Dick Cheney charged over abuse in private prisons
US vice president Dick Cheney has been charged with "organised criminal activity" over allegations about abuse in privately-run prisons.
A grand jury in south Texas indicted Mr Cheney and Alberto Gonzales, the former Attorney General, on state charges that they blocked an investigation into the mistreatment of prisoners.
The indictment cites a "money trail" relating to Mr Cheney's financial stake in prison-related businesses, including the Vanguard Group, which has an interest in privately-run federal jails in the region.
According to a grand jury in Willacy County, Mr Cheney is "is "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty".
It also accuses him of a conflict of interest and of "at least misdemeanour assaults" on inmates because of his links to the prison companies.
Mr Gonzales is accused of using his position to "stop the investigations as to the wrong doings" in county prisons.
The grand jury wrote that it made its decision "with great sadness" but said it had no other choice but to indict the pair "because we love our country".
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