December interview with the Guardian.
He wrote a book, “Fixing Hell,” documenting his experiences. It was released in 2008, the same year he arrived at Wright State.
Since the release of his book, James has become an ongoing target for human rights activists.
Most recently, student demonstrators held a small protest outside the Student Union on Feb. 3. Inside, James led a seminar on the psychology of terrorism.
His critics allege that, while at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, James turned a blind eye toward rampant abuse of the detainees. Additionally, many assert that James abused the right to confidential medical records belonging to the detainees.
“(The protest) was intended to be a visual challenge to Larry James,” said demonstrator Dana Fleetham, a Wright State graduate student. She said the group was “questioning his credibility to host the event and also his credibility as a licensed psychologist.”
Wright State does not denote James’ experience at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib on James’ biography on the school of psychology’s webpage.
Dr. Trudy Bond, a psychologist out of Toledo has been linked to James for the past two years. Against him, Bond filed a complaint with the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists in February of 2008. She did so alleging professional misconduct for his roles at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. The complaint was dismissed, saying there was no reason to investigate.
Bond filed her complaint in Louisiana because he was issued his license to practice psychology in Louisiana. Larry James is licensed in Louisiana, Ohio and Guam.
Bond filed a complaint in Ohio as well, but it too was closed shortly thereafter.
Bond has appealed three times. Thus far, the LSBEP has denied all of Bond’s attempts. Bond filed suit against the LSBEP for not investigating James. Her case against the board was dismissed as well.
“The code of ethics within the APA and the Ohio Board of Ohio states that as a psychologist, if I have knowledge or information about the unprofessional actions of a psychologist, I am required to report them,” Bond said.
The American Psychological Association’s website reads “The American Psychological Association’s (APA) position on torture is clear and unequivocal: Any direct or indirect participation in any act of torture or other forms of cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment by psychologists is strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions. Such acts as waterboarding, sexual humiliation, stress positions and exploitation of phobias are clear violations of APA’s no torture/no abuse policy.”
James has taken comfort in each ruling against Bond.
“No matter what third party, objective review board or person, they’ve all come to the same conclusion — there’s no probable cause,” James said in an interview with the Dayton Daily News last year. “There’s no detainee, there’s no guard, there’s no psychologist who’s come forward and said, ‘With my own eyes, I’ve seen Dr. James do X, Y or Z.’ ”
Bond agreed to an interview with The Guardian in January. After James’ initial interview in December, his office did not return phone calls seeking a follow-up interview.
Bond’s suit against the Board in Louisiana has now gone to the court of appeals and lawyers are disputing whether or not the trial court rightly dismissed her case against the LSBEP. Oral arguments for the appellate court are scheduled for February 25 in Baton Rouge.
Samantha Naves contributed to this report.
Entry Filed under: Accountability,Guantanamo,Interrogation,Psychology,Torture,War Crimes