Free Republic

John Henry Browne, the attorney for Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, the man accused of single-handedly massacring 17 Afghan villagers, is now accusing the United States government of “an almost complete information blackout” which is blocking him from preparing a proper defense for Bales. Browne alleges that he and his legal team has been prevented from being able to interview the witnesses to the tragic incident as well as the injured civilians in southern Afghanistan. ... “We are facing an almost complete information blackout from the government, which is having a devastating effect on our ability to investigate the charges preferred...

SEATTLE (AP) - A Seattle attorney who represented a teenage thief known as the "Barefoot Bandit" said Thursday he has been asked to represent the U.S. soldier accused of slaughtering 16 Afghan civilians last weekend. John Henry Browne told The Associated Press the 38-year-old staff sergeant is from the Seattle area and asked to be represented by him when he was taken into custody. Brown, a prominent Seattle defense lawyer, said he has met with the sergeant's family, and unless the soldier is returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the next few days, he will travel to meet the soldier...

SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. soldier accused of slaughtering 16 Afghan villagers last weekend saw his friend's leg blown off the day before the rampage, his lawyer said Thursday. Seattle attorney John Henry Browne told The Associated Press that according to his client's family, the suspect was standing next to another U.S. soldier when that soldier was gravely injured.