Opinion ID: 185852
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Father Jenco's Abduction and Captivity

Text: 2 Shortly before 8:00 a.m. on January 8, 1985, five armed men abducted Fr. Jenco as he was on his way to the office of Catholic Relief Services in West Beirut, Lebanon. Hizbollah carried out the kidnapping as part of a widespread terrorist campaign that it conducted during the 1980s. This campaign targeted journalists, university professors, members of the clergy, and United States servicemen. See, e.g., Wagner v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 172 F.Supp.2d 128, 131-32 (D.D.C. 2001) (detailing the murder of a Navy officer stationed in Beirut by a Hizbollah suicide bomber); Sutherland v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 151 F.Supp.2d 27, 30-38 (D.D.C.2001) (detailing Hizbollah's kidnapping, detention, and torture of an American academic in Beirut); Polhill v. Islamic Republic of Iran, No. 00-1798 (TPJ), 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15322, at - (D.D.C. Aug. 23, 2001) (same); Anderson v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 90 F.Supp.2d 107, 109-11 (D.D.C.2000) (detailing Hizbollah's kidnapping, detention, and torture of an American journalist in Beirut); Cicippio v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 18 F.Supp.2d 62, 63-66 (D.D.C.1998) (detailing Hizbollah's kidnapping, imprisonment, and torture of three male U.S. citizens). 3 As Hizbollah's prisoner, Fr. Jenco was subjected to inhumane conditions. The District Court described his treatment at some length: 4 From the moment he was abducted, Father Jenco was treated little better than a caged animal. He was chained, beaten, and almost constantly blindfolded. His access to toilet facilities was extremely limited, if permitted at all. He was routinely required to urinate in a cup and maintain the urine in his cell. His food and clothing were spare, as was even the most basic medical care. 5 He also withstood repeated psychological torture. Most notably, at one point, his captors held a gun to his head and told him that he was about to die. The captors pulled the trigger and laughed as Father Jenco reacted to the small click of the unloaded gun. At other times, the captors misled Fr. Jenco into thinking he was going home. They told him to dress up in his good clothes, took pictures of him, and then said ha, ha, we're just kidding. 6 Jenco, 154 F.Supp.2d at 29. 7 Fr. Jenco's imprisonment also caused great suffering among his family members: 8 While Father Jenco was being held prisoner, his many siblings and relatives banded together and fought for his release. The family made a practice of meeting every Monday night to discuss what steps they could take to help secure his release. Family members took on various responsibilities, such as communicating with the public, dealing with the media, maintaining contact with the State Department, and raising money to cover the various costs of such a massive effort. 9 Andrew Mihelich and John Jenco, both nephews of Fr. Jenco, testified that, because of their massive dedication to free Fr. Jenco, the whole family, in effect, became a hostage in one way or another. As a result, many of the traditional family events, such as birthdays, graduations, or religious holidays were overshadowed — or overlooked altogether — on account of the campaign to free Fr. Jenco. Apart from the campaign, the family felt the very personal loss of not having their beloved relative at many family milestones, such as weddings, births, and baptisms. On the whole, according to John Jenco, the family spent the 19 months of Fr. Jenco's captivity on an emotional roller coaster, never knowing how close or far Fr. Jenco was to being released, not to mention returning home unharmed. 10 Jenco relatives also testified as to the specific effects that the captivity had o[n] Fr. Jenco's brother, John Jenco. John Jenco Jr. testified that, from the first day of captivity to the last day of his own life, John Jenco Sr. was distraught in a way he had never been before. He was able to celebrate the return of Fr. Jenco, but was never fully able, according to John Jenco Jr., become himself again. Similarly, Joseph Jenco testified that the stress of the captivity on Verna Mae Mihelich likely was a factor in her premature death. 11 Id. at 31-32. The trial court also found that 12 there is significant evidence of emotional distress among the siblings. Joseph Jenco, Fr. Jenco's brother testified as to the great strain the captivity imposed on himself as well as his brothers and sisters.... As well, other witnesses testified as to the stressful and extensive publicity campaign ...; the stress of false alarms that Fr. Jenco had been killed or freed ...; and constant fear that the campaign to free Fr. Jenco might also end up hurting him and the other hostages. 13 Id. at 35. 14 After Fr. Jenco's release, he returned to the United States and served as a parish priest until his death on July 19, 1996. Id. at 29. The District Court found, however, that even after his return home, Fr. Jenco never fully recovered from the grim experience of his imprisonment: 15 Fr. Jenco continued to suffer the effects of his captivity. For a long period after his return, Father Jenco remained underweight and quite weak. Father Jenco's nephew, David Mihelich, testified that his uncle's disposition was noticeably milder, and indeed never returned to its pre-captivity state. As well, Christopher Morales, a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, became a close friend of Jenco's after interviewing him about his experience in Lebanon. Agent Morales testified that he witnessed Father Jenco have three separate flashbacks, that is, moments where Jenco appeared to be aloof of his surroundings and somewhat possessed and disturbed by different images or experiences.... In sum, the last 11 years of Fr. Jenco's life were indelibly marred by his kidnapping and torture. 16 Id. at 29-30. 17 Although the District Court's findings are more precise with respect to the effects of Fr. Jenco's ordeal on his siblings than on his nieces and nephews, there is no dispute that the nieces and nephews suffered emotional distress by virtue of the harm done to their uncle.