Bruce Jessen

2 Senate Intelligence Committee

report on CIA torture
Main article: Senate Intelligence Committee report on
CIA torture
On December 9, 2014 the United States Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence released a report conrming
the use of torture and SERE tactics in interrogations.[9]
The contractors that developed the enhanced interrogation techniques received US$81 million for their
services, out of an original contract worth more than
US$180 million. NBC News identied the contractors,
who were referred to in the report via pseudonyms, as
Mitchell, Jessen & Associates from Spokane, Washington, which was run by by two psychologists, John Bruce
Jessen and James Mitchell. The report states that the contractor developed the list of enhanced interrogation techniques and personally conducted interrogations of some
of the CIAs most signicant detainees using those techniques. The contractors also evaluated whether the detainees psychological state allowed for continued use of
the techniques, even for some detainees they themselves
were interrogating or had interrogated. Mitchell, Jessen
& Associates developed a menu of 20 enhanced techniques including waterboarding, sleep deprivation and
stress positions. The CIA acting general counsel, described in his book Company Man, that the enhanced
techniques were sadistic and terrifying.[10]

SERE training camp, Fort Bragg. Captain Michael Kearns, Psychologist Bruce Jessen.

John Bruce Jessen is a psychologist, Air Force retiree, and former Mormon bishop who, with James Elmer
Mitchell, established the U.S. torture program referred to
as enhanced interrogation techniques.[1]

Career

A United States Air Force retiree, Jessen was hired in

2002 by the Central Intelligence Agency with Mitchell to
design the Enhanced interrogation techniques.[2]
Jessens role in the program was documented in a detailed
report by the US Senate Armed Services Committee, in
December 2008.[3]
On March 22, 2011, in an interview, Capt. Michael
S. Kearns also talked about his unsuccessful attempts
in providing the Committee on Armed Services United
States Senate with information about Jessens torture
research.[4]

3 See also
Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture

In 2005, Jessen and James Mitchell formed a company

called Mitchell Jessen and Associates, with oces in
Spokane and Virginia.[5]

Enhanced interrogation techniques

Also in 2011, hand written notes by Jessen obtained and

published by Truthout revealed that the objectives of the
torture program were not just about obtaining intelligence
but rather, torture was used as a way to break down detainees in order to get them to be compliant and submissive to authority.[6]

Larry C. James

On October 15, 2012, Jessen was sustained as bishop of

the Spokane 6th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.[7] He resigned as bishop one week
later.[8]

4 References

Nuremberg Code
John Leso
James Elmer Mitchell

[1] Roger Aldrich, the Al Qaeda Manual, and the Origins of

Mitchell-Jessen, American Torture August 25, 2009

[2] Shane, Scott (August 11, 2009). Interrogation Inc. - 2

U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11s Wake. New
York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
[3] Report of the Committee on Armed Services United
States Senate Inquiry into the Treatment of Detainees
in U.S. Custody April 22, 2009
[4] CIA Psychologists Notes Reveal True Purpose Behind
Bushs Torture Program , Truthout, March 22, 2011
[5] The Story of Mitchell Jessen & Associates: How a Team
of Psychologists in Spokane, WA, Helped Develop the
CIAs Torture Techniques, DemocracyNow, April 21,
2009
[6] Leopold Interviews Former SERE Instructor Capt.
Michael Kearns About The Bush Administrations Torture
Program, The Public Record, March 24, 2011
[7] Camden, Jim (October 18, 2012), Mormon church appointee aided CIA on terror, The Spokesman-Review
[8] Brooks, Joanna (October 23, 2012), Does Romneys Religion Condone Torture?", Religion Dispatches
[9] United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The Senate Committees Report on the C.I.A.s Use of
Torture December 9, 2014.
[10] Windrem, Robert. CIA Paid Torture Teachers More
Than $80 Million. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.

External links
CIA Psychologists Notes Reveal True Purpose
Behind Bushs Torture ProgramTruthout Jason
Leopold Jerey Kaye March 22, 2011
The Dark Desires of Bruce Jessen, the Architect
of Bushs Torture Program, As Revealed by His
Former Friend and Colleague Andy Worthington
March 28, 2011
Jessen.html American Torture Michael Otterman
Torture Memos Link Lawyers and Psychologists
Vanity Fair Katherine Eban April 19, 2009
The Story of Mitchell Jessen & Associates:
How a Team of Psychologists in Spokane, WA,
Helped Develop the CIAs Torture Techniques
DemocracyNow April 21, 2009

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

6.1

Text

Bruce Jessen Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce%20Jessen?oldid=637482724 Contributors: Ejrh, BD2412, Cydebot, Mojo Hand,
Missvain, Waacstats, BrotherSulayman, LaHaine, Traveler100, Good Olfactory, Yobot, Mnnlaxer, Talencar, GoingBatty, Jenlucas415,
Cwobeel, Monopoly31121993, HHuc and Anonymous: 11

6.2

Images

File:SERE_training_camp,_Fort_Bragg.jpg
Source:
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SERE_training_camp%2C_Fort_Bragg.jpg
License:
Public
domain
Contributors:
http://www.truth-out.org/
cia-psychologists-notes-reveal-bushs-torture-program68542 Original artist: Michael Kearns

6.3

Content license

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