SAN DIEGO — A military jury yesterday acquitted a Navy SEAL lieutenant of beating an Iraqi prisoner who later died.

Jurors deliberated about three hours before finding Lt. Andrew Ledford, 32, not guilty of all charges, including assault and dereliction of duty. The SEAL had faced up to 11 years in military prison.

Prosecutors said Ledford failed as a leader on a November 2003 mission after he and his men captured Manadel al-Jamadi, a suspect in the bombing of Red Cross offices in Baghdad that killed 12.

Members of Ledford's SEAL platoon testified that during a stop at an Army base, they punched, kicked and struck al-Jamadi with muzzles of their rifles.

Instead of ordering his men to halt the beating, Ledford accepted a subordinate's offer to punch the bound prisoner in the arm, Navy prosecutor Lt. Chad Olcott said.

On the witness stand Thursday, Ledford denied hitting the detainee.

Eight SEALs and one sailor who served under Ledford have received administrative punishments for abusing al-Jamadi and other detainees.

Al-Jamadi died shortly after the SEALs turned him over to the CIA while he was being interrogated in Abu Ghraib prison.

The CIA has forwarded its investigation to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.