FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want turn to a story that riveted the nation and shocked and horrified many some years ago: the tragic deaths of four American churchwomen in El Salvador 20 years ago. Susan Candiotti has a late-breaking update on this story and joins us now from Florida -- Susan.</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Frank. A jury, a civil, federal jury in west Palm Beach Florida, after deliberating for a few days, has acquitted two former Salvadoran generals who were being sued to be held liable for the deaths of those four American churchwomen who were kidnapped, raped and brutally executed in El Salvador in December of 1980. The trial has been going on for a few weeks. Again, these two generals, who are now living in Florida as retirees and were allowed to live in the United States as U.S. residents were sued. They were being accused of being liable in their roles as the head of the national security defense minister for the El Salvadoran government. And they were -- this was the first time -- what was important about this case is that this is the first time that two officials of a foreign government were being held liable under a congressional act to hold them responsible, as the head of the military, for responsibility of those under them who actually were convicted of pulling the trigger and executing these women. However, these two people were acquitted -- the two generals. They were not in the courtroom when the verdict was read and we should be hearing shortly from the victim's relatives who, of course, are expected to be very disappointed about this verdict -- but a victory for the two generals.</s>SESNO: Susan Candiotti, thanks very much. And just a reminder that, back in 1980, Central America, of course, riddled with conflict. El Salvador by civil war, those four American churchwomen were killed brutally there in 1980.
El Salvadoran Generals Commanding Army That Killed Four Americans 20 Years Ago Cleared of Lawsuit