U.S. Soldier to Be Charged With Mass Afghan Murder

Wall Street Journal ^ | 3/8/2012 | DOUGLAS BELKIN, JOEL MILLMAN, JACK NICAS

[nickcarraway]

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, the Army soldier who is set to be charged in the mass murder of 16 Afghan civilian men, women and children, spent the weekend in pretrial isolation as military prosecutors prepared a case that may carry the death penalty.

Staff Sgt. Bales, 38 years old, was brought to the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., late Friday to await the charges, which military officials said could come sometime this week. Meanwhile, a Seattle-based criminal attorney retained to defend Staff Sgt. Bales traveled to Kansas Sunday and planned to meet Monday with the soldier.

Staff Sgt. Bales has been in military custody since he surrendered following what U.S. officials described as a rampage through villages in Kandahar province in which he allegedly shot, stabbed and set ablaze men, women and children. Prosecutors have said nothing publicly about the case against him, although it has leaked out that Staff Sgt. Bales had been drinking. President Barack Obama said he has instructed the military to prosecute the case aggressively and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the suspect could face the death penalty.

The killings have stoked Afghan anger toward the U.S., especially coming after other incidents in which U.S. personnel burned the Quran and urinated on the corpses of Taliban fighters.

Staff Sgt. Bales's lawyers haven't denied the charges against the married father of two, but have said they would comb through his military history to determine what factors involved. That suggests a possible defense based on mental-health problems that were out of his control. They point out that he served three tours in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan, and suffered traumatic brain injury as well as a severe foot injury.

[MasterGunner01]

At least the Staff Sgt. Bales is back in the United States and wasn't turned over to Karzai’s Sharia Court for “justice.” I am certain that the Muslim-in-Chief is very disappointed. Has the accused been given his Article 32 hearing yet?

[Mila]

‘How about the asshole who fragged the officers tent just before the Iraq war.I’m still waiting to hear the outcome to that.’

Soldier Sentenced to Death for Iraq War Murder

A 15-member military jury sentenced Sgt. Hasan Akbar to death for killing 2 U.S. military officers in Kuwait in 2003 during the opening days of the Iraq invasion. At his sentencing, Akbar said, “I want to apologize for the attack that occurred. I felt that my life was in jeopardy, and I had no other options. I also want to ask you for forgiveness.” He is the first American since the Vietnam era to be prosecuted for murdering a fellow soldier in wartime. (N.Y. Times, April 29, 2005 (AP)).

No one has been executed under the military’s death penalty since 1961. There are 7 other soldiers facing possible execution, including two who have had their death sentences reversed on appeal. Seven of the eight (87%) soldiers now on death row are members of racial minorities.

http://deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/1432

[shalom aleichem]

What is the BIG RUSH to charge and execute this guy? Muslim Major Hassan killed many U S soldiers and others in cold blood over 3 years ago BUT to trial yet. He is drawing full pay. Living high on the hog (or whatever Muslims eat). Obama is so afraid of Crazy Uncle Karzai.

[Sarajevo]

I also understand your points. On this topic, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Cheers,

[RipSawyer]

“Wow, Fisk is clearly completely out of touch with reality.”
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He has a lot of company, if he didn’t this country would not be in the miserable mess it is in.