WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - A federal jury on Tuesday

found U.S. defense contractor CACI International ( CACI ) liable

for its role in torture at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad

during the Iraq war and ordered it to pay $42 million in

damages.

The jury's verdict found the Virginia-based company liable

in the torture of Iraqi men at the prison in 2003-2004 and

ordered it to pay each of the three plaintiffs $14 million in

damages, the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represented

the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

Tuesday's verdict marked the first time a civilian

contractor was held legally responsible for the torture at the

prison.

The torture of prisoners held by U.S. forces during the Iraq

war at the facility became a scandal during former President

George W. Bush's administration after pictures of the abuse

emerged in 2004.

The photos showed U.S. troops smiling, laughing and giving

thumbs up as prisoners were forced into humiliating positions

including a naked human pyramid and simulated sex. Detainees

said they endured physical and sexual abuse, infliction of

electric shocks and mock executions.

CACI ( CACI ) denies its employees engaged in torture and said it

will appeal Tuesday's verdict, calling it disappointing. CACI ( CACI )

employees worked as interrogators at the prison under contract

with the U.S. government.

The three Iraqi plaintiffs - Suhail Al Shimari, Salah

Al-Ejaili and As'ad Al-Zuba'e - said CACI ( CACI ) interrogators would

direct military personnel to "soften up" detainees before they

were questioned, leading to abuses across the facility.

The plaintiffs were eventually released without charge.

A CACI ( CACI ) spokesperson said the company has been "wrongly

subjected to long-term, negative affiliation with the

unfortunate and reckless actions of a group of military police

at Abu Ghraib prison from 2003 through 2004."

The U.S. invasion of Iraq, which followed lies that Iraq had

weapons of mass destruction and killed hundreds of thousands,

led to widespread global condemnation.