Who are the people that have had their life ruined by 1 photo?

Sergeant Joe Darby.

Remember the infamous Abu Ghraib photos? US soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq engaged in the humiliation and torture of Iraqi prisoners of war.

Sergeant Darby is the one who discovered the photos and turned the photos over to the Criminal Investigation Division.

Exposure of this behavior became a huge embarrassment for the Bush Administration and an international outrage, especially in Muslim nations.

Darby had intended to remain anonymous and let justice take its course. Instead, then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld publicly exposed Darby as the whistleblower in front of TV cameras. This was akin to the NYPD Chief publicly exposing Frank Serpico as a whistleblower. Rumsfeld must have known his actions would endanger Darby’s life.

Within hours, Darby’s entire unit at the Abu Ghraib prison – including the perpetrators – knew it was he who had exposed their crimes. The repercussions were swift. Darby slept with a gun under his pillow. His wife in his hometown was subjected to harassment and death threats. The Army deemed the threats genuine and placed Darby and his wife in protective custody. Many in their hometown shunned them and their home was vandalized. Others called Darby a dead man walking. Darby was forced to move out of his hometown and go into hiding in an undisclosed location.

Donald Rumsfeld paid no price for putting Darby and his wife in danger and destroying their lives.